Dear Student,

More than ever before, a college education is an essential step in preparing you for almost any career. A few years ago, many well-paying jobs required only a high school diploma, but most employers today require that job applicants have some form of education beyond high school. This can be a college degree or a certificate in a particular vocation.

Higher education is becoming more expensive, and some people are questioning whether a college degree is worth the cost. Yes, college is expensive, but the benefits of a college education are well worth the price tag. A college educated person receives a better salary and enjoys a healthier life, more confidence, and a greater future for his or her children. Of course we can all name a few exceptions: Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and Steve Jobs of Apple were college dropouts who still managed to be highly successful. Such success stories are rare.

While you might have many reasons for being in college, we hope your primary goal is graduation. And you will be more likely to graduate if you have a successful first year. When we were in our first year of college, college success courses did not exist. Colleges and universities just allowed new students to sink or swim. As a result, some students did well, some hardly survived, and some dropped out or flunked out.

As college professors, researchers, and administrators with many years of experience working with first-year students, we know that starting college can be challenging. Today, most colleges offer success courses to help students to be successful in the first year and to eventually graduate.

You are likely reading Your College Experience because you are enrolled in a college success course. Although this book might seem different from your other textbooks, we believe that it could be the most important book you read this term because it’s all about improving your chances for success in college and in your career. This book will help you discover your own strengths and your needs for improvement. We know that if you apply the ideas in this book to your everyday life, you are more likely to enjoy your time in college, graduate, and achieve your life goals. Welcome to college!

John N. Gardner

Betsy O. Barefoot

Negar Farakish