Preparing Your Child For College: 1996-97 Edition

What can my child do to prepare academically for college?

Take Courses Recommended for College-Bound Students

To prepare for college, there is no substitute for your child getting a solid and broad academic education. This means your child should take challenging courses in academic subjects and maintain good grades in high school. Your child's transcript will be an important part of his or her college application.

A college education builds on the knowledge and skills acquired in earlier years. It is best for your child to start planning a high school course schedule early, in the seventh or eighth grade. Students who don't plan ahead may have difficulty completing all the required or recommended courses that will help them qualify for college.

Most selective colleges (those with the highest admissions requirements) prefer to admit students who have taken courses in certain subject areas. For example, many colleges prefer that high school students take at least geometry and trigonometry, rather than only general math and algebra. Basic computer skills are now essential, and some colleges prefer three or four years of a foreign language. Your child's guidance counselor can help your child determine the high school courses required or preferred by different types of colleges. If your child is interested in specific colleges, he or she can contact those schools and ask about their admissions requirements....

...Chart 2 (below) lists the high school courses that many higher education associations and guidance counselors recommend for a college-bound student. These courses are especially recommended for students who want to attend a four-year college. Even if your child is interested in attending a junior college, community college, or technical college, he or she should take most of these courses since they provide the preparation necessary for all kinds of postsecondary education. (In addition, many students who attend two-year colleges go on to earn a B.A. or B.S. degree at a four-year college or university.)

CHART 2
High School Courses Recommended for College

Traditional English courses such as American and English literature will help students improve their writing skills, reading comprehension, and vocabulary. History and geography will help your child better understand our society as well as societies around the world.

Mathematical and scientific concepts and skills learned in math classes are used in many disciplines outside of these courses. A recent study showed that students who take algebra and geometry in high school are much more likely to go on to college than students who do not. Research also indicates that students who take courses in the arts disciplines and who participate in the arts (performing arts and visual arts) often do better in school and on standardized tests. The arts help students to learn; they often give students a richer understanding of history, science, literature, and math.

Thirty States require students to take some art course(s) (visual or performing) before graduating from high school; six State university systems require students to take at least one unit of art (visual or performing) at the high school level before gaining admission to the university. Many college admissions staff view participation in the arts as a valuable experience that broadens students' understanding and appreciation of the world around them.

Things You and Your Child Can Do To Prepare For a Technical Program at a Community, Junior, or Technical College

If your child is interested in pursuing a technical program in a community, junior, or technical college, he or she may want to supplement or substitute some of the courses listed in the chart with some vocational or technical courses in his or her field of interest. [Footnote: However, your child should at least take the suggested courses in the core areas of English, math, science, history, and geography.] Look especially for more advanced technology courses in the junior and senior years of high school.

Talking to an administrator or professor from a community, junior, or technical college is a good way to find out about the best high school courses to take in order to prepare for a specific technical program offered at that college. The dean of a particular technical program will also be able to tell you about the entry requirements for the program.

You may want to ask educators at a local college (or staff at your child's school) about educational programs that have formal connections between the high school and the local college. There are many career-focused programs that are offered by a network of high schools, local colleges, and, sometimes, local employers. Many of these programs are known as "tech-prep," "2+2,"or "school-to-career" programs. The high school course work in these programs is formally linked to the course work offered at the local colleges. In this way, the high school material better prepares students for the college-level work. It also starts the student on a clear path toward a college degree.

"Tech-prep" and "2+2" programs often refer to educational programs offered by networks of school districts and colleges. Such programs offer students career "pathways" that link their high school classes to advanced technical education in colleges or apprenticeship programs. These programs are often called "2+2" programs because they span the last two years of high school and the first two years of college. Thus, they are four-year programs.

These programs emphasize applied learning -- the teaching of academic material through hands-on experience. In addition, students in "tech-prep" and "2+2" programs receive extensive academic and career guidance from counselors and teachers.

"School-to-career" or "school-to-work" are the terms that often refer to career-focused programs that have many of the same elements as "tech-prep" and "2+2" programs. In addition, "school-to-career" programs also provide students with the opportunity to learn in a real work setting. Students have the opportunity to spend time at a local worksite where they can apply their skills and acquire new ones. You can learn more about career-focused education programs by talking to educators in your community and by contacting the organizations listed in the Information About "School-to-Career" and "Tech-Prep" Programs section.

Although academic requirements differ across colleges, the admissions requirements listed below are typical of four-year colleges. The specific classes listed here are examples of the types of courses students can take.

Make Sure That All Courses Meet High Standards

It is not only important for your child to enroll in the courses recommended for college-bound students; it is also essential that the material taught in those courses reflect high academic standards and high expectations for what students should know and be able to do. Research indicates that high expectations and high standards improve achievement and positively influence student learning.

Efforts are under way in states and communities across the country to answer the question: "What is it that our children ought to know and be able to do . . . to participate fully in today's and tomorrow's economy?" Many states and local communities have been developing or revising their standards (sometimes called "curriculum frameworks") in core subject areas such as math, science, English, history, geography, foreign languages, civics, and the arts. These standards help provide parents with answers to questions such as:

"Is my child learning?"

"What is it that my child should know by the end of each grade?"...

Take the Standardized Tests That Many Colleges Require

Many of the courses recommended for college-bound students (such as geometry and rigorous English courses) are also essential preparation for the college entrance examinations -- the SAT I (Scholastic Assessment Test) or the ACT Assessment. The SAT I measures verbal and mathematical reasoning abilities. The ACT Assessment measures English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning abilities. Students applying to colleges in the East and West usually take the SAT I exam. Students applying to schools in the South and Midwest often take the ACT. (However, students should check the admission requirements at each school to which they are applying.)

Usually, the tests are offered in the junior and senior years of high school and can be taken more than once if a student wishes to try to improve his or her score. Students can get books at libraries or bookstores to help them to prepare for all of the tests. Some of these books are listed at the back of this resource book. In addition, some private organizations and companies offer courses that help students prepare for these exams.

Many schools offer the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) to their students. This practice test helps students prepare for the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT I). The PSAT is usually administered to tenth or eleventh grade students. A student who does very well on this test and who meets many other academic performance criteria may qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program. You and your child can find out more about the PSAT/NMSQT and the National Merit Scholarship Program by talking to your child's guidance counselor or by calling or writing to the number or address provided in the back of this handbook.

Some colleges also require that an applicant take one or more SAT II Subject Tests in major areas of study. It is a good idea for a student to consult a guidance counselor about this early in high school; often the best time to take an SAT II Test is right after the student has taken a course in that subject. For example, many students take the Biology SAT II Test right after they have completed a course in biology. This could mean that your child would take his or her first SAT II Test as a freshman or sophomore in high school....

...Knowing what will be required for college is important; by taking the right courses and examinations from the beginning of high school, your child may avoid admission problems later on. In addition, students who do not prepare well enough academically in high school, if admitted to college, may be required to take remedial courses. Most colleges do not offer credit for these courses, and students may have to pay for these extra courses and spend extra time in college to earn their degrees. Chart 3 lists some questions that you or your child may want to ask your child's guidance counselor.

EXERCISE

Course Planner for Parent and Student

This exercise will give you and your child a chance to look ahead and choose future courses, but be aware that some courses must be taken in sequence. On the form below, list your child's current courses or courses he or she will take this year. Then list courses that he or she will take during each year of high school. If you are not sure what courses your child should take, you should make an appointment with your child's guidance counselor and get some advice.

|----------------------|--------------------|---------------------|

|                      |  This Year:___Grade|  Next Year:___Grade |

|----------------------|---------|----------|----------|----------|

|                      |  Fall   | Spring   |   Fall   |  Spring  |

|                      |Semester | Semester | Semester | Semester |

|----------------------|---------|----------|----------|----------|

|English               |         |          |          |          |

|----------------------|---------|----------|----------|----------|

|Full course title:    |         |          |          |          |

|                      |         |          |          |          |

|                      |         |          |          |          |

|----------------------|---------|----------|----------|----------|

|Mathematics           |         |          |          |          |

|----------------------|---------|----------|----------|----------|

|Full course title:    |         |          |          |          |

|                      |         |          |          |          |

|                      |         |          |          |          |

|----------------------|---------|----------|----------|----------|

|History/Social Studies|         |          |          |          |

|----------------------|---------|----------|----------|----------|

|Full course title:    |         |          |          |          |

|                      |         |          |          |          |

|                      |         |          |          |          |

|----------------------|---------|----------|----------|----------|

|Science               |         |          |          |          |

|----------------------|---------|----------|----------|----------|

|Full course title:    |         |          |          |          |

|                      |         |          |          |          |

|                      |         |          |          |          |

|----------------------|---------|----------|----------|----------|

|Foreign Language      |         |          |          |          |

|----------------------|---------|----------|----------|----------|

|Full course title:    |         |          |          |          |

|                      |         |          |          |          |

|                      |         |          |          |          |

|----------------------|---------|----------|----------|----------|

|Other                 |         |          |          |          |

|----------------------|---------|----------|----------|----------|

|Full course title:    |         |          |          |          |

|                      |         |          |          |          |

|                      |         |          |          |          |

|----------------------|---------|----------|----------|----------|

What can my child do outside the classroom to prepare for college?

Interpersonal and leadership skills, interests and goals are all important for college preparation. Independent reading and study, extracurricular activities, and work experience will all help your child develop his or her skills, interests, and goals.

Independent Reading and Study

Independent reading and study will help your child to prepare academically for college. This is a good way to develop interests, expand knowledge, and improve the vocabulary and reading comprehension skills needed for college and the SAT I or ACT. Encourage your child to read all kinds of books for fun -- fiction and non-fiction. The school library and the local public library are good sources of books, magazines, and newspapers.

Extracurricular Activities

Many school, community, and religious organizations enable high school students to explore their interests and talents by providing activities outside the classroom. Colleges are often interested in a student's extracurricular activities such as school clubs, the student newspaper, athletics, musical activities, arts, drama, and volunteer work, especially if a student has excelled in one or more of these areas.

Work Experience and Community Service

Work experience -- paid or volunteer -- can teach students discipline, responsibility, reliability, teamwork, and other skills. Some students participate in community service activities such as tutoring elementary school children or volunteering in a local hospital. Such activities make valuable contributions to society and also help students to identify their career interests and goals, gain workplace skills, and apply classroom learning to real-world problem solving. Many colleges view community service as a valuable experience that enhances a student's college application.

Some schools offer academic credit for volunteer work through "service-learning." This is a teaching method that integrates hands-on learning (through service to the community) into the school curriculum. To find out if your child's school offers "service-learning," talk to your child's teacher, guidance counselor, or school principal. For information on how to start a "service-learning" program, contact the Learn and Serve America Clearinghouse at 1-800-808-SERVE.

A summer job is also a good way to gain experience and earn money for college as well. If your child works during the school year, he or she should not work so many hours that the job interferes with school work.

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