One of the reasons some students encounter less than desirable academic performance their freshman year is that they fall into a "getting by" mentality.

This usually means exerting the minimum amount of effort required to earn a passing grade, with no focus on academic excellence or cultivating relationships with faculty and administration. The temptation of complacency must be resisted at all costs.

During your freshman year you were advised that comparing yourself to others would be detrimental to your overall program. Keep this bit of information in mind as you move through your years in college. Following the lead of others who do not share your goals may lead you down a path of mediocrity, a path which most certainly does not lead to graduate school.

Likewise, a superior performance during freshman year should not be followed by an "I’ve got it all figured out" mentality. Like the "getting by" mentality, this can be harmful. While it is desirable to be confident in your ability, do not let your confidence result in an overestimation of your ability. You should be constantly re-evaluating your successes and your failures because both can be improved upon. This becomes particularly important as you move beyond introductory level coursework and into courses which require more time, effort and attention in order to achieve the same grades.