How to Avoid F*cking Up in College: The Essential College Textbook

by Matt McCarthy, Gregory Dawson (Foreword)

For most people, college is a significant investment with an important You need to graduate to reap the benefits. But college graduation rates are not favorable. Consider the than one million students drop out of college every year, and three-quarters of them are first-generation college students. ( Forbes)At four-year colleges, 40% of undergraduate students drop out. ( Education Data Initiative)Black students have the highest dropout rate at 54%. ( Education Data Initiative)Nearly one-third of first-year college students drop out before their sophomore year. ( Education Data Initiative)Students who drop out of college are nearly 100 times more likely to default on their student loans than graduate students. ( Mark Kantrowitz at Forbes)The earnings lost from dropping out of college is $3.8 billion in a single year. ( Education Data Initiative)Do I have your attention?

One person who takes these statistics seriously is Matt McCarthy, a multi-award-winning professor at Arizona State University. Having taught more than 70,000 students in his career, McCarthy has seen what separates people who complete college from those who drop out. What helps is that McCarthy nearly became a dropout statistic, so he has seen what causes students to drop out from multiple vantage as a student, professor, and parent.

McCarthy uses numerous — and often hilarious — examples to drive home the lessons about what differentiates a college graduate from a college dropout. With his engaging writing style, McCarthy shares fundamental truths in a way that’s accessible to students and their parents. By adopting the lessons in these pages, a student is more likely to graduate and realize the rewards.College SuccessHow to succeed in collegeCollege adviceUniversity successCollege guideUniversity guideHow to avoid f*cking up in collegeSave thousands in collegeThis book is the most valuable gift that family and loved ones can give to current or prospective college students.

109 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 20, 2025