The pursuit of excellence belongs to the serious-minded. Richard Unimke shows how to get there…
Academic Excellence refers to a quality of education that is very good. It is said that hard work is the key to success, so academic excellence can only be attained through hard work. Someone has said that “success through crooked means is failure in disguise”. Academic excellence through hard work, therefore, is true success, and not failure in disguise.
Academic excellence is a relative term. Some see it from the
perspective of scoring high grades in examinations, while others see it as the
overall development of an individual. According to Ernest Anyacho in “Attainment of Academic Excellence through
hard work”, academic excellence could be described as the alpha level in
academic pursuit at each stage of assessment of the learner’s performance.
Normally grades, Grade Point Average (GPA) and Cumulative Grade Point Average
(CGPA) are used to determine one’s performance. In Secondary schools, what is
usually used is ordinary average. In layman’s understanding, a student is said
to have excellent result when they make an ‘A’ in a subject which is 70 marks
and above, or when they make a distinction in the overall performance in
Certificate examination. Academic excellence is also defined as the
demonstrated ability to perform, achieve, or excel in scholastic activities.
Academic excellence has been identified with achieving high grades and superior
performance. However, it is more than just making good grades. It is the
maximum development of a person’s intellectual capacities and skills in service
to humanity.
Education is a limitless and unending process to be enjoyed
throughout life. Being a lifelong process, excellence can be achieved through
formal and informal ways. To do this one should
1.
As they begin their College career, select a
major which has a strong basic curriculum as a course of study.
2.
Complete a strong liberal arts and science
background in addition to their major field of study. Do not limit yourself in
terms of general knowledge.
3.
Learn to use the library and use it often, since
it offers a wealth of historical and current information which can greatly
enhance a person’s classroom experience and general understanding.
4.
Develop self confidence, persistence, and
leadership abilities. One must be their own first encourager in life pursuits.
Others may join to encourage you when they see the drive and optimism in you.
5.
Develop an attitude of social responsibility,
and an understanding of cultural and intellectual differences. Your pursuit of
academic excellence should not alienate you from the society in which you
operate. Participate in honours and enrichment programmes.
6.
Select friends who are dedicated students, and
who are serious about their pursuit of high grades and circumspect about other
aspects of life.
7.
Learn to manage time efficiently. The Scripture
says, “To everything, there is a season, and time to every purpose under
heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3. 1). Johann Wolfgang von Goethe puts it this way: “One
always has time enough, if one will apply it well.”
8.
Whenever possible, study in good schools
anywhere in the world. Environment plays a major role in a person’s
development.
9.
Attend lectures, concerts, arts exhibitions,
theatrical performances, seminars and other cultural activities whenever
possible.
10.
Get involved in an organization directly related
to your major. This would enable you to meet other students, faculties, and
professionals in your chosen field of study.
11.
Assume leadership roles as a Committee member,
Chairperson, or officer to develop qualities for success in future career
endeavours.
There are bad habits to avoid if one must attain academic
excellence. They include
1.
Inordinate appetite for films and videos. This
wastes people’s time a lot.
2.
Free midnight calls. They either steal the time
you would have used to read or rob you of a good night rest which would have
refreshed you for the following day.
3.
Sensual cell phone music. It distracts from
focusing on your studies.
4.
Un-ambitious friends/bad peer influences. This
would draw any serious-minded person back.
5.
Hope on examination malpractice. Some students,
instead of working hard, depend on paying money to corrupt staff and
examination officers who would show them the correct answers to write. This
would hardly take anybody far in life.
6.
Smoking or use of drugs. This has adverse
physical and mental effect on the user.
7.
Cultism. This enslaves a person to the devil and
has both temporal and eternal consequences. Any right-thinking person who
desires peace in this life and in the hereafter will steer clear of this. If
you are in it already, you can come out and renounce it. God, through Christ,
will save you.
Other things that impact negatively on the child and should
be avoided are
1.
Quarrelsome homes. Parents and guardians should make
the home conducive for the child’s total development.
2.
Child abuse. Children should not be used to make
money by hawking or staying at business centres to sell, or worse still, by
prostitution. This is criminal and punishable under the law.
3.
Exposing the child to money very early in life.
Some children can be tempted to abandon their studies.
4.
Parents’ disinterest in their ward’s education.
The usual smokescreen for this is lack of money.
5.
Noisy residential accommodation. Very little can
be done to remedy this since one may not control one’s society. However, the
student can always find a place and a time when it is less noisy to read.
In conclusion, students who are major stakeholders in the
academic world must be focused and avoid every form of distraction. This may be
actualized by setting achievable goals. There are many benefits of attaining
academic excellence. They include being able to make meaningful contribution to
society throughout your life, receiving academic scholarships, being
competitive in the labour market (people will look for you), selection for
competitive academic programmes, and being in a position to be of service to
those with whom you interact. An excellent student is indeed a superior person.
No wonder Confucius said: “There are three marks of a superior man: being
virtuous, he is free from anxiety; being wise, he is free from perplexity;
being brave, he is free from fear.” David Oglivy said: “the pursuit of
excellence is less profitable than the pursuit of bigness, but it is more satisfying.”
References
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