Blog #3 (Best Advice for College Students)

 After reading about Annie Murphy Paul's three different types of learners I would say that I am a mixture between surface and deep learning. I feel like the ultimate goal when taking a course would be to have true and deep understanding of the course content but also while getting credit for that class. For me personally, I do not give myself a hard time when I do not get an A or a B in a class. I would rather be content with getting a C grade but having true understanding of what was taught. If I have true understanding of what I learned in school, the easier time I will have applying the skills and knowledge I learned into my career. Murphy Paul considers deep learners the most successful and I agree with her, however there are certain situations where strategic learners can be most successful. Generally, the higher education one wants to pursue, the better grades they need to have which may cause them to lose focus on the deep meaning of what is actually taught. For example, if I would like to apply to graduate school and pursue my master’s degree, I would need better grades than those whom are also applying because just like undergrad, those with better grades have a better chance of being accepted. This is where it conflicts with my learning type, as I never strived to get straight A’s but instead learn more about the deeper meaning and have better understanding of the course context. At the same time, everyone has their own ways of being successful. Depending on what profession you wish to pursue, all careers require different types of experience with different levels of education. It all depends on what you want in life to decide which type of learner is considered the most successful. I know people that are extremely smart but do not get the best grades, and I know people that get really good grades but do not apply themselves to the true meaning of the course context. Everyone has their own path that they choose to take, with that being said there is no right or wrong way as to which type of learner you are. I truly believe that a surface type of learner can become more successful than a strategic or deep learner. This article by Murphy Paul is such a good read because she teaches you to pursue what you truly want, rather than chasing straight A’s as she believes that will make you more successful in the future. I also like how she preaches to become comfortable with failing; a lot of us grew up with parents that put a lot of pressure on us to get good grades and sometimes we would feel discouraged when we would get bad grades because were afraid of how our parents would feel.  This mindset kind of made people going to school “to not fail” rather than going to school “to learn” and actually be passionate about what you want to do.

https://ideas.time.com/2013/03/13/secrets-of-the-most-successful-college-students/

https://www.rasmussen.edu/student-experience/college-life/most-common-types-of-learners/