cаr·di·nаl sin NOUN cаrdinal sins (plural nоun) anоther name fоr deadly sin. 2. a serious error of judgment. Thus far, from my experience with students, the following are the most common factors and student habits that contribute to a student's failure to pass a course (listed in order from most impactful to least...although they all negatively affect performance)! I view all of these as cardinal sins! If you don't believe me, just try them out at your own peril! Missing a day of class (or hours, minutes, etc.)! Don't miss a single day! Just don't do it! The amount of material we cover is significant and can be difficult to teach yourself-- even with all the notes, PowerPoints, and tools given! Missing one class session (approx. 5hrs.) is like missing an entire week at other colleges. Missing an assignment or lab is the same thing as missing "time". Many of the lectures, activities, and laboratories scheduled are "experiences" that cannot be made up! If we discuss and then dissect a pig heart as a group task requirement, I can't simply find another time, place, and carcass to perform another entire necropsy for a student who missed the lab! Spending too much time "working" for an employer outside of school and too little time (and energy) for studying! Work may be a requirement for many students trying to survive but scheduling to work more hours than you need to survive because you feel you can pull an "all-nighter" or an "all weekender" studying for an exam is a bad idea! Screwing up on one or two Quizzes may be all you need to fail a course. Don't take any chances. On the contrary, maximize your chances for success by maximizing the amount of time you have to study and prepare! Being a "minimalist". For various reasons, including #2 above, some students make this their mode of operation. That is to say, they do the absolute minimum to squeak by in every course. These students look for ways to do the absolute minimum on every task, every assignment, and are usually satisfied to simply pass an exam or complete an assignment on time. This approach will punish you when it's time to take the HESI exam as a senior student and more importantly, the Veterinary Technician National Exam. Every assignment, every exam preparation, every minute and hour you spend studying, is an investment in your future competency and success as an RVT. Sadly, it is some of these students who may fail out as a senior student or simply graduate but find it very difficult to pass their licensing exam. What's the purpose of the time, money, sweat, tears, eyesight, and sacrifices you make if you can't pass your licensing exam after graduation? If this happens to you, you may end up with the same opportunities and doors open or closed, that you had before you started the program-- so what was the point of completing the program? I don't want anyone to be a minimalist. Instead, I simply have one question for you...What does your best look like? Not studying correctly. This course requires you to read, understand, and memorize structures and concepts, along with knowing how to define and spell many medical terms. You will have enough time to do these things but you don't have time to waste! Implement the Study Strategy Guide on your first day of class! Not managing your "life" outside of school. I have no control over this but you do! If you choose to go to Disneyland for the weekend instead of studying for your Final simply because a friend invited you five months ago and is paying for you, you will be that much LESS prepared and BEHIND in class (for a Quiz or Final). Manage your time and activities outside of school so that you always have scheduled, focused time to study, review, and prepare. You are the only one who can make this happen! Most of your success as a student is directly related to how you spend your time outside of school! Thinking you can "do better" or "catch up" halfway through the course. If you're still failing the course three weeks into it, the probability of passing the course gets lower and lower...and recovery more and more difficult. Get off to your best start from day one and keep your foot on the pedal! Create a "cushion" of points going into the Final instead of circling the drain throughout the entire course. Not asking for help early in the course. Don't wait until the last two weeks of the course or after failing a midterm to decide you need tutoring! Too many students circling the drain seek help when it's too late. No amount of tutoring can compensate for all the information you should have been learning in small increments throughout the previous three weeks. Divide and conquer the material on a daily basis. See #1 through #5 above. Cheating. This one is so important that I have created an individual page to try and explain why it is THE Cardinal Sin of all time. Leaving a blank space on any examination (fill-in, pop-quiz, etc.)! If you leave a blank space on any question, you are guaranteed a zero! Guaranteed. No partial credit. No lucky guesses. Nothing. The VTNE is just as unforgiving! Do you plan on not circling any letter when you don't know the answer to a multiple choice question? Really? Of course not! When in doubt... guess! But do not leave a blank unless you have been specifically informed that you get points deducted for incorrect answers and have less than a 50% chance of guessing correctly! I have read and understood the information above.