“One of the key factors is a sense of belonging. Students must know that they matter and that they have value and a voice.” – Vincent Tinto on student university retention
Do you have a student headed to university this fall? Research indicates that successful student integration includes both academic and social activities. While many families are worried about their students maintaining good grades, there’s more to university readiness. As a Higher Education educator in the UAE, here are 5 ways I’ve seen students ill-prepared for university life:
- Lack of independence – This is both a blessing and a curse. What a blessing to be under the care and watch of your parents throughout your life, with everything taken care of for you. You don’t have to worry about what to eat, what you’re going to wear, or how you’ll get to school; much of these things are taken care of by parents. In university, most students haven’t had the opportunity to cook for themselves, get to classes on their own, or manage their calendars. Preparing students for this transition while they’re still in your care will make their transition much more successful.
- Lack of time management – This skill is tied to the previous point. Many students haven’t had the opportunity to manage their own schedules as they’ve had live-in accountability with parents. In university, professors won’t be responsible for sending reminder emails (although some do) to make sure you’re keeping on top of your studies. Many university programs are aware that this is difficult for students, so this soft skill is built into the curriculum of most first year experiences. However, for students to practice managing responsibilities and deadlines at home, can make for a better transition.
- Lack of awareness about university support – In my experience, I’ve had many students fail courses in their first year simply because they didn’t take advantage of services provided by the university. If a university accepts you, they will do what they can to retain you. As a result, universities have both academic and social support services. Parents can help their students by looking into these services before day one of class.
- Lack of confidence communicating cross-culturally – For international students planning to study abroad, there are many cultural realities at play. As a westerner, I was always taught in school to think creatively and ask clarifying questions if something doesn’t make sense. In many eastern cultures, students aren’t encouraged to clear doubts directly. While this might be the culture of the international classroom, students must find a way to clear doubts. University has higher stakes, and families risk a lot to put their children through university study. As a result, students should push beyond their comfort levels to clear doubts with professors, peers, and the institution.
- Lack of social connection – The biggest indication I’ve seen with student success is “is the student known?”. What I mean by this is who knows this student. Joining a new university with new people can be very difficult for students who are relatively shy. This doesn’t mean that students need to attend every social event, but it should be mentioned that new students should connect with one person at a minimum. Being known brings along natural accountability. Students need this to help them with the entire university journey. Building community and network is also imperative to life-long success, and students should be practicing from day one.
Are you a student studying in the UAE or US feeling anxiety about the first year experience? Feel free to reach out to us through the contact page, and we can connect you with our university life coaches to ease the anxiety of students and parents.