Characteristics of a successful university student

Abstract

Many university students never graduate. Others may earn their diploma yet they cannot be labeled successful graduates. They are not able to seize the opportunities offered by their university education or prepare for an entry into the labor market. Who can be considered a successful student? How do such students behave and what do they do? The survey conducted herein looked for answers to these questions. The goal of the survey was to define and categorize the most important characteristics of successful students. The research was conducted among 972 students of five faculties at a university in the Czech Republic. The respondents perceived a successful student in a similar way regardless of which facility they attended, their gender or their level of study program. The main features of a successful university student include motivation, intelligence, industriousness, proactivity, fulfilling the school tasks, good grades and out-of-school activities. © Common Ground, Jana Matošková, Kamil Dobeš, Jana Bilíková.