Let me tell you a story before you decide. I was very fortunate to have had many advantages growing up and was also very successful in high school. I was able to choose which college I could attend and chose Emory University. Now this was in 1962 right after Emory had become a coed institution and I was a bit cocky. At the time I was also dating a young man who had chosen to go into the National Guard. My first and second quarters I was a very good student. I attended class. I did not date.( I was being true to my soldier boy!) I had therefore missed the fun of the fraternity parties and so on. Spring quarter, however, was a turning point in my life. During that quarter I broke up with the young man and decided to discover Atlanta. That quarter I got 3 'D's. Now I was on probation because one must never get below a 1.5 any quarter. Fall quarter I returned and did the same thing. OOPS! Now I was suspended. I appealed to return and was allowed to return. That quarter I messed up again.

Now I was at home for Christmas when I received the news that I was never ever to return to school. My parents had been very supportive through all this but I knew they were disappointed in me. I thought that I would be able to easily get into a Florida State school. NOBODY wanted me. I even went before the board at USF and begged to get in but no.

Finally, my father said that I should try to get in school at the junior college in St. Petersburg. I really did not think that they would accept me either but he dragged me over there. Understand that I had reached a very low point in my life. I realized that I had messed up really badly. I could not DO anything. How would I earn a living with no education? When we spoke to the registrar, she said that I would be accepted on probation. All of my classes transferred but I got no credit for the D's so I had negative quality points. They were on the semester system though and so at the end of one semester I had no negative quality points. I was on my way. There just is no excuse for quitting. Maybe one needs to reassess ones priorities though. Mine were all messed up at Emory. But I managed, with the help from my parents, to realize my dream. I eventually graduated from the junior college, transferred to USF and graduated with a BA in Mathematics Education. This was not without its sacrifice though. You see my father died the Semester that I was to graduate. He knew I would though.

So you want to quit.

OK. Answer a few questions.

• Do you really want an education?
• Do you have clearly defined goals?
• Have you planned enough time to study?
• Have you consistently done all your homework?
• Have you attended class consistently?
• Have you spent sufficient time studying for tests.
• Have you chosen a class load that does not overburden you when you consider the demands of your job?
• Have you spoken seriously of your difficulties with your teacher?
• Have you spoken to a counselor?

Please keep in mind that I would have been answering no starting with the third question. But the questions themselves point to answers for most of the problems that students have in school.

Please know that you can achieve whatever reasonable goals you choose if you put sufficient effort into it.  

The tune is Troubled Waters