College life can be a trying experience for students, both new and current.
The road to receiving a higher education is paved with an entirely different series of challenges from those of high school.
But who is the major contributor to the lackluster performance? Is it the institution or the student body who “makes or breaks” an academic career.
Pierce College is well aware of the fact that many students need assistance in order to successfully complete a course.
The Learning Center on campus offers a variety of programs and services (including tutoring and computer labs) that are aimed at helping those who are having difficulty.
It will also be receiving additional professors and expanding its hours in the coming semesters. The expanded hours and new positions are being funded with $300,000 allotted by the Pierce College Council as part of the Under-prepared Student Initiative.
But is this the solution? Will more funding put more butts in the classrooms? Maybe, but in the long run, you’re the one who decides to come to class and stay awake.
The library is but another place where a person can go for help. Not only will its staff answer any questions that one might have, but it also has a plethora of resources such as the newly improved database system that can be used for different kinds of research.
If that isn’t a sweet deal, the library even offers a fully functional version of the database accessible right from your home computer.
Pierce is doing what it can to address the issue of unprepared students. But it’s also up to us as students to take some responsibility for ourselves in order to graduate or obtain accreditation.
Yes, we are at a community college, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less serious because it’s not a four-year university. On the contrary, it is the stepping-stone to further our academic careers, not just “13th grade with ashtrays.”
With the semester coming to a close and finals fast-approaching, it may be a little too late for unprepared students this semester. However, all is not lost. For those that didn’t do well, perhaps now is the time to reflect and think about what steps they will take to be better prepared for next semester.
The journey toward success can be long and arduous. With many wrong turns along the way, it is very easy to get lost. Fortunately, there are guides to point you in the right direction should you decide to stop and ask for help.