Your HS Student May Not Be Ready For College

Before parents decide to send their High School graduates off to college, they should carefully consider their student's chances for college success. As they told me during my own freshman orientation, "Look to the right! Look to the left! One of those two students won't be here for graduation." Those odds are even worse at some colleges today. That's why it doesn't make sense for parents to send a child off to college when he/she is not prepared to succeed.

To help you determine if your High School student is ready for college, take a few minutes to think about four areas that directly influence college success.

College Basics

In college, students are expected to have the maturity to do what is needed. Successful students are reliable. They find out what has to be done and perform those requirements to the best of their abilities.

Wise parents determine whether their children have the maturity to perform the basic requirements for college success. They ask and answer these questions:

- Will your child attend all of his/her classes, even the 8 a.m. classes?

- Will your child complete all of his/her assignments?

- Will your child turn in those completed assignments on time?

- Will your child actively participate in classroom discussions?

- Will your child put in the hours needed to study for tests or to research and write papers?

Have you answered "yes" to each of these questions?

Required Communication Skills

To be successful in college, students should have above average communication skills. That means that your child can and will need to:

- Read ~ ~ Speed, Comprehension, Memory


- Write ~ ~ Spelling, Punctuation, Grammar, Logic, Content, Sentence Structure, Style

- Speak ~ ~ Thought Process, Vocabulary, Voice Quality, Presence, Body Language

- Present ~ ~ Preparation, Practice, Make & Defend Arguments, Answer Questions

- Listen ~ ~ Comprehension, Note Taking, Follow Instructions, Accept Criticism

Are your child's communication skills adequate for success in college?

Degree of Difficulty

Not every student is ready to perform at the higher level required in college. Students will quickly find that there is more work and that work is more difficult than they experienced in High School. If students are not ready to step up and perform without any hand holding, they will quickly fall by the wayside.

Is your child capable and ready to perform at a higher level?

Drive and Determination

This is probably the most important factor in college success. If your High School student has not expressed a strong desire to attend college and has seldom demonstrated the determination to succeed at something important, he/she may not be ready. Additionally, since most college students will encounter a few problems and disappointments along the way, only the most determined students will be able to pick themselves up, quickly dust themselves off and get back in the game.

Does your student have the drive and determination needed to succeed when things get tough?

When parents look at their children objectively by considering these four areas of concern, they will be in a better position to determine if their children are ready to perform in college.