Bridging the Gap: K-12 and Higher Education
The readings this week all focused on educational opportunities and policies that inhibit or make access to higher education a challenge for low-income students, minority students, women, and unwed parents. More specifically many of the articles addressed college choice and decision-making for both low-performing students and high-achieving, low-income students. For the purposes of this blog I would like to focus on the lack of partnership amongst K-12 schools and postsecondary institutions and how it impacts student’s knowledge about college and their realities once they arrive.
Bettinger, Long, and Boatman (2013) address the issue of students not being academically prepared for college after high school, and how this serves as a major obstacle for college completion. They argue that majority of students who are underprepared after high school is placed into academic support programs or remedial programs/courses. These remedial courses are often taken to teach students basic skills they missed in high school coursework to later prepare them for intro college courses. The issues Bettinger, Long, and Boatman focus on are the fact that many of these courses do not count toward graduation, are often not for college credit, and students are still required to pay regular tuition fees for these courses. Depending on what level and how many remedial courses they are placed into can increase their time in college and decrease the rate of degree completion. Some argue these courses provide underprepared students a 2nd chance at being college educated, yet research shows their impacts weigh out differently for students based on gender, age, state, institution type, and socioeconomic status. Lavin and Attewell (2009) push back on the argument that remedial courses have no place in college because many minority students and almost half of African American students who took and passed remedial courses graduated with college degrees. Bettinger, Long, and Boatman( 2013) also argue that academic support programs, such as advising, have the best effects when they are long-term and “intrusive” on students needs and support.
Moving on, Owen & Sawhill (2013), and Rosenbaum (2010) address the issue of whether or not all students should go to college or strive to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Owen & Sawhill focus on student’s decision-making based on their return on investment for their college major/degree. They address the income disparities amongst majors and argue in some cases here are fields that require an associates degree and students make more money than those with the bachelors degree specialization. They also argue that selective schools maintain the highest graduation rates and most successful students. Rosenbaum addresses the same issue, arguing that some majors have larger payoffs and that student’s perceptions of college affect their performance in high school. Rosembaum argues students need to be more informed about what colleges require so they do not slack off in high school and are forced to enroll in remedial courses or non-selective schools, later on affecting their persistence and graduation rate. Rosembaum believes there needs to be increased communication amongst postsecondary professionals and high school counselors about their college outcomes to better prepare students for the reality of their potential to complete college, to assist colleges in improving their college prep courses, and allow high school counselors to provide better advice about college options for their students.
Hoxby & Avery address the issue of college choice for high-achieving, low-income students. I found most interesting the fact that these students overall do not apply to institutions they qualify for and that will provide them the most aid and financial assistance. The greatest issue is that institutions are not reaching out to the areas and schools in which these students live and attend and they lack the appropriate knowledge about their chances of being enrolled in these institutions. Many of these students operate on an “income-typical” mindset allowing financial factors to have a strain on their decision-making in which schools to apply to, which should be expected.
Based on these readings and their implications I think the underlying issue is the lack of partnership amongst K-12 schools and postsecondary institutions. There needs to be increased work between K-12 schools and postsecondary institutions to increase students knowledge and awareness about their collegiate future before junior and senior year of high school. Bettinger, Long, and Boatman suggest early placement exams be administered to high schools students so they know what areas and courses they need to improve in before college. Also Hoxby & Avery suggest admissions recruiters be just as proactive as athletic recruiters in seeking high-achieving, low-income students and inform them about selective institutions and their potential futures there. Increased advising/recruitment from colleges and universities to high school students about admissions, majors, and courses (required in their 1st year of college) will allow them to make better decisions about schools and receive better advice from high school counselors when information is shared amongst all parties. There is just a greater need for more outreach from higher education professionals to prospective students. Our system cannot continue to claim equal access when there are many students who are simply unaware or misinformed about their options.
