Is Your Child College Bound?

High school is often thought of as the best time for students to prepare in their educational journey towards college. However, it may be more appropriate to identify high school as a time to continue preparing for college. As professional athletes can attest, you get to the top by starting with the basics.
Since all steps in the learning process are affected by the ones before them, the sooner students begin preparing for college, the better.
It is critical that students master each subject in elementary school. A skill gap at an early level can affect a student’s ability to acquire new skills in the following years. Elementary school is also the best time for students to develop healthy school habits.
Middle school is often the first time students are able to make substantial choices in their academic paths, however, without guidance, how do students know what to take? In a recent study released by Harris Interactive, almost all seventh and eighth grade students who were surveyed indicated they planned to continue their education after high school, but over half said they didn’t know how to prepare for it.
Math is the key indicator of college readiness. According to Achieve Inc., math is a better indicator of college readiness than race, family income, or background. Individuals who complete Calculus are more than twice as likely to attain their bachelor’s degree as those who only finish Algebra II. To be eligible for Calculus in twelfth grade, students must first take Algebra I in eighth grade, followed by Geometry, Algebra II and Pre-Calculus.
Reading becomes critical in middle and high school as well. If students don’t form a solid foundation in reading in elementary grades, it will be difficult for them to progress to more intense reading at this level. In high school, students’ reading levels should be above grade level to keep up with demanding writing and reading assignments. If they fall behind in reading, they will find it difficult to get better grades in literature and history classes, and have difficulty decoding mathematical word problems.
While high school is an important step in the journey to college, it is just one of many steps along the way. Elementary and middle school are critical, too. If you feel your child is struggling it is important to get them back on track to elementary, middle, high school, and college success.
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