Achieve poll on college readiness

Rising to the Challenge
Are High School Graduates
Prepared For College & Work?
HART
RESEARCH
P e t e r D
A S S O T E SC I A
&
PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES
Key findings from surveys among public high school graduates,
college instructors, and employers
Conducted December 2004–January 2005 for

How Prepared Are Public High School Graduates?/Hart Research & Public Opinion Strategies for
Research Methods
 Telephone surveys among the following populations:
 1,487 public high school graduates from Classes of 2002,
2003, 2004, conducted December 4–21, 2004, including:
 861 current students at two- and four-year colleges and
universities (353 of whom have taken a remedial course)
 626 graduates who are not currently enrolled in college, including
267 who attended college in the past but withdrew
 303 African Americans and 287 Hispanic Americans
 400 employers who make personnel decisions (owners,
CEOs, presidents, human resources professionals),
conducted December 10–16, 2004
 300 instructors who teach first-year students at two-year
and four-year colleges and universities

Key Points
 As many as four in ten graduates are not prepared:
 39% of college students and high school graduates with no
further education say they have gaps in the skills and
abilities expected today.
 35% of college students and 39% of non-students say they
have large gaps in preparation in at least one crucial skill;
86% of both college students and non-students say they
have some gaps.
 College instructors estimate that 42% of their students are
not adequately prepared.
 Employers estimate that 39% of high school graduates who
have no further education are not prepared for their current
job and that 45% are unprepared for advancement.

Key Points
 All groups call for higher standards:
 Only 24% of high school graduates say they faced high
expectations and were challenged in high school. Those
who faced high expectations in high school are much more
likely to feel prepared for the expectations they now face.
 Knowing what they know today, 65% of college students
and 77% of non-students say they would have worked
harder in high school.
 62% of college students and 72% of non-students would
have taken at least one more difficult course.
 High school graduates, college instructors, and employers
strongly embrace reforms that raise standards and
requirements for graduation.

Many Grads Cite Gaps In Preparation
15%
7% 11% 12%
Extremely well: prepared for everything Very well: generally able to do what's expected
Not well: large gaps/struggling Somewhat well: some gaps
College students Non-students
How well did your high school education prepare you
for college-level work/jobs you hope to get in the future?
Employers estimate that
45% of recent high
school graduates are not
prepared with skills to
advance beyond entry
level jobs.
College instructors
estimate that 42% of
recent high school
graduates are not
prepared for college-
level classes.
61%
39%
53%
46%

Most Grads Cite Gaps
In At Least One Skill
33%
29%
38%
35%
45%
40%
41%
42%
51%
44%
46%
45%
College students
Non-students
(In each area, % saying there are at least some gaps in their preparation)
Oral communication/
public speaking
Science
Mathematics
Doing research
Quality of writing
that is expected
Reading/understanding
complicated materials
35% of college students report large gaps in at least one area,
86% report some gaps in at least one area.
12% large gaps/struggling
15% large gaps/struggling
11%
14%
13%
16%
10%
13%
9%
10%
5%
9%

Employers/College Instructors Say
Many Not Prepared In Math/Writing
50%
50%
38%
41%
(Employers’/instructors’ average estimates of percentages
of public HS graduates NOT prepared in each subject)
Ability to do math
Quality of writing
Employers
Ability to do math
Quality of writing
Instructors

Few Employers Feel High School
Graduates Prepared For Advancement
78%
75%
75%
74%
18%
25%
10%
10%
Extremely/very well prepared for typical job in my company
Extremely/very well prepared for advancement in my company
Applicants with no high
school degree
Recent public high
school grads who have no
further education/training
Recent grads of two-year
college or training
program
Recent graduates of four-
year colleges

College Instructors Are Harshest
Critics Of High School
Do public high schools adequately
prepare graduates to meet the
expectations they face in college
Employers
65%
28%
70%
28%
In first-year classes, how much class time do
you spend reviewing material and skills that
should have been taught in high school?
Significant
amount of
class time
(24%)
Some
class time
Very little
class time
No class time
Do not
adequately
prepare
graduates
Adequately
prepare
graduates

Employers/Instructors Dissatisfied
With High Schools’ Skills Prep
24%
36%
34%
40%
32%
52%
29%
59%
40%
62%
41%
70%
(In each area, % saying they are somewhat/very dissatisfied with
the job public high schools are doing preparing graduates)
Reading/understanding
complicated materials
Quality of writing
that is expected
Doing research
Mathematics
Oral communication/
public speaking
Science
College instructors Employers
25% very dissatisfied

Employers/Instructors Dissatisfied
With High Schools’ Skills Prep
17%
20%
39%
55%
50%
65%
42%
66%
(In each area, % saying they are somewhat/very dissatisfied with
the job public high schools are doing preparing graduates)
Thinking analytically
Work and study habits
Applying what is learned in
school to solving problems
Computer skills
College instructors Employers

Few Say Expectations Were High
24%
56%
20%
26%
57%
17%
20%
53%
26%
High/I was significantly challenged
Moderate/I was somewhat challenged
Low/pretty easy to slide by
Academic expectations of me in high school were:
All high school
graduates
Expectations were high
All HS graduates
Below average income
Average income
Above average income
City
Suburbs
Small town/rural
General studies in HS
College prep in HS
24%
23%
23%
24%
23%
31%
20%
17%
30%

36%
53%
72%
37%
58%
80%
(% saying they were extremely/very well prepared for college/future job)
Grads Who Faced High Expectations
Twice As Likely To Feel Prepared
College students whose high
schools held them to:
High expectations
Moderate expectations
Low expectations
High expectations
Moderate expectations
Low expectations
Non-students whose high
schools held them to:

Challenging Courses = Better Prepared
33%
54%
58%
67%
73%
(% saying they were extremely/very well prepared for college)
College students who took the following number of
high school level math and science courses:
Nine or ten
Eight
Seven
Five or six
Four or fewer

Algebra II Critical For
Work World And College
46%
54%
68%
31%
26%
72%
60%
37%
Extremely/very well prepared Somewhat/not too/not at all well prepared
Non-students
When it comes to mathematics, how well were you prepared in
high school for the expectations you face in college/working world?
Completed less
than Algebra 2
Completed
Algebra 2/more
Completed less
than Algebra 2
Completed
Algebra 2/more
College students

Lower Expectations For Writing
Lead To Lower Confidence
46%
Writing expected of
you in high school
All public HS graduates
Graduates
who
wrote
great deal
Graduates
who wrote
fair
amount/
not much
Students
Feel somewhat/not
prepared for college
writing
21% 49%
Non-students
Feel somewhat/not
prepared for writing at
work
24%
Great deal
high
expectations,
term papers,
research
reports,
senior thesis
Not much
Fair amount
English
classes some
emphasis on
writing
skills, papers
for other
classes
53%
51%

Knowing What They Know Today,
Grads Would Have Worked Harder
65%
34%
77%
22%
Would have applied myself more Would have applied myself the same/less
Knowing what you do today
about the expectations of
college/the work world, if
you were able to do high
school over again, would
you have worked harder and
applied yourself more to
your coursework even if it
meant less time for other
activities?

Had High School Demanded More,
Grads Would Have Worked Harder
64%
15%
63%
18%
Strongly feel I would have worked harder Would have worked harder
Wouldn't have worked harder
If your high school had
demanded more of students,
set higher academic stand-
ards, and raised the expec-
tations of how much course
work and studying would be
necessary to earn a diploma,
would you have worked
harder to meet these expec-
tations?
82% 80%

Majorities of Graduates Would
Have Taken Harder Courses
38%
29%
41%
32%
48%
34%
72%
62%
College students
Non-students
Would have taken more
challenging courses in at
least one area
Math
Science
English
Knowing what you know today about the expectations of college/the work world, if you were
able to do high school over again, when it comes to math/sciences/English would you have taken
higher-level and more challenging courses if they were available?
Would have taken more
challenging courses in:

Large Majorities Support All Reforms
45%
50%
50%
57%
58%
70%
71%
73%
Would improve things a great deal Would improve things somewhat
(% public high school graduates saying each would improve things
in encouraging HS students to work harder/be better prepared)
Real-world learning
opportunities (internships)
Early guidance on courses
for career/college prep
More honors, AP, IB
courses available for free
More tutoring, summer
school, extra help
Give juniors college place-
ment tests to see if ready
Require exams in math
and English to graduate
Smaller high schools, more
contact with teachers
Require four years’ math,
biology, chemistry, physics
96%
93%
93%
88%
87%
81%
80%
74%

Overview Of Support For Reforms
 Early guidance on the courses to take to prepare for career/college
enjoys universal support, with 90% or more of public high school
graduates, employers, and college instructors saying this would improve
things a great deal or somewhat.
 Opportunities for real-world learning receives high support from recent
graduates (96% improve things a great deal/somewhat), employers (95%),
and college instructors (76%).
 More honors, AP, IB courses garners near universal support from recent
graduates (93%), and nearly as much from employers (86%) and college
instructors (85%).
 Non-students are more likely than college students to strongly endorse
proposals giving high school students more help/attention, including early
placement tests to determine readiness for college (67% of non-students
say this would improve things a great deal, 49% of college students say the
same), tutoring, summer school, extra help (63% non-students, 55%
students), and smaller high schools (58% non-students, 45% students).

Support For Math/Science Requirement
43%
41%
39%
49%
45%
Would improve things a great deal Would improve things somewhat
(% who say requiring four years’ math, biology, chemistry, and physics to
graduate would encourage HS students to work harder/be better prepared)
All public high school
graduates
College students
Non-students
Employers
College instructors
74%
70%
81%
77%
83%

Conclusions
 Public high schools are failing to prepare a
substantial minority of graduates for skills
expected of them today.
 Employers and instructors are the harshest critics
and say many graduates come to them
inadequately prepared.
 More rigorous courses and higher expectations
lead to better prepared graduates.
 Graduates themselves say they would welcome
more challenging requirements and raised
expectations for high school graduation.

Achieve poll on college readiness

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (15)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (17)

Similar to Achieve poll on college readiness

Similar to Achieve poll on college readiness (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Achieve poll on college readiness