Academic success is something that you will continue to be rewarded for long after you graduate. The good grades can lead you to your dream career and successful life. This won't simply fall into your lap, though. You need to be willing to put in the right amount of effort and build up the required skills. With these traits, you can be sure that you will go far in life. The best part?

All of this can be cultivated, you don't need to be born with it.

Discipline

The first key to success is discipline. This is because, without it, you simply wouldn't be able to do the rest. You have to be able to control yourself to fight the impulse to skip the class when your alarm goes off in the morning. A talent to control oneself is not the one that everyone has, but it's the only way to get far in life.

Responsibility

The second of the keys to college success is responsibility, which goes hand-in-hand with discipline. If you are in getting a degree, you are most likely an adult. That means that the excuses for why you didn't do something are just excuses. You have to be responsible for your own education, work, and life. By accepting responsibility for the mistakes that you make, you can begin to correct them and move on. This will stop repeated mistakes in your academic career.

Self-Reliance

There isn't anyone to hold your hand anymore. Now, you have to try to figure things out for yourself. Sure, there will be professors that can help you, but you'll be expected to try to puzzle it out for yourself first. So if you find yourself wondering what cannon bard's theory, Freytag's pyramid, or a static character is, look for yourself first. When you hope that someone will rescue you from a due paper even if it is free essays online, you behave childishly and shift the responsibility to expert writers. Hit Wikipedia, go to the library and talk to your professor to clarify all the issues to provide the paper or any other task with the highest quality. 

Time Management

Time management is an effective tool for getting things done. While your discipline is still built up, and you're learning to be self-reliant (see below), having a proper schedule can help you make it. Try to write down and schedule as much as possible. Some people will be able to simply schedule block “study times,” others will have to break it down further. For instance, start with “download business strategy game,” followed by “write The Story of an Hour summary,” then “find free online plagiarism checker for students”. (For the record, you should find a plagiarism checker for students no matter what your major is).

Focus

Focus is something that children often lack. Now, as an adult, you should have enough of it. That doesn't mean that you might not need help to maintain your focus. By all means, remind yourself frequently what you're working on. Keep something nearby that shows what you're striving towards. This could be something as simple as a photograph of your parents, or as complex as an entire board dedicated to your chosen career path, life goals, and things that are worth working for.

Never Give Up

Winston Churchill said: “Never, ever give up.” Being willing to stick with success through thick and thin, triumphing over adversity, is the last big hurdle you face. It can be hard at times when things get rough. But with the keys available, you'll be less likely to throw in the towel.

There are many things that are a part of academic success. However, the keys are the basics that, when it comes down to it, make up the basis of everything else. If you're willing to put the effort into adopting these traits, you'll go far.