High school is an unremarkable era in many college students’ academic careers.
In high school, with extra credit, students with less-than-stellar attendance and average scores can still manage to receive an A at the end of the term. But in college, slacking can impact your future.
College requires more effort, because earning a degree costs thousands of dollars, and the majority of that cost is out of pocket or taken out as student loans. If that isn’t stressful enough, trying to obtain a high GPA to transfer to a four-year institution can be a nightmare.
With these added pressures, “Cs get degrees” is not a motto to live by.
Grades are like a paycheck. If you are just getting by, it probably means you are stressing yourself out.
According to a survey by the National Survey of Student Engagement, 32 percent of first-year students and 36 percent of seniors said financial concerns interfered with their academic performance.
Earning a scholarship can ease the financial burden of paying tuition, so students can focus on rent, groceries and other necessities.
“I try to do the best I can so it can create opportunities,” says Berkley Bergstrom, a general education student and current scholarship holder at SLCC.
In addition to financial aid, scholarships also create opportunities for networking with professionals in a desired job industry.
“It is crucial for me to get As or Bs in my studies because there are so many scholarship opportunities for future educators,” said Brittany Anne VanValkenburg, an education major at SLCC.
The higher a student’s GPA, the better their chance of obtaining full-ride scholarships and grants. Many scholarships and tuition waivers have a minimum GPA as a requirement.
Unfortunately, some students have to coast by with below-average grades due to work, caregiving or family obligations.
Nursing major Autumn DeLacy understands that sometimes getting Cs is a best-case scenario.
“When I am unable to get As and Bs in classes, it still gives me a cushion to pass and work towards my degree,” she says.
Although DeLacy shares a common belief among students, faculty may frown upon that kind of thinking.
“When I hear students say that, I believe that the students [are] doing their best and giving their full effort. But on the professor side, it can present them as lazy and putting their class as a lesser priority,” says Alison Campbell, an SLCC staff member who works very closely with students.
Contact the SLCC Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships for more information about scholarships and tuition waivers.
