The Unspoken Secret to Academic Success

"C you at home."- Marie D, beloved parent and a favorite mom of mine.

As she cupped her forefinger and thumb, "C you at home" were the last words Marie spoke?to her son while dropping him off at college—UMiami.

I know, I heard it?live. And it got her son's attention! In my 15 - 20 years?working in this profession, those are the wisest words I've ever heard from a parent... not the second or third wisest... the wisest!?

So that everyone catches the context here, Maria was informing her son that if he gets a "C" in any course, he will not be permitted to return to college.?

Marie's approach was very direct. This was no idle threat. Her son called me a month ago to help him in a class that worried him about getting a "C".?

C's reflect a sizable deficiency in one's understanding of course content. It's compounded by putting a student in?a weak position going forward in?higher-level classes.?I don't like weak positions. Why not? Success is not attained from a position of weakness.?

Here's my?theme for today's?memo- The unspoken secret to?academic success is "mastering the content. "Why is it unspoken? Because it implies harder work!

The bigger the ambition, the harder the work. Success is built upon mastering the content.?This doesn't begin in college. Rather, it begins in the early stages of high school- 9th grade. It's important to master the content early to build upon that mastery later. It will play forward through college.?

"C you at home." Thank you, dear Marie!

Hans-?CollegeLogic

Office #?203.470.3704,?[email protected]