My stuggling student

Struggle_Street
Sun, 09 Mar 2008 17:11:16 +0000

My child is struggling in his first year at college, and he is pretty upset about it. So are we. He identifies the problems as poor study skills, procrastination, and too much gaming. (The computer is coming home this week.) He is very smart (which actually is part of the problem - never had to work hard before) and is not a partier at all.

In trying to formulate a plan, he recognizes that he needs to reach out for help, but just doesn’t know where to go. I don’t know either. Would he start with the Director of Academic Advising? Or Dean of First Year Students? He has already talked to his assigned faculty advisor, without (apparently) too much help.

He feels that he has done the work, but is surprised by his grades on tests. My guess is that he has done the minimum work, and doesn’t know the subjects thoroughly enough. He feels he could go to his professors, or to tutoring, but he doesn’t really know what to ask.

At this point he needs some concrete steps and so I come here asking if anybody has a good idea how to point him in the right direction.

(Go easy on me Please.)