October marks a turning point for many college students. By now, they’ve received their first exam scores, and for many, those scores are lower than expected. I call this “Bounce-Back Month.” It’s a critical time when students face a choice: either bounce back and reclaim their academic footing or continue to struggle.
Will students get bounced at the end of the semester, or will they truly bounce back?
In How to Successfully Transition Students into College: From Traps to Triumph, I explain how transition traps emerge, following a timeline like the one shown in the image. At this stage, we’re in the “transition troubles” period, when students notice uneven academic performance—strong results on homework and quizzes but lower exam scores.
After a disappointing first exam score, students are often motivated to improve and meet their own academic standards. Their success on other assignments shows that they’re learning, yet this progress doesn’t carry over to exams. This gap confuses students and educators alike. Motivation alone, however, won’t bridge it. October is pivotal, and institutional success metrics often hinge on whether students make the right adjustments during this time.
The bounce-back process is more than a reaction to failure—it’s about approaching academic work strategically. The Constructive Learning Method has proven effective in helping students and educators bounce back from setbacks. I’ve included a video below for you to explore.
Remember, yellow and blue make green—let’s empower students to turn their struggles into their comeback scenes!
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