How to Be Successful in College: Avoid Debt & Remedial Courses
The True Cost of Remedial Courses
If you're like most high school students, you probably can't wait for your freshman year of college. Once classes start, however, some freshmen realize that they aren't ready for college coursework, and they have to enroll in remedial courses. In other words, their skills in certain subjects, like reading and math, are not up to minimum college standards. These remedial courses not only cost money, but they also do not count for credit. So if you end up taking remedial courses, you're still paying college tuition but earning no credit toward your degree.
Students taking remedial courses not only incur more debt and potentially prolong their time in school, but studies show they are also much more likely to drop out of school altogether. So it's not just time and money at stake: remedial courses can also put your degree at risk.
How Can You Prepare for College?
So, how can you avoid remedial courses and save your precious time and money? How can you be sure you're ready for college before you get there? Take Study.com preparatory courses. They're filled with short, engaging video lessons that cover the knowledge you need to succeed in college. Begin your freshman year confident and ready to learn!
Learn about essential college study skills and tips with this course:
Here's some simple math for you: Fewer courses + less money = happy college graduate. Ensure you're ready for college-level mathematics by taking one or both of these courses:
Developmental College Mathematics
Wondering if you wrote enough in high school? Want to make sure you're adept at creating strong arguments and incorporating research? Set your mind at ease with this course:
Developmental College Composition
Earn College Credit in Advance!
OK, here's the clincher. Study.com also has courses that could potentially earn you college credit. If you've brushed up on the basics with some of the courses above and you feel ready to kick it up a notch, try one (or more!) of our credit-recommended courses. Courses recommended by ACE or NCCRS are accepted at over 2,000 colleges and universities. This way you're not only eliminating the need for no-credit remedial courses, you're actually getting ahead by earning credits before you enter college.
Here are some of Study.com's credit-recommended courses. You should check with your college or university to make sure they will accept ACE or NCCRS credit in these subjects.
- Math 101: College Algebra
- History 103: US History I
- Biology 101: Intro to Biology
- Sociology 101: Intro to Sociology
Click here to see the full list of our credit-recommended courses.
What Else Do You Need to Know?
Are you looking for other information related to college? Questions about where to apply? Advice on your application? Resources for scholarships? Study.com has a suite of courses that can help you prepare for college in these ways as well:
How to Be Successful in College: Avoid Debt & Remedial Courses
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