Tempting as it may be to kick back, freshman year is not the time to slack off on academics. In a few short years the application process will begin all over again, this time for employers or graduate schools. And your college grade point average will matter—a lot.

Sure, C’s may earn degrees. But scoring average—or worse, below average—grades during your freshmen year is bad news. At best, it means you’ll spend the next three years of your college career trying to make up for a lame start. At worst, you may be forced to switch your major or reconsider the career you’ve always dreamed of. Simply put, an apathetic attitude wastes time and money. It can also lead to academic probation or even failure.

And make no mistake: Even the brightest, most ambitious students usually have to study hard to get good grades in college. Just ask Esther Zeledon, of Miami, Florida. Zeledon was an academic star in high school, tackling ten AP courses and graduating 6th in a class of 4,500 students.

But when she arrived at Swarthmore University, it was a different story. “I got about one paper a week in English and one every other week in history, as well as 800 pages a week to read,” she says. As an environmental science major, Zeledon also had chemistry lab for five hours each week, hours of homework—and a lot of sleep to catch up on! Although she studied religiously, Zeledon says, “It was very difficult to get an A. I didn’t see that letter all year.”

Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t earn top grades if you work hard. So think of freshman year as an opportunity to hit the ground running. Ace those intro classes, join study groups, get extra help when you need it, and study, study study! You’ll be glad you did.

Article courtesy of www.careersandcolleges.com