The High School Graduates’ Readiness For Success In College Performance Indicators

College preparation among high school pupils is noticeably lacking. This lack of readiness has a wide range of observable reasons. Lack of congruence between high school and college-level curricula is one of these causes. For my review, I looked for studies that examine high school academic achievement in relation to readiness for college. College preparedness, curriculum alignment, high school GPA, and college achievement were utilized as keywords.

There are significant, though irrefutable, distinctions between being eligible for college and being prepared for college. Academic preparation refers to academic knowledge and abilities that students need to succeed in undertaking college-level work, or to be “college ready.” As advisers to first-year college students, we see these variances every semester. Although they have earned enough credits to enroll in college, students lack the academic abilities and/or study habits necessary to thrive once they enter college. Students in America are graduating from high school less and less prepared for college (Choy, Horn, Nuez, & Chen, 2000; Jackson, 2009). According to some statistics, barely 10% of eighth graders are on track to graduate from high school without having to take remedial courses in college (Wimberly & Noeth, 2005). Public institutions in America spend upwards of $1 billion yearly to correct at least one-third of their incoming freshmen cohort (Bettinger & Long, 2009). According to studies, the following K–12 academic markers, in addition to participation and performance on standardized tests, may predict college attendance: 1) courses taken; 2) courses taken; and 3) course performance, including GPA. Beyond only needing to be ready for the demands of college classes, the United States’ capacity to create college-ready students has important social and economic repercussions. That depressing fact makes it essential that we figure out how to close this gap. In this literature review, I look at research on academic preparation in high school classrooms in relation to results on college readiness.

Participation in and results from standardized exams are the top cited indication for successful college enrollment. Avery and Kane’s (2004) study examined participants in a college outreach program. According to their study, high school seniors who achieved significant testing milestones by the autumn of their senior year were more likely to enroll in a four-year college. Students with ACT scores above 18 were shown to be more likely than those with lower scores to enroll in college. SAT scores indicate comparable college outcomes to ACT scores. State examinations are often not matched with college requirements, which is a significant problem given that test results are a crucial determining factor in college enrolment. When Brown and Conley (2007) compared the content of state exams to the academic requirements and prerequisite abilities for introductory post secondary courses, they found that only a small number of the 60 secondary math and English assessments from 20 states were matched with postsecondary standards.

High school courses taken are the second determined determinant for successful college enrollment. According to studies, offering more challenging courses to high school students might affect their preparation for college (Herlihy, 2007; Lee & Burkham, 2000). Higher levels of college enrollment are predicted by factors like AP course attendance. For instance, Leonard (2010) showed that lower-performing students are less likely to need remediation when they attend college with college credits, including those from AP courses. The most important measure of postsecondary attendance among other indicators was finishing a course and taking the test (Dougherty, Mellor & Jian, 2006). When compared to students who entered college with dual credits or no college credit, those who had completed the AP tests often had better first-year GPAs (Elmers & Mullen, 2003). Many school districts are substantially boosting AP course enrollment as a consequence of these findings, which unfortunately results in the courses’ material becoming diluted, which lowers the courses’ accuracy as indicators of college preparedness (Conley, 2007). It is crucial that schools keep an eye on their own success in promoting college preparedness in light of such concerns. College results are predicted by course achievement, particularly really bad performance (Geiser & Santelices, 2007; Kane, 2002; Noble & Sawyer, 2004). Failures in foundational courses are typically a major sign of future academic difficulties.

Actual course performance and GPA are the ultimate determined indication for successful college enrollment. GPA is a reliable indicator of academic success and perseverance in college (Geiser & Santelices, 2007; Noble & Sawyer, 2004). According to research done inside the University of California system, a freshman’s GPA was the greatest indicator of future success (Geiser & Santelices, 2007). For kids with lower grades, high school GPA was also a stronger predictor of college GPA than ACT scores (Noble & Sawyer, 2004). Due to grade inflation aimed to help kids get into college, it is important to stress that, like AP courses, GPA no longer accurately predicts student outcomes (Conley, 2007). For example, a “B” now is comparable to a “C” from thirty years ago. This supports all of the studies showing that grades are increasing even while many other indicators of college preparedness are declining (Conley, 2007). Additionally, research demonstrates that instructors within a school as well as schools and districts as a whole have drastically different grading criteria (Nunley, Shartle-Galotto, & Smith).

According to research, grades and GPA are a much better predictor of future success than standardized test scores because they reflect students’ effort and study techniques. Furthermore, a student’s grade-point average takes into account a variety of non-cognitive factors, such as motivation, that are essential for success in postsecondary education (Kaplan, D.S., Peck, & Kaplan, 1997; Kennely & Monrad, 2007). Additionally, grades gave students—including those from groups thought to be at danger of not going to college—the chance to show tenacity, which was linked to performance in postsecondary settings (Dille & Mezack, 1991).