High school curriculum is designed to prepare students for college. It’s often thought of as the best time for students to prepare for this next step in their educational journey.
However, it may be more appropriate to identify high school as a time to continue preparing for college. As professional athletes can attest, you get to the top by starting with the basics.
Since all steps in the learning process are affected by the ones before them, the sooner students begin preparing for college, the better. This doesn’t mean students need to make career choices in kindergarten. “If you want your child to go to a good college, university, or post secondary training institution, you need to encourage and help your student follow a rigorous academic path,” advises Mike Flynn, Tutoring Club’s College Prep Specialist, and former high school teacher with more than 20 years of test-prep experience.
It is critical that students master each subject in elementary school. A skill gap at an early level can affect a student’s ability to acquire new skills in the following years. Elementary school is also the best time for students to develop healthy school habits. Students should learn to manage their schedules, set priorities and complete homework unassisted. Children can also identify academic interests at this level, which may eventually turn into career aspirations.
Middle school is often the first time students are able to make substantial choices in their academic paths, however, without guidance, how do students know what to take? In a recent study by released by Harris Interactive, almost all seventh and eighth grade students who were surveyed indicated they planned to continue their education after high school, but over half said they didn’t know how to prepare for it. A great resource for students who need direction in preparing for college is the school guidance counselor.
Math is the key indicator of college readiness. According to Achieve Inc., math is a better indicator of college readiness than race, family income, or background. Individuals who complete Calculus are more than twice as likely to attain their bachelor’s degree than those who only finish Algebra II. To be eligible for Calculus in twelfth grade, students must first take Algebra I in eighth grade, followed by Geometry in ninth, Algebra II in tenth, and Pre-Calculus in eleventh.
Reading becomes critical in middle and high school as well. If students don’t form a solid foundation in reading in elementary grades, it will be difficult for them to progress to more intense reading at this level. In high school, students’ reading levels should be above grade level to keep up with demanding writing and reading assignments. If they fall behind in reading, they will find it difficult to get better grades in literature and history classes, and have difficulty decoding mathematical word problems.
“I am always relieved when parents come see us at the first sign of academic struggles,” notes Chad Schwartz, tutoring industry expert and founder of Tutoring Club. “Parent’s frequently think that students will pick up skills that they’ve missed on their own, but often they just fall further behind.”
While high school is an important step in the journey to college, it is just one of many steps along the way. Elementary and middle school are critical, too. If you feel your children are struggling, Tutoring Club’s exclusive TutorAid programs can pinpoint their exact skill gaps and develop an individualized plan to get them back on track to elementary school, high school, and college success.
Article provided by Chad Schwartz, Tutoring Club, (702) 588-5288, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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