4V

THE SEVEN FALSE BELIEFS:

ADDRESSING THE PSYCHOSOCIAL
UNDERPREPAREDNESS OF THE COMMUNITY
COLLEGE STUDENT
D r . M ichael V. M iranda
Kingsborough Community College o f The City University o f New York
Through an analysis of student reactions to several classroom inter
ventions, this article suggests that the single, most important personal
characteristic which interferes with the attainment of academic success
for the typical community college student is what he or she has already
learned about himself or herself and, also, about the process o f getting
an education. Many students enter the community college with miscon
ceptions about college, about what it will take to earn a college degree,
about themselves, and about the world. Unless they discover the truths
very early in their college careers, they will begin those careers with
such poor results that they will never be able to overcome the difficul
ties they will have created for themselves in their very first semesters.

The first public community college in the

United States was established by the Univer
sity of Chicago in 1901 when six high school
graduates of Joliet Township High School
desired to attend college without leaving their
local community (Joliet Junior College, n.d.).
Given the fact that only eight percent of the
nations high school students graduated in
1900 (Berger, 2005), there is ample reason
to believe that these six Joliet graduates were
academically strong and quite motivated to
continue their educations.
Many of the incoming freshmen at todays
community colleges, however, present very
different profiles from the original six as they
are likely to have chosen to register at their
two-year colleges for reasons of academic,
social, and/or economic underpreparedness
(Valadez, 1993). While community colleges
continue to focus on the goal of providing
students the first two years o f a baccalaure
ate education (Eddy, Christie, & Rao, 2006),
569

they are particularly proud of being able to

accomplish this with at-risk students (Bulger
& Watson, 2006) who may very well be the
first in their families to attend college (Greenwald, 2012). We can acknowledge the inher
ent difficulties in this task of the community
colleges by examining the following data:

In all student age groups in the fall

of 2011, more students were enrolled
in four-year public institutions than
were enrolled in two-year public insti
tutions except for the age groups 65
and over and the one which might
be considered the most vulnerable to
failure, under 18 (National Center
for Education Statistics, 2012a);

While only 75.5% of public de

gree-granting four-year institutions
had programs which offered remedi
al services to their students, 99.4%
of public degree-granting two-year

5 7 0 / C ollege S tudent Journal

(Hennessey & Evans, 2006), more accurate

placement exam measurements (Gonzalez,
2012a), and cooperative efforts between sec
ondary schools and the colleges (Kirst, 2008),
as well as other approaches, have each been
Many public university systems,
tried. They provide less than completely sat
including the City University of
isfactory results.
New York (the largest public urban
In addition, and again with the goal of
university in the United States) and
improving graduation rates, attention has
at least twelve state systems, steer
been paid to some individual characteristics
academically underprepared students
of the community college student, including
into the community colleges by refus
academic disengagement (Berrett, 2012), a
ing admission to any applicant who
failure to identify with academic success (Os
requires academic remediation (Scheborne, 1997), a lack o f persistence (Grimes,
mo, 2006).
1997; Wolfle, 2012), low levels o f intrinsic
When considering these data, can it be
and extrinsic motivation (Liao, Ferdenzi, and
surprising that the national graduation rate for
Edlin, 2012), difficulties with the English lan
students at public degree-granting two-year
guage (Mulready-Shick & Parker, 2013), high
institutions for the cohort first entering col
degrees of social anxiety (Miranda, 2007),
lege in 2007 is only 20.4% (National Center
and perceptions of the campus environment
for Education Statistics, 2011b)?
as being unpleasant (Edman & Brazil, 2009).
This is explained, in part, by the estimate
However, the suggestion may be made that
that 80% of all students who graduate in the
the single, most important personal character
bottom quarter of their high school classes and
istic which interferes with the attainment of
then go on to college will never earn a college
academic success for the typical community
degree (Steinberg, 2010). But even if this low
college student is what he or she has already
graduation rate may be understood through
learned about himself or herself and about the
some of the academic deficiencies in the stu
process of getting an education.
dents entering public two-year institutions,
Many students entering the community col
it is a statistic which pleases no one. Com
lege arrive with several misconceptions about
munity colleges consistently make efforts to
college, about what it will take to earn a col
search for programmatic ways to improve the
lege degree, and, above all, about themselves.
results o f the instruction provided to students
Unless they discover the truths very early in
in their classrooms and to give each and every
their college careers, they will begin those ca
student, without regard to how underpre
reers with such poor results that they will never
pared he or she might have been upon entry
be able to overcome the difficulties they will
into their colleges, the opportunity to earn a
have created for themselves in their very first
college education and achieve upward social
semesters. They will, instead, have confirmed
mobility (Thelin, 2007). The institution of a
that a college education is out of reach.
freshman seminar (Potts & Schultz, 2008),
Despite all of the efforts made by the col
remedial/developmental classes (Gonzalez,
lege administrations, most of the students who
2012b; Hoyt, 1999; Kraska, Nadelman, Manget off to a poor start will not be able to achieve
er, & McCormick, 1990), redesigned forms of
the turnaround they need in time to save them
academic advisement (Bahr, 2008), learning
selves and their college careers. In part, this is
communities (Malnarich, 2005; Mathews,
because the college may not be using its most
1993; Raftery, 2005), small group projects
institutions had such programs in the
2010-2011 academic year (Nation
al Center for Education Statistics,
2011a); and

A ddressing th e P sychosocial U n d e rp re p a re d n e s s of th e C om m u nity C o lle g e S tu d e n t / 5 7 1

valuable weapon to guard against students

failuresthe professor in the classroom (Jen
kins, 2012; Wyner, 2012). Professors are the
individuals on the campus who have the most
contact with the students. They also have the
potential to be the most influential.
This paper will introduce specific tech
niques, a version of which will be available to
eveiy community college professor, which can
mean the difference between academic success
and failure for a given student. The techniques
have the potential to increase the probability of
early success experiences for the new commu
nity college studentexperiences which can
have profound and lifelong effects.
For many students, the academic un
derpreparedness with which they arrive on
their community college campuses may
be matched, or perhaps exceeded, by their
psychosocial underpreparedness. This psy
chosocial underpreparedness, marked by the
possession of one or more of the seven false
beliefs, is what may be primarily responsible
for our students failures.
The false beliefs were learned and rein
forced through the early school and life ex
periences of the students entering community
colleges. The beliefs are based on the thoughts
that these students have about a world that is
foreign to the one which they and their fam
ilies occupy. They are also based on the aca
demic attitudes and behaviors instilled in these
students in their elem ental schools and later
reinforced by their high school teachers. As
community college professors, we should con
sider accepting the responsibility for breaking
down these barriers to academic success.
In the next section, each o f the seven false
beliefs will be presented. Following an expla
nation of the origins of the beliefs will be a
description o f an intervention that has been
used to challenge each false belief and then
a report o f the effectiveness o f that interven
tion gleaned from an end-of-semester survey
which was completed by forty-four of the

students in my advanced psychology class.

Finally, the new truth that replaces the false
belief will be identified.
The Seven False Beliefs
False Belief #1 - As long as I do not ex
ceed the maximum number of absences per
mitted, I will do just fine and pass the course.
Basis for this False B elief- Many students
come out of high school with the understand
ing that they are permitted to be absent from
their classes for a specific number of days
without penalty. How many cuts are we
allowed? is the question they put to their
high school teachers and they arrive in their
college classrooms with the same question. If
students are permitted to be absent four times
during a semester without any danger of be
ing dropped from the class, some students
immediately plan to take those absences and
they expect to do fine.
Intervention - On the first day of each se
mester, my students are given a Word to the
Wise letter. The letter clearly demonstrates
a negative correlation between the number of
absences taken and course grades.
In the Spring 2013 semester, for example,
students in my developmental psychology
class read that, over the past ten years, 74% of
all students who took no more than one absence
during the semester earned either an A or a B,
while only 21% of those who took the maxi
mum number of allowable absences received
either of those grades. Also, they learned that
53% of the students who took or exceeded
the maximum number of allowable absences
received an F or were withdrawn from the
course, while this was the case for only 1% of
students with no more than one absence.
Statistics related to False Belief #1

41 o f the 44 students (93%) remem

bered having received this letter.

For 23 of the 41 (56%), the letter

made a significant impression;

572 / College Student Journal

for 40 of the 41 (98%), the letter made

either a significant impression or
somewhat of an impression; and

17 o f the 21 students (81%) who had

not previously been aware o f the
importance of having excellent at
tendance if a high grade was desired
indicated that their behaviors and/
or attitudes about their attendance in
the class improved as a direct result
of the letter.
New Truth to Replace False Belief #1 - If
I want a good grade, I must make sure that I
am present in class as often as possible. I must
not take any unnecessary absences.
False Belief #2 - Getting a college de
gree is my ticket to success. The degree is all
that matters. Grades really do not count for
anything. I just need to finish, get out, and
start making money!
Basis for this False B elief- For many stu
dents at a community college, the fact is that
they are the first in their families to pursue
higher education. And they often do not know
anyone who is a college graduate personally.
The college degree is seen as their ticket to
having the kind of life that they have only
been able to dream about and they believe
that merely possessing the degree is what
will change their lives. With this mentality, it
is understandable for these students to think
that grades do not matter. For them, it is the
possession of the degree that gets one where
he or she wants to be in life.
Interventions - Students need to be in
formed that, while a college degree is nec
essary to open the doors which can provide
the opportunity to have a significantly better
life, there will be a considerable amount of
competition in the job market from others
with degrees. I display a poster depicting the
earth in a photo taken from a location in space
as I explain that, when their college careers
are over and they go out into the job market

to seek out their first professional jobs, their

competition will be coming from all over the
world. I suggest that they start to think about
how they will stand out in the job market. I
also suggest that they begin by planning to be
remembered as a superior student in my class.
Statistics related to False Belief #2

31 of the 44 students (70%) remem

bered seeing the poster.

For 16 of the 31 (52%), the poster

made a significant impression;

for 28 o f the 31 (90%), the poster

made either a significant impres
sion or somewhat of an impression;
and

17 o f the 19 students (89%) who had

not been previously aware of the
level of competition for jobs sought
by college graduates indicated that
their behaviors and/or attitudes about
doing their best in the class improved
as a result of seeing the poster and
participating in the discussion which
followed.
New Truth to Replace False Belief #2 - A
college degree does not guarantee success. I
must achieve a high level of competence in
order to succeed.
False Belief #3 - All I have to do to get
a good grade is to prove that I tried my best.
Basis for this False Belief - There is an
expression which states You get an A for
effort. In some high schools, this A for
effort translates into a good academic grade
as teachers reward students with high grades
when assignments are done on time as long
as the students do not cause disruptions in the
classroom.
Interventions - I tell my students of a
lesson that I learned one day from my grand
daughter, a first-grader at the time, with re
spect to the several times that I had students

A dd ressing th e P sychosocial U n d e rp re p a re d n e s s o f th e C om m u nity C o lle g e S tu d e n t / 5 7 3

expect a good grade, regardless o f their exam

scores, because their attendance was good.
Kali was watching me grade quizzes and,
after she determined that a score of 5 was the
highest possible score, she asked why some
students were being given only a 2 or a 3.
When I explained that the students who were
being given the lower scores had not done as
well as the students who were being given a 5,
she looked very upset. Looking at the pile of
papers in front o f me, she frowned and said,
But they tried so hard1
A first-grader learns that teachers value
effort because part o f the first-grade teachers
job is to help his or her students develop a
good work ethic. For college students, though,
making an effort is not enough. It is the result
of that effort which is rewarded.
Statistics related to False Belief #3

23 of the 43 students (53%) remem

bered the story about the first-grader.

For 16 of the 23 (70%), the story

made a significant impression;

for all 23 (100%), the story made

either a significant impression or
somewhat o f an impression; and

16 o f the 18 students (89%) who

still believed that merely trying their
best was sufficient to obtain a high
grade indicated that their behaviors
and/or attitudes about working toward
achieving the highest grade possible
in the class improved as a result of
hearing this story.
New Truth to Replace False Belief #3 While effort is important, it is the result of
that effort that counts.
False Belief #4 - I am a student at a com
munity college, not a real college.
Basis for this False Belief - Community
colleges, despite the good work that they
do, are at times denigrated by society (e.g.,

the recent television sitcom Community

whose primaiy characters are a group of mis
fit students) as well as by their students (e.g.,
Attending this school is like going to the 13th
grade!). Unfortunately, and to make mat
ters worse, some community college faculty
members share this attitude and conduct their
classes with significantly reduced demands
upon and expectations from their students.
Interventions Students are informed of
the major role that community colleges play in
educating adults in the United States through
a handout containing data provided by the
National Center for Education Statistics.
They learn that of the 15,110,196 students en
rolled at degree-granting public institutions in
the fall o f 2011, nearly 47% (i.e., 7, 062,467)
were enrolled at two-year colleges (National
Center for Education Statistics, 2012b) and
that nearly two-thirds o f the 68.2% of the na
tions June 2011 high school graduates who
moved immediately into degree-granting in
stitutions for the fall 2011 semester enrolled
in two-year institutions (National Center for
Education Statistics, 2012c). They are also
provided information about the community
college that they are attending and how many
graduates have gone on to find success at
four-year colleges, graduate schools, and the
professions.
Statistics related to False Belief #4

38 o f the 44 students (86%) remem

bered the discussion regarding com
munity colleges in the United States
and, specifically, the community col
lege which they attend.

For 21 of the 38 (55%), the discussion

made a significant impression;

for all 38 (100%), the discussion made

either a significant impression or
somewhat of an impression; and

28 o f the 30 students (93%) who

were not previously aware of the

574 / College Student Journal

significance of community colleges in
higher education in the United States
and, specifically, of the record of
their own community college stated
that their behaviors and/or attitudes
about being a student at a community
college improved as a result of the
information provided and the ensuing
discussion.
New Truth to Replace False Belief #4 A community college is an excellent place
to learn about myself and the profession that I
will ultimately choose to pursue. It is a great
place to begin my college career.
False Belief #5 - The only reason that I
want a college degree is that it will help me
get a job that pays well.
Basis for this False Belief - Some
first-generation college students are only
looking at a college education as a means
of gaining access to a better financial future
without recognizing the other lifelong bene
fits afforded college graduates.
Interventions - Students are provided a
handout, which is used as the basis for a brief
discussion, that indicates that while research
shows that the median annual earnings of col
lege graduates is more than double the median
annual earnings of high school graduates and
that college graduates have more employee
benefits and higher pensions upon retiring, it
is also true that they exercise more, volun
teer in their communities more, have higher
rates of voting behavior, and have children
who are much better prepared to start school
than do high school graduates (Fuller, 2010).
In addition, college graduates are more able
to serve as agents of change for others, have
more access to information, and will be better
prepared to take advantage of future oppor
tunities that they cannot even imagine may
occur while they are still in college (About,
com, n.d.).

Statistics related to False Belief #5

35 o f the 44 students (80%) remem

bered the discussion regarding the
wide range of benefits obtained when
one has a college education.

For 21 of the 35 (60%), the discussion

made a significant impression;

for 33 of the 35 (94%), the discussion

made either a significant impression
or somewhat o f an impression; and

20 of the 25 students (80%) who were

not previously aware of the overall
benefits of obtaining a college educa
tion stated that their behaviors and/or
attitudes about the value o f a college
degree improved.
New Truth to Replace False Belief #5 - A
college education will improve my life in many,
and some presently unanticipated, ways.
False Belief #6 - Its great to multi-task. I
can sit in class and still stay in touch with my
friends as I send and receive text messages.
Basis for this False Belief - Students are
rarely without their technological devices in
hand. They have become quite accustomed to
having an in-person conversation with a friend
while having a simultaneous conversation with
another friend using one of those devices.
Interventions - On the first day of class,
students are informed both verbally and in
writing that the use of a cell phone during the
class will result in the student being marked
absent for the day. Despite the groans which
result, there is always nearly 100% compli
ance with this rule.
Later in the semester, students receive
a copy of a research study done by End et al
(2010). The article presents evidence that being
in a classroom in which cell phones ring dis
tracts all students, interferes with their learning,
and results in lower average quiz scores for the
entire class when compared to students in class
es in which cell phones did not ring.

A dd ressing th e P sychosocial U n d e rp re p a re d n e s s o f th e C o m m u n ity C o lle g e S tu den t / 5 7 5

Statistics related to False Belief #6 -

Statistics related to False Belief #7 -

42 of the 44 students (95%) remem

bered the article and the discussion
of the negative effects of using cell
phones while in class;

41 o f the 44 students (93%) remem

bered the personal stories told by the
professor.

For 21 of the 42 (50%), the article

and discussion made a significant
impression;

For 33 of the 41 (80%), the stories

made a significant impression;

for all 41 (100%), the stories made

either a significant impression or
somewhat of an impression; and

for 38 of the 42 (90%), the article and

discussion made either a significant
impression or somewhat of an im
pression; and

19 of the 22 students (86%) who were

not previously aware of the negative
effects of using their cell phones in
class stated that their behaviors and/or
attitudes about eliminating their use
of cell phones during class improved.
New Truth to Replace False Belief #6 Multi-tasking is actually semi-tasking. It
should never be done unless I really do not
care very much about whatever else I am do
ing at the time.
False Belief #7 My professors are so
different from me that they cannot possibly
understand what I am going through in my
classes.
Basis for this False B elief- Students who
have not been successful academically have
the impression that their professors cannot
relate to them at all. After all, they think, pro
fessors must have been very good students.
This belief affects the degree to which these
students give consideration to the suggestions
made and advice given by their professors.
Interventions - Whenever possible and/
or practical, it would be useful for profes
sors to share some personal stories with their
classesstories which demonstrate that they
had to overcome obstacles, rebound from set
backs, and/or recover from having made some
bad choices in order to achieve success.

all 41 students (100%) stated that

their thoughts about the degree of
understanding which their professor
had for them as individuals and as
students improved.
New Truth to Replace False Belief #7 Professors are former students who had ob
stacles to overcome and were still able to do
their best in college.

Conclusion
Though it is quite astounding to learn that
nearly 48% o f the students polled did not real
ize that taking more absences can affect their
grades in a negative direction (see False Be
lief #1) or that nearly 57% did not realize that
a college education can improve ones life in
more ways than just providing a larger salary
(see False Belief #5), these statistics reveal
that our students need much more informa
tion about what college is about and how to
go about earning a degree.
Community college students have their
college experiences damaged or destroyed
by one or more false beliefs which lead to at
titudes and/or behaviors that are detrimental
to academic success. The data presented here
demonstrate that small attempts to disabuse
the students of these beliefs have the poten
tial to have far-reaching and lifelong results.
Therefore, the professor in the community
college classroom should consider accepting
the challenge to educate his or her students
psychosocially as well as academically.

576 / College Student Journal

Rather than adopt the techniques described
in this paper, however, it is important for
each professor to develop his or her own
techniques so that they may more seamlessly
fit the personality o f the professor and the
subject matter being taught.
It is worth the effort.

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