Six Keys
to Succeeding in College
designed to get well-prepared
students into the workforce quickly.
Social Advantages
There’s more to college than
classrooms and textbooks.
Community college students can
participate in athletics, student
government, student organizations,
theatre activities, music performance
groups, and other activities. Suffolk
has more than 90 student clubs and
organizations, intercollegiate and
intermural athletics, leadership
development, theatre productions,
musical performances, art exhibits,
getting involved in clubs and other
activities, students get real-life,
hands-on college experience.
Flexibility
Perhaps the greatest strength of two-
to work during the day and attend
school at night? That shouldn’t be
a problem. Most two-year schools
offer extensive evening programs,
and some have early morning and
weekend offerings in addition to
online courses. Suffolk offers more
than 275 distance education courses
in both fully online and blended
formats and a fully online A.A.S.
Degree in Business Administration,
with no campus-based classes to
attend.
Interested in transferring? Students
can complete a year or two of studies
at a fraction of the cost of a four-
year school, and then transfer to a
university. Want to avoid four-year
programs that take anywhere from
one semester to one or two years
to complete, which allows for quick
entry into the workforce.
Start early.
Perhaps the best way to prepare for success in college
is to get started as early as possible with processes such as applying
for aid, completing admission applications and taking a placement
test.
Plan ahead.
To avoid stress and manage your workload, plan ahead
for all of your assignments. Get a course syllabus (or outline) for
expectations as well as a schedule for assignments.
Connect with other students.
Find a buddy in each class; join a
student club or organization, and get involved.
Choose classes carefully.
Nothing can cause more problems than
getting overwhelmed by a class for which you are not prepared. Pay
close attention to course descriptions, and consult an advisor or
instructor before enrolling each term.
Seek help.
If you need advice with academic or personal matters,
talk with the support professionals who are available to help
students. If you have trouble with a class, go to the instructor. Also,
check out tutoring services or computerized study aids. Suffolk offers
a variety of resources including a Virtual Learning Commons (VLC)
with 24/7 online tutorials and interactive exercises.
Do the work.
It may sound simple, but an essential factor in college
success is completing all assignments. Unfortunately, too many
students try to get by without reading everything that has been
assigned or otherwise scrimping on coursework. If you do everything
that is asked of you, the odds of success are in your favor.
Attending that two-year school and then transferring to a four-year school
saves money. It also increases the chance of getting into a “reach” school,
since transferring is typically less competitive than applying as a high
school senior among the masses.
Another plus is that two-year colleges provide solid preparation for
professors, they provide students the chance to meet general education
requirements while strengthening skills in key areas such as writing and
math. A real advantage is that students can proceed at their own pace.
While students typically complete two years of study before transferring to
a four-year college, that’s not the only option. Some students move on after
only a year. Others earn associate degrees, enter the workforce and then
pursue bachelor’s degrees on a part-time basis. Since many employers will
pay for their employees to take college classes, the part-time option can be
especially cost-effective.
Two-year colleges really are a tremendous value that people sometimes
overlook because they don’t know about these “secrets.” Whatever the goal,
a college like Suffolk County Community College is a great place to learn
more and do more.
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For more information about the benefits of a community
college education, simply call 631-451-4111.
(631) 451-4111
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Suffolk County Community College
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