WHY DO YOU THINK THAT SO MANY STUDENTS FALL FLAT ON THEIR FACES IN COLLEGE?

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO AVOID THESE PITFALLS AND CATAPULT ASPIRING STUDENTS TO A DIPLOMA, CAREER SUCCESS, AND HAPPY AND MEANINGFUL LIFE?

The answers are pivotal, even life-defining, but may not be what typical students or parents think. A successful college experience requires not only responsible use of time, energy, attention, and money through good choices, balance, and working and studying both hard and wisely, but also attention to numerous other details and strategies, some subtle. Some are based upon standard habits such as going to class, taking good notes, reading the textbook, and completing homework, but many involve removing unprofitable influences and commitments, accentuating talents and character, and coming to proper self-definition, life purpose, priorities, and goals. Most are based upon cause and effect, return-on-investment, good ethics and morals, and starting one's dominoes tumbling in the correct direction.

In this candid, hard-hitting book, Dr. Robert Engelken, a college professor with 3+ decades of experience in a college environment, provides frank opinions regarding common mistakes that propel some students to failure or mediocrity in college and life, and habits and strategies that superstar students use to invest time, energy, attention, and money to be highly successful. He also presents pointers for high school students preparing for college, and their parents and teachers. The entertaining, thought-provoking book's discussions are sometimes surprising, compelling, and tongue-in-cheek, but get to the bottom of relevant issues with no holds barred. It should serve as an insightful guidebook, not only for prospective and current college students, but also for parents, instructors, and administrators seeking to understand and nurture today's students toward success and purpose, and help them to avoid stumbling and falling flat on their faces in college, career, and life.

Calvin points out that emotional imprinting that takes place in the earliest stages of development governs the way that we parent. This self perpetuating conditioning affects the way that adults pursue goals and the way that children learn. Handed down one generation to the next and reinforced by Madison Avenue, we have become a society of under achieving, manic consumers.

Fortunately this groundbreaking new books offers insight that empowers us to recognize this detrimental cultural behavior as it offers simple solutions to making adjustments that will have a powerful impact on learning, achievement and individual quality of life.

This book is not just for parents, but as is pointed out in the book itself, "This book is for anyone who has benefited or can benefit from education" In other words, this book is for everyone.

This workbook employs a revolutionary approach to assisting students in selecting a career or college course. Using the structured thinking methodology of Dr. Edward de Bono, this workbook will lead the student in a simple, yet comprehensive, step-by-step exploration of all their choices. The main objective of the work is that the student themselves look at all their options and make selections based on personal goals and interests.

The workbook exercises are divided into 7 simple steps:

1. Personal goals and ambitions are listed.
2. Factors which affect careers are explored
3. Alternatives are then selected (a suggested list of over 200 is given)
4. Facts about each of the 20 choices must then be assembled.
5. Having assembled the facts on each career the student is then directed in a simple assessment of the choices. This is done with an emphasis on objectivity. Pros and cons will be explored equally.
6. Based on the data assembled in step 4, and the assessment of options in step 5, the picture should now be much clearer. The student should now be in a position to make their choices based on knowledge and objective assessment.
7. The final step is to plan a simple strategy. This will involve planning the steps required to achieve the career of their choice.

The work can be done by the student working alone but would benefit more by being completed in a classroom context where processes are discussed under guidance. It is not suggested that this manual should replace, but rather complement, the standard procedures of career guidance.

The On My Own Manual is a comprehensive guide to independent living for young adults. It also includes sections for personal information to be added for that very special person, such as favorite recipes, birthdays and anniversaries of friends and families, and addresses for family and friends.

The information contained in this book will significantly reduce the stress of the transition of leaving home, not only for the one leaving, but the one's being left. As parents we do our best to teach our children the things they will need to know when they leave the nest, but it is impossible to cover it all. It's even more difficult to ensure they retain it.