College Acceptance Is Not the Same as College Readiness

We spend enormous amounts of time helping teenagers get into college. I would like to see families spend just as much time preparing them to stay in college and succeed there.

A student may earn excellent high school grades while still struggling to write an academic paper independently. In college, the professor may give an assignment today and expect a researched paper several weeks later. No one necessarily checks whether the student has selected a topic, located sources, created a thesis, or started writing.

That transition can be particularly difficult for struggling writers.

Before senior year ends, students should know how to develop a paragraph, formulate a thesis, read critically, paraphrase, summarize, incorporate evidence, and revise their own work. They should also understand that asking for help is part of college success.

Take-away: Don't make "getting accepted" the finish line. Ask, What academic skills will my child need the morning after I drive away from the dorm?

For students who need more structured preparation, my 12-Week College Writing Readiness Program walks students from strong academic paragraphs into organized, source-based college writing.