Inside Higher Ed recently reported that less than 53% of college students graduate in 6 years for a 4-year degree, a decline of 2 percentage points (November 17, 2015).  What they didn’t report is the negative impact that this decline rate has on the economic viability of college dropouts as well as the significant threat this is to our economy.  For two-year community college students, less than 39% will earn a degree in three years.  Clearly something is not working.  However, to immediately blame colleges, while understanding, would miss the true cause of these failures.  To put it bluntly, it’s the students fault.  Okay, maybe not all of the blame rests on the students.  Maybe not even the majority of the blame rests on the students.  However, it will be the students who will have to leave with the consequence of not earning a college degree and therefore, they must step up and make this right on their own.  Students need to take charge of their education and stop waiting for colleges to change a system that has hardly changed in the past 100 years.   So what can a student do?  Take charge by realizing that it doesn’t matter whose fault it is because in the end, its the student’s future that is threatened.  So, get active and start realizing that a college degree, what is required to earn that degree, is only a fraction of what you need to be successful.  So if you are a high school student, start by looking at the career you want and choose a direction!  This will greatly improve your likelihood of graduating on time, earning a higher grade point average, and landing a good paying job.  How do you do this?  Take career assessments; conduct informational interviews; volunteer in your community; seek out opportunities in your field like internships, shadowing, and project-based learning; and finally, choose a career path not a specific job!  You don’t need to know exactly what you are going to do in your career; just that you are heading in the right direction.  If this sounds a little intimidating and you are not sure how to proceed, buy a book or a membership to www.mycollegemax.com where you will learn everything you need to know on how to prepare and succeed in college and your career.  Finally, stop thinking it won’t happen to you!  College failure is happening to all kinds of students from valedictorians to those who struggled in high school!  While you, the student, might be unique, you are not special.  Most of you already know that but you need to do more than know.  You must ACT!