<p>I sometimes wonder if colleges and universities are so busy trying to meet quotas set upon them that they allow entry to students who normally would not be a good fit. It does make sense to me that students who practice a strong work ethic throughout high school will have the work ethic they need to succeed in college. I had a friend who sailed through high school with little of no studying, graduated as valedictorian, and soundly flunked out of MIT. She told me herself that she didn’t really know how to study because she never had to in high school, and college had too much new information for her to digest during the professors’ lectures. Essentially, she didn’t know how to study.</p>
<p>I was just going to post this article but saw it had just been posted. Very interesting article and I have a feeling it is fairly accurate. One part I found particularly interesting was that more kids graduated from their reach school than the safety. Based on what I’ve seen in our HS over 9 years, it seems to follow that lower income, first generation etc will drop out at a much higher rate in college. It is the sad truth that many talented and smart lower income and/or URM students in our HS dropped out or did not go to college for one reason or another and many if not most who went to college ended up dropping out even when they had full scholarships. I had never really thought about that until I read the article. It is a complicated situation.</p>
<p>It is a complicated issue, for sure. After reading a snippet of Michelle Obama’s thesis, I wonder if some students struggle with fitting in at particular colleges and might have been more successful in a different setting. </p>
<p>I also wonder how much family expectations play a role in success. Everyone in my family has an advanced college degree. Everyone in my ex’s family has a college degree. My kids have no doubts about what is expected of them. It is kind of like setting boundaries: when you know what the boundaries are, it is easier to stay within them. You don’t have to think about it. </p>
<p>I worked for three years with low-income, first generation college students and the pressure to succeed is tremendous. Everyone in their family is 1) looking to them to lead the way or 2) doubting Thomases who shake their confidence. Many are also trying to work to get the funds they need to live (financial aid just isn’t enough). So much pressure . . .</p>
<p>Very interesting-I long suspected that living on campus was important and one’s HS less so…I was surprised about higher grads at reach schools and lower success from those who start at CC</p>
<p>I think this subject and the threads on state vs private & graduation rates overlap quit a bit.
It is a complicated problem. I can only speak about myself - I initially dropped out (graduated some years later). These are not excuses – only my observations, as they apply to me.<br>
In HS I was average to above average student. Studied – but sometimes did not apply myself. My mom had her masters (science teacher) – now has her PHD. My dad had a 2 year engineer/tech degree. Education was always a big part of our life – no question about going to college. Blue collar town, after HS kids went to college, trade school or right into the work force. That’s when you could get a decent job without a degree (80’s). My parents did not have a lot of $$ and 2 other kids & retirement to plan for.
I only applied to state schools and took out loans to pay for school.
Never thought of applying to private (more selective) schools because they were too expensive.
Reasoning – the tuition listed, was the tuition (which we could not afford) and the only kids who got any kind of $$ were either very poor or very smart. Everyone thought that way – even the guidance counselors.
Went to large state u, 1st time away from home. Overcrowded classes & dorms were the norm and most of the classes were taught by TAs, some by Professors (but they were not teachers – they were at the college to conduct research). Some were good, some were not.
Homework & attendance were recommended but never required, grades were determined by fill in the bubble scantron tests & were posted by student ID outside the classroom on a sheet of paper. For the most part my dorm mates & the friends I hung around with were like me (only a few ended up graduating).
I drifted, there was no support (except for my mom & dad telling me to get good grades). I did just enough to get by – I fell through the cracks. After a while I felt there was no point & I dropped out & got a job. I felt so guilty – I know it was a huge disappointment for my parents, almost shameful (like I was a criminal – and I guess I was sort of – in their mind it was criminal that I wasted my talent & the opportunity).<br>
Fast forward – worked my way up through the company I started with. After paying off my student loans, getting married & having my first child (of 3) – I went back to school. I was accepted at a local university into the adult program & went part-time at night. Smaller classes, I got to know my professors & classmates and really enjoyed my experience. It took me a while and it was difficult but I graduated with a 3.92.</p>
<p>_me: What an enlightening perspective. I went to junior college for gen eds where classes were pretty small - 20 to 30 students - so I never felt lost in a sea of students. I have friends who went to the big state u, took calc classes which started with 200 students and ended with 50 students still in attendance. I spent years teaching some first year classes with as many as 80 students in each. I did not learn the name of most of my students. I can clearly see how being in huge classes where your name is never acknowledged, being away from home for the first time, etc. all adds up to become too much for a young adult. </p>
<p>So glad you found your way back to the classroom and your degree - it seems like what you wanted for yourself.</p>
<p>The correlation between 8th grade reading and math scores with future success is interesting. Not surprising that motivation and perserverence were noted as the keys to college graduatuon. </p>
<p>Parents of junior high schoolers might want to note the significance of developing those work ethic qualities over HS school selection, and other variables.</p>