With increased attention paid to resilience, teamwork, and professionalism, the fourth edition of FOCUS ON COLLEGE SUCCESS recognizes the varied experiences of today's students and guides them to be more motivated and focused. The research-based approach builds a solid foundation, allowing students see the relevancy of this course to their lives. By helping students develop realistic expectations of what it takes to learn, FOCUS ON COLLEGE SUCCESS motivates and encourages students with direct applications and immediate results. Written by Constance Staley, one of the best-known names in the field of motivation, this text increases the credibility of the college success course by providing tools that help students succeed and thereby improve institutional retention rates. Starting with the use of the FOCUS Challenge Cases that introduce each chapter, FOCUS ON COLLEGE SUCCESS strikes a personal and informal conversation with readers--directly connecting with them and drawing them into text discussions. In a recent survey of students using FOCUS, 97% would recommend that their professor use this book again with next year's first-year students. Many students today are over-optionalized and over-obligated. FOCUS ON COLLEGE SUCCESS addresses those issues head-on, creating teachable moments―and concrete results―in every class period. "We chose this text because it effectively covers many of the theories we wanted to cover ... and because it is relevant and engaging. I like that the text treats the student respectfully. I appreciate the ideas for group activities in the margins and use them frequently. The topics are very relevant and address problems that the students themselves don't realize they have. So that when we talk about time management, for example, I hear a lot of, 'Wow, I did not realize how planning ahead could make such difference.' I believe students are enjoying the text."-Sherry Ash, San Jacinto College-Central "I really like the assessment in the text as well as the up to date scenarios and stories throughout each chapter. The pictures, visuals and overall feel of the book is relevant, applicable, and speaks to my students. I often hear my students discussing the activities they complete in the text - even when it's not a required assignment."- Christy Cheney, Valencia College Constance Staley is a professor of communication and acting dean of the Graduate School at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, where she directed the First-Year Seminar Program for nearly 25 years. An award-winning teacher, Dr. Staley designs and teaches online courses (Professional Presentations), hybrid courses (Communication, Training and Consulting) and face-to-face courses (Conflict Management). Her works include a faculty training package, TEACHING COLLEGE SUCCESS, as well as the groundbreaking resource manual 50 WAYS TO LEAVE YOUR LECTERN. She also is the author of FOCUS ON COLLEGE SUCCESS and the co-author of FOCUS ON COLLEGE AND CAREER SUCCESS with Steve Staley. A well-known name in FYE circles, Dr. Staley is a leader in faculty development nationwide. During a three-year leave from the University of Colorado, she joined an East Coast Fortune 500 company to design and deliver its management and supervisory training. In addition, she represented the university as a Fulbright Scholar, teaching in the former Soviet Union. She earned a B.S. in education, an M.A. in linguistics and a Ph.D. in communication.