Ready for College
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For Middle Schoolers: Activities to Build College-Level Reading Skills
ACT has developed the following list of activities to help middle-school students improve their reading ability. Parents and educators can use this information to help ensure that these students are on target for college and career readiness.
Components in a Comprehensive Definition of College Readiness
College readiness is a multi-faceted concept that includes factors both internal and external to the school environment. The model presented here emerges from a review of the literature and includes the skills and knowledge that can be most directly influenced by schools.
A Definition of College Readiness
A list of knowledge, skills, and attributes a student should possess to be ready to succeed in entry-level college courses.
What Schools and Students Can Do to Foster College Readiness
If schools and students understand college readiness in a more comprehensive way, they can do more to develop the full range of capabilities and skills needed to succeed in college. At the heart of this definition is the notion that those most interested in college success will change their behaviors based on the greater guidance the definition offers on how to be college ready.
Getting Ready for College: What ELL Students Need to Know
For ELLs, the challenges of going to college and finding the right opportunities can be overwhelming, but ELL teachers can play an important role helping students apply to college and preparing for the application process as well. This month's Bright Ideas article offers some great ideas for ways that you can support ELL students as they consider their future plans.
Academic Rigor: At the Heart of College Access and Success
Low-income and minority students, students with disabilities, and those who are the first in their families to go to college, are often unprepared for and discouraged from taking rigorous academic courses in high school. It is therefore imperative that all young people — especially students traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary education — are prepared to succeed in entry-level college coursework.
An Introduction to Programs Serving Disadvantaged Youth
The programs discussed here blend secondary and postsecondary programs for disadvantaged youth. This blending is an effective strategy that the authors believe should be more widely considered. Many of the components that make these programs successful with a disadvantaged student population are based on core principles of youth development: caring adults who serve as teacher, guide, and role model; a network of peer support; a high quality curriculum; and a competency-based approach to learning.
An Introduction to Middle and Early College High Schools
Middle and early college high schools are typically located on community college campuses, which allow students to begin working toward an associate's degree while they complete the necessary coursework for a high school diploma, and they often, include a 13th year to allow students to complete their associate's degree. Both middle and early college high schools primarily serve underachieving students who are better served in a nontraditional high school setting. Many of these schools also focus on preparing students for the workplace and encourage students to use their postsecondary classes to gain a technical expertise.
An Introduction to Dual Enrollment
Dual enrollment (DE) allows high school students, including dropouts in some cases, to enroll in postsecondary education courses to earn college credit prior to high school graduation. DE is the most widely used acceleration mechanism and appears in a variety of well-known forms, such as dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment, and Advanced Placement.
Tech Prep is a planned sequence of study in a technical field that begins as early as 9th grade and extends through at least two years of postsecondary education or an apprenticeship program. Tech Prep programs culminate in students receiving a postsecondary credential, such as an associate's degree or technical certificate, thus allowing them to continue their postsecondary education or to enter the workforce as a qualified technician.
An Introduction to College Access Programs
Most college access programs provide activities such as financial counseling, last dollar scholarships, college visits, career guidance, tutoring, academic counseling, and test preparation courses. These comprehensive college access programs are increasingly viewed as critical partners in the effort to encourage more young people to pursue post-secondary education.
Questions to Ask Colleges About Assistive Technology Resources
It is important that students with disabilities consider accommodations that colleges provide, including assistive technology (AT) devices and services. This Info Brief highlights differences between the availability of AT in the K-12 environment and college setting, poses questions related to AT that students should consider when selecting a college, and offers links to resources about AT and support networks of interest to prospective college students with disabilities.
