Can a responsible young-adult do poorly in college?

yes, how well you do in school depends a lot on how well you can take test.

I once had a student that knew the information forward, backward and sideways, but could not pass a written test with the answer key. He was very responsible, just no testing ability.

There are many responsible people that can pay the bills on time and hold a job, but somehow cannot keep their GPA up. COnversely, there are some people who have a high GPA but are reckless.

Personally, I don’t draw any link between responsibility and GPA anyways, so it’s moot. If you’re a jackass, I don’t care how good your grades are!

Yes a responsible student can struggle at college. They might have some sort of learning difficulty. Also, college is very different to school. Some people find the transition very hard. Other people have anxiety issues and despite working very hard, their effort does not turn into high grades. You have to learn the techniques just as in any new situation. It can take people time to figure out the way ‘college’ works and what is expected of them.

As to part B, yes. My son did pretty much nothing at school. He coasted along and ended up getting better results than some of his peers who worked very hard. Not good enough to get into the degree he had wanted to do, but he was only two points short. I actually think having things come too easily can be very bad for young people. They can (not all do of course) become complacent.

Sometimes, you just don’t understand the subject. Even if you gave up all social activity, and studied every moment when you’re not asleep or in class, you might still not understand it. But the folks who say you’re “not responsible” imagine you’re not getting it because you’re out partying.

Absolutely.

What may be some reasons that you can think of?

Transitioning issues:
-Difficulty maintaining a college schedule (as opposed to the full routine handed to one in High School)
-Neuro-atypical issues that have not been diagnosed or addressed (High-functioning autism/Asperger’s Syndrome, ADD, etc)
-Removal of safety nets (some kids need someone to assist them to set their personal schedule, and to hold them accountable)

My husband was not diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome until recently. College was a confusing time for him. He hadn’t been prepared for the transition at all. He had no family to assist him, no one to talk to, and lacked self-awareness that could’ve helped him seek proper help. He dropped out. He is a completely routine based person, completely responsible, and highly intelligent. Had he received transitional assistance, he’d mostly likely have several degrees and his employment situation would be quite different (in a positive way).

Just stay focused on your classes and not the boys and you will be just fine.

Yes—usually because of different factors like the others stated above. Ironically, sometimes being over-responsible can lead to bad grades—trying to do too much and spreading oneself too thin.