Attributes of a Successful Student - Essay Example

Students who are most successful in college are students who are curious and ready to learn about new things. There are many ways in which curiosity is an essential quality for students. To begin with, curiosity enables students to become interested in subjects they might not have considered before. This quality drives a desire to learn what makes the university process seem less like work and more like an adventure. Curiosity can also help students overcome feelings of resistance against required courses that perhaps don’t fall within their normal interest range.

There are always classes that are part of a required curriculum that doesn’t necessarily appeal to the student, such as math classes for English majors or English classes for scientists. Curiosity can change the focus into discovering ways in which this course material might be applied to the major field of study or the promise of future courses may entice the student to complete the undesired course in order to reach more desirable units. All the curiosity in the world will not help the student much, though, if they do not also possess the quality of self-motivation.

High school classes begin to place responsibility for coursework upon the shoulders of the student as a means of preparing them for college, but this does not mean the work gets finished. High school students also usually have parents push them to finish their work, but college students are expected to keep up with their work on their own. Self-motivation drives the student to complete their work on time and to keep track of their classes on their own. Also, since college doesn’t include mandatory attendance, it takes a self-motivated individual to ensure they get to class each day instead of sleeping in or hanging out with friends.

While there are many qualities that students will need to make a success of the college, the qualities of curiosity and self-motivation are essential to bringing all other skills and qualities into play during their educational tenure. Without curiosity, it is difficult for students to overcome difficult classes or to fully explore the fields open to them based on their range of interests. However, without self-motivation, students will find it difficult to attend all classes and ensure all work is submitted on time and well-done.

With these two qualities in hand, deficiencies in other areas can be overcome.