<p>Retired dean talks about what makes a high school student ready for college:
Who's</a> 'Really Ready' for college? Retired Marquette dean gives advice - USATODAY.com</p>
<p>I agree wholeheartedly. I am a high school teacher in a college prep program and I see a lot of very bad study skills that will sabotage students when they get to college. Last minute cramming, cheating that you can’t catch, and inflated grades caused from an insistence that students have “x” number of grades each grading period instead of a few heavily weighted grades, like in college. Parents expect teachers to hold their childrens’ hands and give them many, many chances to redeem grades. It has really gotten ridiculous and the kids are the ones who are being hurt, they just don’t understand that until they get to college and mommy can’t bail them out.</p>
<p>Now, not all students are like this. I do have and have had many solid students who are disciplined and actually study. These students also have parents who stand back and let the kids do what they need to do, even if they fall a little. It is these kids who after graduation I hear college success stories. Most of the other ones eventually get their act together, but only after wasting a lot of money on college.</p>
<p>The last skill set I frequently see missing is a strong vocabulary due to a lack of reading.</p>
<p>I certainly agree with what he says. But I do think in high achieveing high schools where AP are more the norm, that those kids are far more prepared than a typical student. Kids that are pushing 6, 7 or 8 AP classes a year probably feel relieved when they arrive at college.</p>
<p>Some of my children’s worst study habits developed in an AP heavy environment (this was AP prep in middle school). Switching to a school that had a true liberal arts curriculum and more in depth approach produced better skills. So far both have done well in college course work taken during the summer (4.0 for both kids) and oldest is happy at college.</p>
<p>I don’t think this is the fault of AP per se, the system has gone a long way toward setting a high standard; I think the problem lies with any system that becomes standardized to the point that an industry springs up around it to prepare kids for the ultimate standardized test. I see the IB system suffering from similar problems now that it has become more popular. </p>
<p>Really good teachers aren’t that easy to find; our culture and the educational pay scale doesn’t encourage those who are or would be really great teachers to teach - most go on to better paying jobs with more prestige. Good teachers are the key to better education, not test prep, I feel fortunate that my children have had the opportunities they’ve had, it seems a rare gift in the world today.</p>