there was an article a year or so ago in the NYT about boys who were having trouble adjusting to college because they had lived such controlled helicopter lives. they no longer had someone getting them up, telling them where to go, when to go, and who to go with. The upshot of the article was that they had never learned to control their own behavior so they took the opportunity to sleep in, play games all night, because they could.
In my experience as a professor though its about ownership - does the student take ownership of the courses and responsibilities. Those who are there because they are "supposed to be" or because there parents said so don't usually do very well. Or do well but are angry or depressed. If you have no ownership it is much easier to get distracted by anything - video games, no curfew - the freedom can be overwhelming.
DeHe
