In a perfect world, we all would leap forth from our beds in the morning at the sound of our alarms, eager and willing to start a long day of hard work.

However, we don’t always live in a perfect world and sometimes, coffee and energy drinks just aren’t enough to pull us out of our morning drag.

As a front desk Administrative Assistant at Pinnacle Career Institute, I not only greet students each morning on their way in the door (witnessing the morning drag first-hand), but I also compile daily attendance reports to stay on top of helping students to achieve their educational goals. I see much of a similar pattern from the start of one Module until the end: during the first week, I often greet bright-eyed, bushy tailed students who greet me back with an enthusiastic “Good Morning!”, while recording nearly perfect attendance for courses. Slowly, as the Module progresses, the morning greetings become less enthusiastic, and the attendance starts to slip as students lose that “Fresh Start” motivation.

About mid-way through the Module, I start to see more late arrivals, more students leaving early, and more absences. Often times, when told of the attendance policy, students may assume that being ten minutes late or leaving twenty minutes early here or there won’t hurt them in the long-run. This can result in those students being stuck in quite a pickle when the occasional unforeseen circumstance crops up and they must miss a whole class, placing them in danger of failing the Module due to attendance.

In order to help students to achieve their goals, we at Pinnacle Career Institute must remind everyone that Attendance Matters. In few certain circumstances, attendance exceptions may be granted but those exceptions are given rarely, and with great discretion.

What could the consequences be for failing a module due to attendance? For one, the student’s GPA will suffer. They may find that their financial aid could potentially be compromised due to a failing grade- some students may have to make up the cost out of their own pockets.  Future employers who request transcripts may pass on potential candidates if they see an F in the student history. Graduation becomes delayed, and because certain courses may only be offered at certain times, the degree of the delay varies.

Because of the harsh consequences, always remember that Attendance Matters. Set that alarm ten minutes early. Refuse to hit the snooze button. Schedule outside appointments around class days, if at all possible. Always keep employers well-informed about school schedules to avoid conflict. Go the extra mile. You started your journey with great ambition; don’t allow an attendance related failure to derail you from achieving your goals. If you have any questions, feel free to ask a friendly Pinnacle Career Institute staff member at your campus for guidance.