Navigating college can be difficult, but manageable with the right approach, students say.

Data consistently shows the difficulty students face in obtaining their college degree.  With the right advice however, students can successfully navigate the challenges and obtain their desired degree.

According to The Hechinger Report, a national nonprofit group that reports on education, fewer than one out of five students at community colleges obtain their desired degree in three years or less.

As per reports from the Education Data Initiative, the overall dropout rate in the United States for undergraduate students is 40 percent.  While these appear to be intimidating numbers, look a little deeper and you will find successes.

According to the Education Data Initiative, college graduation rates have been steadily rising in the past 20 years.  In 2001 there were 1.24 million graduates and in 2018 there were 1.8 million graduates.

Current and graduated students have a few tips  to help you along your way.

“Develop healthy study habits,” said one student who recently graduated. “ Find friends with similar mindsets and interests and studying will be enjoyable and easy.”

She said it is important to not procrastinate.

“Read a little each day,” the student said.  “Work on a large paper a little each day.  Set your work deadline three days before it is due so you can take one day off to refresh, one day to edit, and one day to proofread.”

“I have learned, do your work on time, and if you have online school,” said Natasha Koshelyn, a Highline students. “Do more than just one assignment per day, if you can … to get it over with. Because when I don’t, I end up procrastinating until the due date and stressing to write 2,000 words in 1 hour.”

“Stay on top of it. It gets to be a lot, but if things are done on time, it’ll be better for you,” said another Highline student, Emma Adamova.

“My advice is don’t wait till the last minute to do assignments,” said Highline student Lilia G. 

One student said psychological health is also important to educational success.

“Be forgiving and respect your mental health,” the student said.  “If you struggle, find a counselor to talk to or journal.  Don’t keep troubling feelings inside or it will negatively reflect upon your work or ability to understand a subject.”

She would offer this advice to current and new students.

“Have courage to step outside of your comfort zone, be kind to everyone, show support to your peers, join clubs, and make new friends,” she said.  “Be kind to others, the world is a beautiful place and people are there to help you.”

A student also had some advice to offer parents of students.

“Having a parental support system that encompasses compassion, grace, forgiveness, and acceptance is necessary to succeed,” she said.  “That support system should welcome the student with open arms, have no personal investment in their success, allow that student to express themselves honestly and openly, and respect that student’s decisions.”

While navigating college can be difficult, it certainly is a much greater challenge for a single parent.

Autumn, a current student at Tacoma Community College, works full-time as a para-educator in the Tacoma School District, while also raising her 7-year-old daughter.

Autumn said it is important to regularly communicate with your professors.

“Always reach out to your teacher with any questions for clarity, to get extra help, or ask for extended time if you have a unique situation going on at home that makes it difficult to complete an assignment on time,” she said.  “I’ve found every teacher I’ve had to be surprisingly helpful and understanding of things.”

“My biggest mistake was not reaching out to a program adviser earlier in the quarter,” said Highline student Yevgeniya Zinkov. “They take a while to respond and classes fill up pretty quick, so I’d say don’t wait until the last minute.”

Students say you should take advantage of the resources available. 

“My advice is stay on top of your work, find a few friends from your classes. It could definitely help,” said Zinkov. “Google will come In handy, things like Quizlet and Mathway could be very useful.”

Autumn from Tacoma also had specific advice for potential students looking to obtain their degrees later in life.

“It’s OK to wait however long you need until you feel ready and want to go back to school,” she said.  “I had my daughter at 18 and never thought I would go back to college but finally got to the point in my life where I was ready to commit and put in the work.”

“Never go on other people’s schedules regarding college,” Autumn said.  “It’s up to you as you are the one who will be going.”

Reporter Mary Verimeyev contributed to this story.