Highschool students are not prepared for the realities of college
Sydney Cargill
English 101 SIN 3
Dr. Wells
4/28/14
The Reality of College
America’s educational standards have changed greatly throughout the last couple of years. In the 1980’s only half of all high school graduates attended college. The other half ventured into successful careers with only a high school diploma. “Because the rapid pace of technological and economic change has transformed the workplace, today's students need far more knowledge and skills than before to compete and thrive. In most cases, that means a college degree” (Perkins-Gough). Considering this change, have high schools succeeded in preparing their students for the rigors of college? Are high schools preparing students both educationally and emotionally? If not, then why are students being pushed into attending college without being properly exposed to every option available post high school education? Also, should students be expected to attend college right out of high school? I expect my research to prove that awareness of the reality of college is lacking in high school. With more awareness and preparation high schools provide to their students, I believe college drop outs, wrongly chosen majors, and unnecessary debt could be avoided. Proper educational and emotional preparation for any level of post secondary education provided through high school is crucial to every student’s success. It is generally thought that student’s who do very well in high school should go into college with no hang-ups in regards to school work. However, according to U.S. Department of Education “only 56 percent of students who enroll in four-year colleges receive a degree within six years, and only one-third of students who enroll in two-year colleges finish within three years” (Perkins-Gough). As a student who did very well in high school I was surprised at the amount of stress I encountered once I entered college. The jump from high school to college was huge both educationally and emotionally. A jump that
English 101 SIN 3
Dr. Wells
4/28/14
The Reality of College
America’s educational standards have changed greatly throughout the last couple of years. In the 1980’s only half of all high school graduates attended college. The other half ventured into successful careers with only a high school diploma. “Because the rapid pace of technological and economic change has transformed the workplace, today's students need far more knowledge and skills than before to compete and thrive. In most cases, that means a college degree” (Perkins-Gough). Considering this change, have high schools succeeded in preparing their students for the rigors of college? Are high schools preparing students both educationally and emotionally? If not, then why are students being pushed into attending college without being properly exposed to every option available post high school education? Also, should students be expected to attend college right out of high school? I expect my research to prove that awareness of the reality of college is lacking in high school. With more awareness and preparation high schools provide to their students, I believe college drop outs, wrongly chosen majors, and unnecessary debt could be avoided. Proper educational and emotional preparation for any level of post secondary education provided through high school is crucial to every student’s success. It is generally thought that student’s who do very well in high school should go into college with no hang-ups in regards to school work. However, according to U.S. Department of Education “only 56 percent of students who enroll in four-year colleges receive a degree within six years, and only one-third of students who enroll in two-year colleges finish within three years” (Perkins-Gough). As a student who did very well in high school I was surprised at the amount of stress I encountered once I entered college. The jump from high school to college was huge both educationally and emotionally. A jump that