Be prepared for college
No matter what high school you get into, take advantage of these helpful programs to get ready for college
O NCE the stress and anxiety of the high-school search is over — and students have that all-important placement letter in hand — most families heave a sigh of relief. Four years of work in their chosen high school will give teens the tools they need to move ahead into college and career. Not so fast! The frightening reality is that a New York City high-school diploma does not necessarily prepare a student for the demands of college work. In fact, college readiness rates nationwide have remained stubbornly low for years.
In NYC’s high schools, a paltry average 37% of graduates in the Class of 2016 were deemed “college-ready” — which is defined, based on Regents exam, SAT and ACT scores, as whether they can enter CUNY without needing remedial courses in math or English.
Not even a berth in a topranked high school guarantees that a student will meet that standard. This year, just four achieved a 100 percent collegereadiness rate, The Post found.
“It’s very discouraging for students to find out that they aren’t as ready as they thought,” said Cass Conrad, University Dean for K-16 Initiatives at CUNY, the city’s university system. “There’s a financial impact, too — they have to pay tuition for remedial classes that don’t count as credits toward a degree.”
CUNY runs several programs that help students gain the necessary academic, organizational and emotional skills. The city Department of Education and other groups are also involved in this effort.
“We know that students who enter college better prepared are far more likely to suceed in college and complete a degree,” Conrad said.
Parents can help their kids get college-ready with these long-term strategies.