School may be out for the summer, but many soon-to-be high school seniors are already contemplating a major challenge they will soon be facing – the college admission process. Sadly, the real problem is not just getting into one of the approximately 2,100 4-year colleges or 1,700 2-year colleges (stats based on accredited colleges - College Board). The real problem is ‘staying in college and persisting to degree’.
The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) tracks the College Pipeline from freshman entrants to those who actually persist to degree. The shocking reality is that the national average of all college entrants actually obtaining a bachelor’s degree is approximately 55.9% (2008), with Texas reporting an even lower 49.0% (based on an average 6-year graduate rate for bachelor degrees). Community colleges fair even worse - the percent dropping to 27.5% for the national average, with Texas at 18.6% (based on an average 3-year graduation rate for associate degrees). What’s happening?
The American College Testing’s (ACT) 2009 ‘Measuring College and Career Readiness’ Report may provide us with some insight (http://www.act.org/news/data/09/index.html - ACT is an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides a broad array of assessment, research, information, and program management solutions in the areas of education and workforce development). The report’s research concludes that a huge gap exists between what higher education and secondary educators consider college-career ready. For years, high school college readiness standards have been measured by TEA Benchmarks primarily using the TAKS scores (the TAKS Exit Exam is estimated to measure 10th grade level achievement).
Now, in an effort to ensure that more high school students are college-career ready, Senate Bill 1031 will replace TAKS Exams with ‘End-of-Course’ Exams. The new tests, called STAAR, will be used beginning the 2011-2012 school year. Students in the graduating Class of 2015, who are currently in seventh grade, will be the first students who must meet the end-of-course testing requirements, as well as pass their classes, in order to earn a diploma (Texas Education Agency). In addition to these crucial shifts in measuring mastery of content and performance, the Texas Education Agency recently teamed up with the SAT and ACT College Admission Tests to offer every high school junior (11th grader) a free one-time college admission test to be taken in May or June 2010. Hopefully, every junior knew about this initiative and took advantage of this opportunity (http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=8305).
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is doing their part too. As of December 2009, per state law, the Texas Education Code (TEC Sections 51.801-51.809 – State of Texas Uniform Admission Policy) requires that all students must meet one of the following college readiness standards in order to be eligible to be considered for admission at a Texas four-year public college / university:
•Successfully complete the recommended or advanced high school program or complete the portion of the program that was available to them; OR •Successfully complete a curriculum that is equivalent in content and rigor to the recommended or advance high school program at the a high school that is exempt from offering such programs; OR •Satisfy the College Readiness Benchmarks on the SAT or ACT assessment ACT: English – 18; Reading – 21; Mathematics – 22; Science – 24 SAT: 1500 out of 2400 (which includes the writing portion of the SAT)
Never before has it been more important for communities and families of high school students to realize that college admission test scores must meet College Admission Tests Benchmarks, not just be above the national or state averages in order to be even considered as a college applicant of a public 4-year institution. However, meeting those benchmark test scores only provides one foot in the door. Each 4-year college and university has their own admission requirements.
These admission requirements are rapidly becoming more selective too, and not only at our flagship institutions. In November 2009, voters authorized a new National Research University Fund worth $500 million at present encouraging the following 7 Texas Universities to up their standards in hopes of becoming Top Tier Research Universities (Currently, Texas has only 3: U of Texas Austin, TX A & M & Rice): U Of Houston, Texas Tech, U of N. Texas, U of Texas – Arlington, U of Texas – Dallas, U of Texas – El Paso, U of Texas – San Antonio. In striving to achieve this status, many of these universities may be raising their admission standards.
So how college-career ready is your child or other youth in Texas? In a grassroots effort to address this question, The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is rolling out a state-wide initiative called Generation TX. Generation TX’s mission is simple and bold: Every student, regardless of their circumstances, belongs on the path to college or career education beyond high school. Generation TX will launch in August 2010, kicking off the school year in San Antonio and Fort Worth before expanding across all of Texas with three key goals:
•To develop a commitment among stakeholders to create a college-going culture in Texas public schools that prepares all students for a post-secondary education •To clarify the processes of applying for admission and student financial aid •To increase awareness of and build support for the Texas College and Career Readiness Standards
What can you do now? Make sure your child is taking the most rigorous course work available at their school. Be involved in your child’s education – every step of the way. The ACT Research suggests that those students who take the most rigorous course work are more likely to meet the college ready benchmarks. Other data suggest that students who make well-informed decisions about their best-matched college options are also more likely to obtain a bachelor degree.
For community college students, advising is crucial in understanding articulation agreements with four-year colleges and staying on track (articulation refers to an officially approved agreement that matches coursework between schools). Remedial course work; lack of good, consistent academic advising, along with minimal campus-life engagement; and ill-founded college matriculation decisions all spell trouble - often requiring a student’s commitment to an even greater financial and time investment needed for persisting to degree.
The good news is that Central Texas is joining with the rest of the country in addressing these college-career readiness issues. One shining example of this movement is the 20,010 by 2010 Initiative of the Austin Chamber of Commerce – drawing many area school districts together for the purpose of ensuring that more Central Texas students are college-career ready (http://www.collegereadyaustin.com/2010initiative.html). Parents still play the most vital role in the success of their child being college-career ready – by understanding the current college-going trends and 21st century job skill requirements; and by advocating for their child’s right to be adequately prepared for the next step after high school graduation. Communities, school districts, higher education entities, employers and parents / mentors must be willing to come together to ensure our youth be college-career ready for the unique work of the 21st century.
The 4 Rules of Paying for College in a Recession (from US News & World Report - 12-15-2008 Blog)
1. Grades matter more than ever. The better the student, the more college options the student will have and the more likely it is the student will receive scholarships or win admission to a low-cost school. Students in states such as Georgia, Tennessee, New Mexico, and Florida, with grade-based scholarships, particularly stand to benefit.
2. Early birds will get more scholarship worms . Next fall's high school seniors need to start applying for scholarships AND admission to low-cost schools in the early autumn—before November 30. And they need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid as soon as possible each January, because some aid is handed out on a first-come, first-served basis.
3. Students should apply to at least a couple of affordable schools. Anyone who applies just to one "dream" school should prepare for heartbreak. Colleges know (from the FAFSA) what other schools students are applying to.
4. Students should apply to at least a couple of generous schools . Some of the most expensive schools by sticker price also give out huge scholarships and can actually be cheaper, in the long run, than public schools for many students. Students from low-and middle-income families can focus on schools that award aid based on the family's income.
Top Ten Strengths and Experiences Colleges Look for in High School Students
(based on a 2006-2007 survey of IECA member consultants)
1. A rigorous high school curriculum that challenges the student and may include AP or IB classes.
2. Grades that represent strong effort and an upward trend. However, slightly lower grades in a rigorous program are preferred to over less challenging coursework.
3. Solid scores on standardized tests (SAT, ACT). These should be consistent with high school performance.
4. Passionate involvement in a few activities, demonstrating leadership and initiative. Depth, not breadth, of experience is most important.
5. Letters of recommendation from teachers and guidance counselors that give evidence of integrity, special skills, positive character traits, and an interest in learning.
6. Special talents or experiences that will contribute to an interesting and well-rounded student body.
7. A well-written essay that provides insight into the student’s unique personality, values and goals. The application essay should be thoughtful and highly personal. It should demonstrate careful and well-constructed writing.
8. Demonstrated enthusiasm, often exhibited by campus visits and an interview, showing an interest toward attending the college.
9. Out of school experiences, including work and community service, that illustrate responsibility, dedication, and development of areas of interest.
10. Demonstrated intellectual curiosity through reading, school and leisure pursuits, and more.
