Transition to College Readiness

Education is one of the main factors which defines the progress and development of societies. “Education” is related to concepts of learning and teaching, is defined as “the process of raising an individual for certain purposes” in general. The far-reaching purposes of higher education mostly are democratic equality, social efficiency, and social mobility. While many might argue the specific purposes or goals of a higher education, the idea that a college education is important has become more and more prevalent in our society. With the changing times and technology, more and more number of jobs require a post-secondary credential. It is estimated, by 2020, two-thirds of jobs will require college experience, with 30 percent of those jobs requiring at least a bachelor’s degree and 36 percent of jobs requiring at least some college or an associate degree. Transitioning from secondary school to college is an important developmental milestone that holds the potential for personal growth and behavioral change. It involves changes in roles, additional challenges and responsibilities, be it academic or social. As students make the transition from secondary to post-secondary education, the academic, social, and emotional rigors they confront highlight the importance of support structures located in the post-secondary environment, and the need for guidance prior to matriculation. Key stressors for college students include personal freedom, college instructors and instructions, programme structures as well as testing and grades. In addition to the stressors, students are not equipped with the skills required for successful college transition. College readiness is the combination of core academic knowledge, skills, and habits that youth need, to be successful in a post-secondary setting without remedial coursework or training. The four elements of college readiness are cognitive strategies, content knowledge, academic behaviors, and contextual skills and awareness. Students who are not informed and prepared for the transition from high school to college, find transitioning very difficult, as compared to informed students. Going to college is like entering a new culture and to be fully prepared for success in this new culture, students have to possess knowledge of how the post-secondary system operates and the differences between high school and college. Thus, our education culture needs to help students prepare for transition into higher education, an important step for brighter future, as for an individual and also the society as a whole. It needs to help them to decide an institution that aligns well with their needs, apply to and enroll in it.