The college social scene is often as important to students as classes, papers and grades. The socialization that encompasses the college experience may inadvertently impact college performance. Boyfriends and girlfriends, parties and road trips, sororities and fraternities all have a way of affecting grades, learning and class attendance. Sometimes the effects can be positive, but more often than not, the effects of social pressure negatively impact college performance.
Study habits directly affect a student's performance in college. There are certain techniques students can be taught to maximize their study time. Where and when students study can also affect their comprehension. In 2006, Syed Tahir Hijazi and S.M.M. Raza Naqvi published a study about factors impacting college performance. The results of the study found that the more time that students spent attending classes, the better their college performance.
One of the main differences between high school and undergraduate classwork is the college course's strong emphasis on writing. In general, college students are required to write papers, rather than pass tests. Most college classes rely heavily on papers to allow students to demonstrate the knowledge they learned in class. Students who were not proficient writers in high school may have some issues maintaining high grades in college. Fortunately, most colleges offer free writing seminars and workshops for their students. Learning basic writing skills can positively impact college performance.
Students usually do more reading in college then they have ever done in their lives. Reading assignments are commonplace on the average college course syllabus. If students feel overwhelmed with the amount of reading they are assigned, they may not get it all done, which negatively impacts college performance. Learning and utilizing speed reading techniques, as well as advanced note-taking, go a long way toward improving a student's reading capabilities.