Do students feel that they need guidance for college and careers?  Yes, they do, and a number of studies show a consensus by students on this issue.  For example, a 2007 study by the University of Texas held that 89% of students felt that education planning was important, and 61% said that it was very important.  In a 2009 study sponsored by the Gates Foundation, 71% of graduates and 68% of those who did not finish college said that having good guidance about colleges, majors, and careers was a key issue.  Yet in the same study, a majority of these same students ranked their high school guidance counselors “fair to poor” on the criteria of helping them to explore careers, deciding on the right school, and in helping with the application process.  In fact, only 13% of students rated their high school counselors as “excellent” on these issues.  The report asserts a concerning fact:  Many young Americans, especially those that don’t graduate, barely go through any college selection process at all. 

On the issue of college preparedness, the students in the Gates-sponsored study also highlighted the importance of academic skills needed to succeed.  Of the students surveyed, 79% of graduates and 73% of those who did not graduate said that learning good academic skills was very important prior to college.  Yet what would some factors be that would signify a student who was under-prepared for college?  The National Survey on Student Engagement, 2009, shed some light on this issue.  In a look at more than 10,000 students, they found some basic facts about those that might not be ready for the rigors of higher education.  Out of those they considered to be under-prepared for college, 65% were first generation students, but 46% of those not ready for college had college educated parents, which is typically a correlate of higher education success.  Under-prepared students were less engaged in academics, and were significantly less satisfied with their college than highly prepared students, which then makes them less likely to return the following year.  The report added that first-generation and under-prepared students might have had limited relevant experiences to support their transition to college, and may need more explicit directions about what they must do to succeed. 

Since college graduation rates are lowest for young men in the U.S., boys who are planning on attending college may need extra help around the issues of college & career planning, as well as active transitional supports.  Because the statistics show such a poor outlook, appropriate planning and support may ultimately make the difference between a boy’s college success and failure.

Jeffrey Ludovici, M.A., is operates Student Strategy 101®, a college planning and support program based in Pittsburgh, Pa.  For more information, please visit him at studentstrategy101.com or at his College Strategy Blog.

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