What Senior Student Athletes Know about Making It in College

• Don't let your sport interfere too much with your studies. Talk with your coach if there is a conflict.
• Get off to a good start academically: earn good grades your first semester. It is hard to raise your GPA when you are a junior or a senior.
• Get to practice early.
• Attend all your classes, even the ones at 8:00 A.M.
• Develop effective academic skills, such as taking effective notes; these will help you in all your classes.
• Always turn in your work on time. Don't put things off!
• Don't let socializing or relationships interfere with your studies; always remember why you are in school.
• Be interested in your classes: ask questions in class, sit in the front and center, read your assignments in advance.
• Get to know you instructors: talk with them after class, see them during their office hours, and email them with questions.
• Make consistent progress toward your degree. Don't put off your hardest classes until your senior year.
• As in sports, never give up. Rise to the challenges you face in your classes.
• Be positive about all of your classes, even the "boring" ones.
• Be positive about practices, even when you are physically exhausted.
• Learn how to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Be open to learning about yourself.
• Set goals, both in classes and in sports, and always try to attain them.
• Think about what you are learning, be inquisitive, and ask questions. Don't just accept what you are told.
• Learn to manage and use your time effectively. Get the most out of every day.
• Be responsible with your money.
• Learn that you are responsible for your education and your success in sports. Make the necessary effort to be at your best.
• Get to know people, such as faculty or students, who are outside the athletic department. If you follow the strategies and ideas outlined above, should help you be successful in school, sports, and life.