Skipping Class

Is attending every class important for your success in college? Maybe. Maybe not. But there are consequences to every decision you make, not only here in college but also in the “real world” that is waiting for us on the other side of graduation.

Like all college students, sometimes I catch myself thinking, “I’m really tired…we’re only watching a movie in class today; I don’t need to go.” Or maybe, “It’s the end of the semester…we’re only looking over the study guide for the final, but the class is super easy so I don’t need to go.”

Although I find myself thinking like this, I never let those thoughts play out.

In the end, I feel too guilty to skip class, especially when I already miss enough class for golf tournaments. This isn’t the case for everyone. There are some days I go to class and see a classmate, and then for next three weeks of class, they’re nowhere to be found.

But how much money is that costing you or even your parents if they are helping you pay for school? How much of your scholarship could you be putting to waste?

Also, have you noticed how your teachers have started cracking down on taking attendance? That’s because they’re sending in each class’s attendance to make sure students using FAFSA or Federal Pell Grants go to class.

According to the Ottawa University 2010-2011 Catalog, it states under the Satisfactory Academic Progress section that “Students must maintain an adequate rate of progress towards graduation…measured using two criteria: grade point average and maximum time frame (MTF). Students who fail to meet the satisfactory academic process criteria will be given an opportunity to rectify the deficiency. If it is not corrected within the allotted amount of time, the student may lose his/her eligibility for federal financial aid.”

So is it worth sleeping in an extra hour to get a crap load of money taken away from you, when that could possibly be the only way you can afford to attend school? Don’t end up wasting a big chunk of money to get extra sleep, to catch your favorite show or play one more game of Call of Duty.

It is your choice whether or not you go to class. We are all adults here, but just think about what you’re losing if you don’t go to class. It’s only a small part of your day. You can always nap after class.