Student success is the goal of colleges and universities, often defined by school completion time, memory retention rates, and graduation rates.
Some sets of achievement data are used to define student success in institutions.
However, in determining student success, qualifying factors, as mentioned above, shouldn’t be the determinant. The correct data for measurement is the student.
Students’ achievements should be used to determine success
Determining student success by accessing the student and not other indicators of success is not generally accepted. Most people argue that data that show students’ achievements should be used to determine success.
Going by this argument, then the success for every student means the same thing since it is measurable by the same standard. However, this is not the case usually because every student has separate goals that are not measurable by the same standard.
Success accesses the achievement of specific goals, but in some cases, individuals with the same purpose have different views of what success would be.
Colleges and universities should begin to define success by considering individualized plans rather than a general assessment of students’ destination goals and outcomes.
Student success by milestones
A discussion had with some goal-oriented students revealed that they measure their success using different milestones. Some claim success by measuring academic progress, others focus on career advancements, and a few claim success by merely overcoming their daily obstacles and challenges.
The definition of student success should include the students’ success markers as well as the general milestones used in assessing academic success.
Colleges and universities will progress in defining success by recognizing the self-definition of achievement by students. By doing this, the institutions will be better positioned to help students achieve their aim of studying.
