1. Chapter 4
Making Good Decisions: A Focus on Academic, Financial, Career and Stress Management Decisions

2. Questions to Consider
What are the steps involved in effective decision making?
How can you practice good decision making with your study choices? Is it important to study in a quiet environment?
Does working while attending college positively or negatively impact school performance? How does it impact your family and involvement in clubs?

3. Questions to Consider
How can financial decisions you make today affect you later?
Is it important to decide on a major during your first year of college? Why or why not? How can you decide on a career path?
Will your Facebook account impact your career opportunities? If so, how?
What stress management techniques really work?

4. Research Question: Does employment affect student success?
Kulm and Cramer (2006)
Research Question: Does employment affect student success?
iQoncept/Shutterstock.com

5. The Study 500 college students completed survey on:
Employment
Related factors (social interactions, family relationships)
Study time, GPA, Attendance, Socializing, Family

6. The Findings
Working many hours was connected to less study time and lower GPA
Working many hours was connected to less campus activity involvement and socializing
Working did not seem to impact attendance or family relationships

7. The So What Factor
Working too much can negatively impact academic performance
Working too much can also negatively impact your social and campus life
Look at how many hours you REALLY need to work and whether working will help you achieve your goals

8. The Decision Making Process
See Figure 4.1 in Chapter 4 of Student Success in College: Doing What Works!

9. Step 1: Keep your goal visible
What do you want?
How will this decision impact the likelihood of achieving your goal?
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10. Step 2: Gather relevant information
See Gathering Information: What to Consider in Chapter 4 of Student Success in College: Doing What Works!

11. Step 3: Creatively identify and explore lots of possible options
Be open and flexible
Avoid judging options at this step
Consider seeking ideas from others

12. Step 4: Evaluate options
Keep goal visible
Pros and cons
Consider future consequences and impact on others
Seek input from others
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13. Step 5: Decide and take action
Trust the process and act on your decision

14. Step 6: Assess whether your choice supported your goal and was effective
Did your choice move you closer to or farther from your goal?
Set a date to assess your choice

15. The Impact of Your Decisions on Others
Some cultures place greater value on group versus individual (collectivist)
Your decisions can have a personal impact on others
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16. Study choices: What decisions do you have to make?
Studying in an environment with distracters (music, TV, friends) connected to lower grades (Gurung, 2005)
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17. Work and Money Management
Some research shows connection between work and poorer academic performance (Lammers et al., 2001)
Some research shows that students working hours per week performed the best (Dundes & Marx, 2006)
Solvod/Shutterstock.com

18. Money Management
Making impulsive financial decisions can be problematic because of the emotion-logic connection
See Figure 4.2 in Chapter 4 of Student Success in College: Doing What Works!

19. Credit cards
See Table 4.3 in Chapter 4 of Student Success in College: Doing What Works!

20. Loans Subsidized Unsubsidized
Do not accrue interest while you are a student
The amount you borrowed is the amount you owe at the time you have to start re-paying the loan
Unsubsidized
Starts to accrue interest as soon as you take out the loan
The amount you owe will be more than the amount you borrowed at the time you have to start re-paying the loan

21. Career Decision Making: Knowing Yourself
Interests
Abilities
Values

22. Saving for the future Saving now will pay off later
$10 a month for 40 years at average return rate of 5% can result in $15,000!
Dave Allen Photography

23. Values- What Matters to You?
Flexible hours
Salary
Structured environment
9-5 Schedule

24. Holland’s Career Theory
Focused on interests
Person-environment fit
See Figure 4.3 in Chapter 4 of Student Success in College: Doing What Works!

25. Finding Career Information
Websites
Occupational Outlook Handbook
Career One Stop
O-NET
Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center
Information Interviews
Interview someone in the field
Great for rich information
Be careful about relying on information from only one person
Great for networking!

26. Krumboltz: Taking Action
Many enter careers because of “happenstance”- it was not planned
Take Action Steps
Talk to others about careers
Take different courses
Seek out internship opportunities

27. Your Actions Today and How They May Impact You Later
Make good impressions and decisions today
Information posted electronically is never completely deleted
1000 Words/Shutterstock.com

28. Bohnert & Ross (2010)
The influence of social networking web sites on the evaluation of job candidates.

29. Perceptions, Offer interview, Salary
The Study
148 undergraduate students made hiring decisions about hypothetical job candidates
Alcohol emphasis
Family focus
Professional focus
No Facebook page
Perceptions, Offer interview, Salary

30. The Findings
Applicants with higher qualifications perceived more positively.
Applicants with professional focus were more likely to be perceived as more conscientious, be offered an interview, and have higher starting salary than those with alcohol focus.

31. The So What Factor! Your actions today may matter tomorrow
Professional image is linked to more positive outcomes
Be careful what you post on the internet

32. Stress Management Techniques
Eat healthy
Exercise
Get enough sleep
AP Photo/Bradley C Bower

33. Stress Management Techniques
Relaxation techniques
Deep breathing
Muscle relaxation
Challenge negative thinking
How do you know?
What evidence exists?
What are the other possible outcomes?
Talk with friends, family, or professionals

34. Avoiding Unhealthy Behaviors: Substance Abuse
Addiction is a gradual process
All college students do NOT drink alcohol in large amounts
Alcohol use is associated with increase in:
Casual sex
Unprotected sex
Regret about sexual activities
NitroCephal/Shutterstock.com

35. Accessing Help for Substance Abuse
See Table 4.6 in Chapter 4 of Student Success in College: Doing What Works!