I have developed a personal study plan because I must follow a well-planned strategy to reach my goal of graduation, which is my definition of academic success (York, Gibson, & Rankin, 2015). Setting personal goals is essential for meeting goals according to MindTools (n.d.). I have reviewed my earlier behavior because I understand I am in a critical situation concerning my personal academic success. I have made the mistake of many of my friends by taking on more than I could handle without thinking through the consequences (Williams, 2005, para. 7). I must concentrate on presenting my best work in order to graduate. I am willing to do whatever is needed to accomplish graduation. Therefore I carefully reviewed the obstacles I have encountered and considered how I can improve my grades in a timely fashion.
A large obstacle was taking the Probability course without a solid background in the subject. I spent too much time trying to do the homework in order to understand the main concepts. Instead, I should have taken Calculus 1 and 2 as prerequisites. My success in the class was blocked due to this mistake. To show my serious intention to solve my academic crisis, I have already taken Calculus I. I am taking Calculus II right now. I will be able to take the Probability class with a solid background of the mathematics required. I learned from my mistake that I must take full advantage of the math tutoring center. A tutor will provide a learning strategy for tricky problems and help me develop the skill for solving challenging problems.
My academic success plan will mean taking the Probability class during the Second Summer Session. In this way I will have the opportunity to focus only on the Probability class. I will have time to take the practice exams. Working on practice exams will give me confidence and make me feel that I have mastered the subject. Also I will feel comfortable asking for help from my professor about challenging problems and feel more relaxed taking the exams.
Another important solution in my plan is to improve my time management skills because another obstacle was created from lack of applying time management strategies (Williams, 2005, para. 8). “One of the most effective ways of improving your productivity is to recognize and rectify time management mistakes” (MindTools, n.d). Last semester I had one very difficult class and another easier class but it required a lot of work. Unfortunately I did not balance my time well between the two classes, but I can use that information to apply time management and not make the same mistake. I will make a well-thought-out schedule to ensure that I give every course the time I need to gain a good grade. During each course I will continue to evaluate my performance in order to guarantee that I am progressing satisfactorily and will meet my academic goals.
Therefore I am confident I can reach my academic goal of graduation. I will finish the prerequisites required for the Probability class. I will use the many supports that the university has to offer including the student tutoring and math centers. I will prioritize applying time management strategies by retaking the Probability course during the second summer session. I will most certainly continue applying the new skills I learn to all my future studies in order to ensure my continued success.
Works Cited
Mind Tools Team. (n.d.). 10 Common Time Management Mistakes: Avoiding Common Pitfalls. MindTools. Retrieved from https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/time-management-mistakes.htm
Williams, J. (2005, December). Millennial Students: Rethinking time management. Academic Advising Today, 28(4). Retrieved from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Academic-Advising-Today/View-Articles/Millennial-Students-Rethinking-Time-Management.aspx
York, T.T., Gibson, C., & Rankin, S. (2015). Defining and Measuring Academic Success. Practical Assessment Research & Evaluation. Retrieved from http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=20&n=5
