Essential Skills Every College Student Should Master

Going to college can seem like a rite of passage for many students. It is an expected next stage to enter after high school graduation for some. Some parents might think they have done their job while their students were in high school and have now launched them into the collegiate world, where they should be ready to go it alone. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Often, students still need extra help and guidance to learn executive functions and adulting skills they have not yet mastered or been exposed to. Please keep reading to learn about some things your students need to learn beyond the textbooks.

Use Artificial Intelligence as a Study Aid

Artificial Intelligence is a comprehensive and expansive field that has the ability to help your students work smarter while putting in the hard work to meet their study and overall education objectives. They should consider leveraging AI tools for students to help create study guides and flashcards and generate study questions for upcoming quizzes and tests. 

AI should never take the place of doing homework and putting in the effort to get good grades. However, AI can supplement traditional learning by incorporating it into your student’s regular study efforts. They can make study guides and notes to help them stay focused on the process of learning and avoid wasting time on creating content that can be quickly accomplished through the advancements in AI technology. 

Know the Importance of Fact-checking in the Real World

The world is changing rapidly while respective populations are becoming more fractured and politicized. Regardless of where your students may fall on any political spectrum or feel about a political topic, they need to be well informed. Unfortunately, in these divided times, it can become difficult to determine fact from fiction and motivated opinion from reality. 

Teach your students to be discerning consumers of news articles, publications, websites, and public figures by showing them how to fact-check information. Encourage them to understand someone’s unique perspective in determining why that person is putting information out into the world. Guide them toward a better awareness of another’s motivation for saying or doing something to persuade others versus leading with facts to achieve their agenda.

Understand Time Management Techniques

Time management skills are invaluable for college students because it helps them find a balance between the rigors and constraints of academic studies, extracurricular activities, and their personal lives. This balance leads to better academic performance, reduced stress, and better well-being overall.

The practice of managing time will likely be different for every student and may vary depending on what is going on in their respective lives; however, the basics will be the same. Your students should prioritize focusing on their studies while working to successfully pass their coursework. Those who understand how to use their time wisely tend to procrastinate less and find ways to achieve success in their endeavors.

Watch this video for tips from a high school-turned-college student who manages her time successfully.

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Learn Financial Responsibility

Financial literacy is a vital skill set for college students to learn and embrace. When your students understand how to manage their money, they will be better equipped to move toward a more responsible and successful future. Understanding everything from interest rates and fees to the fine print on loan paperwork will help them make good decisions and avoid wasting their hard-earned money.

Take time to teach your college students yourself or find available resources to help them. Focus on topics that include the following: 

• Set up bills on autopay.

• Review all financial statements monthly.

• Set up an emergency fund.

• Put a percentage of each paycheck into a savings account monthly.

• Begin investing in an IRA or other investment vehicle early.

• Use credit cards carefully and understand interest rates.

Hone Communication Skills

Since the advent of smartphones and tablets, children have had their eyes plastered on these devices. They are interesting, after all. If your child is a digital native, they are likely highly capable of navigating everything related to technology. While this is advantageous for their future, they must have good communication skills, as well.

All college students should, at a minimum, know how to do the following:

• Know how to email a professor or teacher using proper grammar and punctuation.

• Make eye contact when talking in person or via video conferencing.

• Sit in a classroom without looking at their phone.

• Understand basic communication tenets, such as asking people about themselves while staying focused and genuinely listening to their responses.

Teach your students how to toggle off alerts for unnecessary notifications on gaming apps. Explain the importance of silencing group chats and notifications from anyone who does not use your student as an emergency contact or who is not a close family member or friend.

Know How to Ask for Help

Every student will find themselves in a situation where they need extra help during their college years. It may be a minor problem, such as getting locked out of their dorm, or something major, such as requiring assistance for a mental health crisis and everything in between. Knowing how to ask for help and where to get it before a situation arises will prove immensely beneficial when they need it.

Of course, your students may not know every potential problem that may come up. But, there are some common things to know, such as their insurance information, where the campus health clinic and mental health clinics are located, the hours of operation, and how to contact their Resident Assistant, just in case. Remember to let them know that you are always available to offer them support.

Help your college students learn executive functions and essential life skills so they can be better prepared for life. Whether they acquire this knowledge in high school, the summer before college, or throughout their college careers, the important thing is that they learn. Start by showing them how to use AI and technology for studying and test preparation, how to fact-check the news, and how to communicate for a successful life now and in the future.

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