Key Takeaways:
- College readiness is a series of benchmarks high school graduates should meet before heading to college.
- Students should have a well-rounded education in a variety of subjects, along with self-awareness and various skills, including critical thinking and communication.
- Schools measure a student’s college readiness by looking at their GPA, academic rigor, social skills, and more.
Are you tired of hearing, “Are you ready for college?” from your family and parents’ friends yet? They might just be asking a generic question, but, in fact, “college readiness” refers to the set of skills, knowledge, and behaviors a high school student should have upon graduation and entering their first year of college. In this article, we take a look at why it’s so important and what it means for you and your education.
What Is College Readiness?
College readiness is a set of benchmarks a high school student should meet to show they’re ready for college, including in knowledge, skills, and behavior. At its core, it means the preparation a student needs to succeed in a college-level course.
These three sections have plenty of overlap, but here’s a general overlook at what they mean for you:
Knowledge
College-bound students should have a well-rounded education before graduating high school in order to complete advanced level coursework.
Most students graduate high school with skills and at least a general understanding in English, Math, Social Studies, Foreign Language, Science, the Arts, writing, and research. Additional skills can be a difference maker in college when it comes to success.
Exact benchmarks differ from state-to-state, but generally students need academic knowledge in these areas and skills to succeed in college.
| Subject | Main Skills & General Knowledge | Additional Skills That Help in College |
|---|---|---|
| English | ||
| Math | ||
| Social Studies | ||
| Foreign Language | ||
| Science | ||
| Arts | ||
| Writing | ||
| Research |
If you’re missing any of these skills or knowledge points, don’t worry. Your entry level college courses will help you close the gaps – and you can always brush up on your skills over the summer!
Skills
Many skills you’ll need to be college ready come from your high school classes. You’ll need to be able to write well-structured essays, use certain math formulas, and have a handle on the scientific method.
However, there are some other skills that come from being engaged in your classes and the world around you. You should have these abilities as you graduate high school:
- Critical thinking
- Problem solving
- Time management
- Decision making
- Communication
- Networking
- Data analysis
- Constructing and defending an argument
- Collaboration
- Curiosity
- Open mindedness
Behavior
Receiving all A’s in high school and participating in the classroom is fantastic but by themselves, they’re not quite enough to succeed in higher education. College-bound students also need to display certain behaviors that show they can take on the added task of being responsible for themselves.
Having college-ready behavior can typically fall into four categories:
- Self-monitoring: To self-monitor, we need to be able to check in with how our thoughts and actions align with our goals. When we reflect like this, we can regulate and evaluate our current approach and take action to change strategies if needed.
- Self-awareness: Self-awareness is similar to self-monitoring, but this skill focuses more on our person as a whole. If you’re self-aware, you’re knowledgeable and honest (at least with yourself) about your shortcomings, strengths, values, beliefs, and behaviors.
- Self-control: If you have self-control, you’re better able to manage your reactions to situations, including impulses, behaviors, and emotions. You’re more likely to make decisions that help you reach your goals.
- Study skills: College-level courses require a higher level of studying compared to high school classes. You should be able to have study habits that promote learning and understanding the material, including time management, note-taking, prioritizing, choosing the right place to study, and more.
Why Is College Readiness Important?
College readiness is important for the student as it helps the individual, their teachers, the school, and their parents evaluate whether or not the child is truly ready to take on college. A student who is college ready is more likely to receive an acceptance letter and succeed in higher education. Plus, many college-ready individuals already have many of the skills they need to find success in the workforce.
College readiness is also important to high schools, who use it to determine the quality of the education they’re providing. They can make changes to the curriculum and teaching staff as needed.
How Do Schools Measure College Readiness?
High schools and colleges measure college readiness with various factors, and some colleges and universities may weigh different aspects of college readiness heavier than others (such as class rank).
These are just a few measurements they may make:
- GPA: The higher a student’s GPA, the more likely they are to succeed in college – but it never tells the whole picture.
- Academic rigor: Intensive coursework, such as AP, dual credit, and honors courses, show that a student is ready to take on college-level classes.
- Social: High schools will look at how a student collaborates with others, and colleges want to see individuals who are involved in their community, in extracurriculars, and as leaders.
- ACT/SAT: The ACT and SAT test a student’s critical thinking, time management, and reading comprehension skills. The higher the score, the more likely they’ll perform well in a college setting. The ACT also has benchmark measurement tools to indicate how well a student might perform in college.
Colleges can also measure your college readiness by looking at your application essay and recommendation essays or by scheduling an interview.
How Do You Know If You’re Ready for College?
You’ll know you’re ready for college if you meet most or all of the college readiness benchmarks high schools and higher education institutions look for in students. However, if you’re missing any of these necessary skills, habits, or knowledge areas, don’t fret! You have plenty of time to learn them.
You can fill in gaps in your knowledge by taking entry-level courses in college, reading, or watching educational videos. Many colleges also offer lower level courses if you’re severely behind in certain subjects for less or no credit to get you up to speed.
With skills, you can talk over your habits with your teacher, your academic advisor, or a medical professional to determine the best routes for you. Introduce planners to help your time management and get involved in the classroom or in clubs to improve your communication, debate, and networking skills.
For improving your behaviors, look up strategies that can help you with your studying. There’s no one-size-fits-all study strategy. Instead, you need to find the tactics that work for you. To improve your self-awareness, start a journal or take a few minutes each night to reflect on the day and your actions.
Resources to Help Get You College Ready
College readiness doesn’t look the same in one student to another. Instead, it’s an individual measurement that depends on a series of factors from your grades to your communication and your self-awareness to your study habits. If you’re worried, you’re not ready for college and you’re about to graduate high school, talk to your guidance counselor or academic advisor to alleviate your concerns and start developing the skills you need to succeed.
Your GPA and ACT/SAT scores are a great foundation to start determining your college readiness, especially since institutions look at these two when admitting students. Discover how you stack up against your peers at your dream schools using College Raptor’s College Match.
