ACT, Inc. (American College Training) reported that college readiness levels were 22 percent in 2008. This is startling and the numbers are even worse for low-income and underserved students. In an August 20, 2009 report ACT found that many high school graduates are unable to perform several essential college readiness skills in English, writing, math and science.
Most high school graduates are not prepared for college success or to succeed in the workforce. My work experience gives me a unique perspective about the similarities between skills needed for college success and work success. Currently, I am a part-time college professor of college success strategy and career development courses. For many years I worked as a job placement specialist and also owned an executive search and recruiting business.
Skills needed:
Here are some of the skills needed for college success, which are also necessary for success in a professional career:
• Reading comprehension
• Problem solving
• Reasoning and critical thinking
• Writing
• Note-taking
• Time management
• Goal setting
• Knowing your learning style
• Self-awareness
• Learning how to learn
These skills are even more critical for career success during our current economic crisis. Employers are much more selective in hiring during tough times. College graduates will face greater difficulty finding good jobs in the next few years but will do better than many lacking a college education.
College success will be more important now because of increased competition for jobs. Employers will be looking more closely at college majors, grades, internships, volunteer work, and related work experience. Students who prepare for high demand jobs and who excel in college will have the best job opportunities.
College enrollments increase in hard times
As job shortages increase it is likely that enrollment in colleges, especially community colleges, will grow. One reason for this is that community colleges offer vocational programs that lead to jobs in a year or two. This is appealing to both recent high school graduates as well as returning older students who need to acquire new skills quickly due to job losses.
The problem, as stated by ACT and many other sources, is that most high school graduates are not ready to succeed at a college level. What can be done?
Many colleges offer courses that can teach students how to study and learn more effectively. Effective learning strategy courses can help students succeed in their other college courses by teaching them how they learn best, goal setting, time management and many of the skills mentioned previously in this article. However high schools must start teaching post-secondary success skills to their students while they are still in high school. This will increase high school graduation rates, reduce drop outs, improve student performance and prepare high school students for post secondary education success. These skills will also prepare students for success in the 21st century workforce.
When students learn how to learn and how they learn best, this ability is also an asset when they go to work because they are able to acquire the latest job related knowledge and skills. Both college success strategy and career exploration courses are needed in high schools. This would help students come to college prepared for success rather than failure, and they would have a better idea which college majors and careers are a good match for them.
Tips for learning:
Here are a few simple study tips that can increase your learning:
• Anticipate test questions. Create and take practice quizzes before you take the actual test.
• Write brief summaries in the margin of the text in your own words.
• Study for 30-45 minutes at a time followed by short breaks.
• Pause after reading a section and ask yourself questions about what the author is saying.
• Teach what you are learning to others. It reinforces what you are learning and makes it clearer.
• Discover and identify your preferred learning style and types of intelligence.
I have seen firsthand in my courses that when a student studies, understands and applies college success strategies, grades on tests and papers quickly improve. Students also report that their grades start getting better in their other courses. When you combine willingness to work and learn how to study, you will find success can quickly come your way.
My “achievecollegesuccess” web site offers students an opportunity to take an online college success quiz and mentions training that I am providing for high school teachers, counselors and administrators. I am training them how to teach college readiness and success strategies to their students now.
Copyright 2009. Raymond Gerson
Best regards,
Raymond Gerson
