Why are high schools often failing to prepare students for college?

Question

This is the topic for my Composition 1 final and I was wondering if anyone could provide their opinion. Thanks!

Answer 1

I have read the other answers, and they all contain some valid arguments. However, I am a high school teacher, and I can tell you that it is a combination of several things. I have been teaching 10 years, and I have seen a continued lowering of expectations. My students accuse me of teaching their class like an honors or AP class because I expect them to do homework!!! Many parents believe anything their kids tell them and make excuses upon excuses of why their child should not be held to higher standards (everything from ADHD to fragile ego, to you name it). School districts have become so terrified of being sued over ANYTHING that the teachers who are trying to keep higher standards are not getting the backing they need from their administrators. At my school district, the parents know that if they threaten a lawsuit, they will get their way. The kids have seen this, and feel that if those kids don't have to follow the rules, then why should they?

I do not see this problem going away anytime soon. Until changes begin at home and school administrators get a backbone,we will continue this downward slide toward ignorance.

Answer 2

Well, is it that high schools aren't preparing enough, or are colleges DEMANDING too much??

I am in college right now, and quite honestly, I don't know what else my high school could have done to prepare me. It's not that the material is more difficult in college. It's that they move faster and they give you much more homework. So the intensity is what is challenging. As far as how to prepare for that, I guess the only way would be to ensure that the teachers give out more homework, exams, and move faster through the curriculum. But honestly, I think that is a bad idea...

I think our schools are so fixated on making sure we teach our children a lot of information in school, and test them frequently to make sure they understand it. So instead of stressing the quality of information, we stress the quantity. I can tell you that after taking a year of chemistry, I don't remember a thing about it. And that was a YEAR long course in high school! Just because you do well in a class, doesn't mean you will retain it.

High schools, or at least mine, did a great job of stressing the quality of information. While it sometimes moved a little fast, I was usually able to catch up and keep on track. In college, it's no mercy. If you have problems, you have to go (on your own time) to office hours to ask questions. So there is not much room for 'error,' if you will.

So, like I said before, I think it is hard to "prepare" students for college. All you can really do is educate them as to what to expect. It also depends on what type of high school you are in. I was at a high school that was a preparatory college school. So, in other words, they really stressed the preparation for college. I had no problems entering college. But I can see how a school where there is no guidance could have problems...

Answer 3

A few reasons. But most importantly, that the schools don't teach them what they need to know for college. What are they teaching? They are teaching them how to do well on standardized tests, so the schools can get more government funding. When kids get to college, they're great at taking standardized tests, but they can't think.

The other reason is that teachers don't demand enough. They can't. In this politically correct society, you are strongly discouraged from doing anything negative - like giving someone a failing grade. It would be viewed as exclusionary and counter-productive.

Another reason is that too much emphasis is put on extracurricular activities. Kids are doing WAY too much and schoolwork ultimately suffers.

Answer 4

Easy one - because the "prep work" isn't done at the elementary levels. But it's not the teachers' fault! Because boards of education are scared to DEATH of being sued, and because of PL 94-142, we feel that we simply MUST pass students through grades even though they are NOT proficient in the skills they need. They are "too big" "too old" "too emotionally fragile" or whatever to hold them back. Lots of times, parents REFUSE to allow their children to be held back a grade due to "self-esteem" or whatever reasons. Teachers don't have choices any more about what is actually BEST for the child academically. The parents have the power and the boards of education allow parents to run the show. Teachers are just the "middlemen" who do what the boss (i.e. BOE) tells us to do and what we have to do to keep the parents (and the students) happy and out of the lawyer's office!
So, I have students in HONORS ENGLISH 9 class who don't know what a complete sentence is, can't write one, and couldn't spell "poop" if they had a mouthful!

Answer 5

Lack of funding is an occasional reason as to why teachers fail to do their job 100%.. more times than not however, it is the students, not teachers, who fail to prepare for college..most kids today have a 'don't give a sh**t attitude when it comes to authority...they would rather spend time 'having fun' than to spend time 'getting an education'.. I know because I have a 20 year old who had that same attitude while in school and his teachers just didn't want to spend the time with someone who didn't really care....

Answer 6

There are many reasons.

1)Students work and have other outside of school acivities so they spend less time doing homework and studying.
2)Starting at a very young age, standards are not seet high enough, kids slide through the lower grades and don't learn discipline, and how to study and do work neatly, so they come into high school behind.
3)Teachers don't demand as much as they did in the past. Probably because of reasons 1 & 2