In the News…

Students of Color Not Interested in STEM Careers

October 4, 2012

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the healthcare industry is among the fastest growing in the country and will create 3.2 million new jobs (an increase of 22 percent compared to 11 percent for all other industries) between 2008 and 2018. A recent survey by the Harris Interactive for University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, revealed that over half of high school-age students were not interested in pursuing a career in healthcare and science fields, with students of color being the least interested.

The results of the survey indicated:

  • 51 percent of 9th-12th graders were not interested in pursuing STEM careers
  • 61 percent of African American students were not interested in pursuing STEM careers
  • 42 percent of Hispanic students were not interested in pursing STEM careers

The reasons students provided for their lack of interest included:

  • 21 percent felt they were not good in school subjects in healthcare/science
  • 18 percent felt they do not know enough about such careers
  • 16 percent felt they are not ready to study healthcare/science in college
  • 16 percent felt education for a healthcare/science degree would cost too much

According to the 2012 ACT exam scores, many students are not graduating from high school ready to pursue math and science studies in college, which may explain why 21 percent of students surveyed felt they were not good in healthcare/science subjects.

Based on 2012 ACT exam scores, less than half of all students demonstrated college readiness in science:

  • 47 percent of Asian students
  • 38 percent of White students
  • 21 percent of Pacific Islander
  • 16 percent of Hispanic students
  • 15 percent of American Indian
  • 7 percent of Black students

Although in math, the percentage of students was higher, only two racial groups had over 50 percent of students demonstrating college readiness in math:

  • 72 percent of Asian students
  • 54 percent of White students
  • 41 percent of Pacific Islander
  • 31 percent of Hispanic students
  • 24 percent of American Indian
  • 15 percent of Black students

 

The Facts About Who Goes to College

October 3, 2012

The U.S. Department of Education provides information pertaining to the make up of U.S. undergraduate students (Profile of Undergraduate Students) in 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities. The report provides important insights into who the students are, grades they earn, amount of financial aid they receive, and the numbers who move on from freshman year toward their degree.

Important highlights are:

  • Only American Indian and Pacific Islander students attend 4-year colleges at a rate greater than 50 percent
  • With the exception of Asians (79.4 percent), over 80 percent of all students attend college in their home state
  • The percentage of female college students outnumber males in all racial groups with the largest gap between Black females (63.1 percent) and Black males (36.9 percent)
  • Over 50 percent of all students receive financial aid and leave college with at least $5,500 in student loan debt
  • Over 30 percent of all college students take at least one remedial course

Where students attend college:

American Indian

  • 53.3 percent attend 4-year colleges
  • 37.8 percent attend 2-year colleges

Asian

  • 42.5 percent attend 4-year colleges
  • 45.5 percent attend 2-year colleges

Black

  • 46.6 percent attend 4-year colleges
  • 42.9 percent attend 2-year colleges

Hispanic

  • 45.3 percent attend 4-year colleges
  • 40.2 percent attend 2-year colleges

Pacific Islander

  • 55.8 percent attend 4-year colleges
  • 32.7 percent attend 2-year colleges

White

  • 49.5 percent attend 4-year colleges
  • 40.9 percent attend 2-year colleges

The type of colleges students attend:

American Indian

  • 74.4 percent attend Public
  • 8.7 percent attend Private nonprofit
  • 10.6 percent For-profit

Asian

  • 72.0 percent attend Public
  • 12.7 percent attend Private nonprofit
  • 4.9 percent For-profit

Black

  • 65.9 percent attend Public
  • 11.3 percent attend Private nonprofit
  • 15.9 percent For-profit

Hispanic

  • 67.0 percent attend Public
  • 11.6 percent attend Private nonprofit
  • 13.2 percent For-profit

Pacific Islander

  • 69.0 percent attend Public
  • 13.6 percent attend Private nonprofit
  • 8.5 percent For-profit

White

  • 70.9 percent attend Public
  • 14.5 percent attend Private nonprofit
  • 6.8 percent For-profit

Percentage of college enrollment by grade level:

American Indian

  • 46.6 percent first-year
  • 31.8 percent second-year
  • 9.1 percent third-year
  • 9.7 percent fourth-year

Asian

  • 36.9 percent first-year
  • 25.4 percent second-year
  • 12.7 percent third-year
  • 18.2 percent fourth-year

Black

  • 47.8 percent first-year
  • 27.3 percent second-year
  • 11.1 percent third-year
  • 11.4 percent fourth-year

Hispanic

  • 46.8 percent first-year
  • 27.3 percent second-year
  • 11.4 percent third-year
  • 11.4 percent fourth-year

Pacific Islander

  • 45.7 percent first-year
  • 26.6 percent second-year
  • 11.0 percent third-year
  • 11.3 percent fourth-year

White

  • 37.9 percent first-year
  • 27.5 percent second-year
  • 14.0 percent third-year
  • 16.6 percent fourth-year

Percentage of students who attend college in their own state:

  • American Indian: 82.6 percent
  • Asian: 79.4 percent
  • Black: 85.9 percent
  • Hispanic: 92.6 percent
  • Pacific Islander: 89.1 percent
  • White: 86.7 percent

Percentage of grades student receive:

American Indian

  • 15.3 percent Mostly A’s
  • 15.2 percent A’s and B’s
  • 24.1 percent Mostly B’s
  • 21.9 percent B’s and C’s
  • 11.7 percent Mostly C’s
  • 11.8 percent C’s and D’s or lower

Asian

  • 19.2 percent Mostly A’s
  • 23.6 percent A’s and B’s
  • 24.9 percent Mostly B’s
  • 16.0 percent B’s and C’s
  • 9.7 percent Mostly C’s
  • 6.6 percent C’s and D’s or lower

Black

  • 9.7 percent Mostly A’s
  • 17.4 percent A’s and B’s
  • 24.7 percent Mostly B’s
  • 21.4 percent B’s and C’s
  • 14.3 percent Mostly C’s
  • 12.6 percent C’s and D’s or lower

Hispanic

  • 12.6 percent Mostly A’s
  • 19.3 percent A’s and B’s
  • 26.9 percent Mostly B’s
  • 19.8 percent B’s and C’s
  • 11.6 percent Mostly C’s
  • 9.8 percent C’s and D’s or lower

Pacific Islander

  • 12.6 percent Mostly A’s
  • 18.5 percent A’s and B’s
  • 27.4 percent Mostly B’s
  • 18.0 percent B’s and C’s
  • 14.3 percent Mostly C’s
  • 9.2 percent C’s and D’s or lower

White

  • 19.2 percent Mostly A’s
  • 25.1 percent A’s and B’s
  • 24.7 percent Mostly B’s
  • 15.5 percent B’s and C’s
  • 8.8 percent Mostly C’s
  • 6.6 percent C’s and D’s or lower

Male and female college students by racial group:

American Indian

  • 54.9 percent female
  • 45.1 percent male

Asian

  • 53.6 percent female
  • 46.4 percent male

Black

  • 63.1 percent female
  • 36.9 percent male

Hispanic

  • 59.6 percent female
  • 40.4 percent male

Pacific Islander

  • 56.0 percent female
  • 44.0 percent male

White

  • 55.2 percent female
  • 44.8 percent male

Percent of dependent college students who receive financial aid:

American Indian

  • 70.8 percent receive financial aid
  • $5,500 in average loans

Asian

  • 53.4 percent receive financial aid
  • $6,600 in average loans

Black

  • 76.2 percent receive financial aid
  • $6,900 in average loans

Hispanic

  • 69.0 percent received financial aid
  • $6,700 in loans

Pacific Islander

  • 61.5 percent receive financial aid
  • $7,200 in average loans

White

  • 63.5 percent receive financial aid
  • $7,100 in average loans

Percent of college students who took at least one remedial course:

  • American Indian: 43.9 percent
  • Asian: 38.1 percent
  • Black: 47.3 percent
  • Hispanic: 45.1 percent
  • Pacific Islander: 40.6 percent
  • White: 33.1 percent

How to Research Schools

October 3, 2012

Parents and students have the opportunity to become more informed than ever about their elementary, middle, high school, and college. The websites on this page allow parents and students to research school performance, test scores, demographics, graduation rates, national ranking, and student impressions.

SAT, ACT, and AP Exam Scores

ACT Scores for the entire country and by individual state.

SAT Scores by state, racial group, and subject area.

AP Report to the Nation provides AP exam data by state, racial group, and subject area.

K-12 School Demographics

The U.S. Department of Education website provides information about federal programs, parent rights, Title I schools, etc.

The National Center for Education Statistics website is the central source of information for K-12 public and private schools, as well as colleges and universities.

To identify your school’s performance, as measured on their Adequate Yearly Progress Report (AYP), google your state and the term AYP, e.g., “Georgia AYP.” This should take you to your state department of education website where you may identify your school and read their report.

Read AYP 101 for more information

College Information

There are a number of sources for gathering information on U.S. colleges and universities. The National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator website provides comprehensive information.

The College Results Online website provides extensive institutional information for all U.S. colleges and universities such as admission rates, graduation rates, costs, demographics, and student enrollment.

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund provides a listing of Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Newsweek ranking of U.S. Colleges and Universities

Princeton Review College Rankings

A comprehensive listing of Community Colleges by state

Aspen Institute’s ranking of Community Colleges

The College Confidential website provides discussion forums were parents and students share their experiences

The College Prowler website provides comprehensive information from students regarding financial aid, best experiences, campus life, etc.

Financial Aid

The Project on Student Debt provides important information, reports, and research regarding student loan debt.

The FinAid website provides an extensive overview of the types, costs, and processes associated with borrowing and repaying student loans.

Comparison of 5 top scholarship search engines for information about scholarship search websites.

The U.S. Government’s Federal Student Aid website guides you through a number of questions that will assist in identifying your options for paying for college. It will estimate your EFC (Expected Family Contribution), whether or not you are Pell Grant eligible, and the type and amounts of Federal Student Loans you qualify for.

Please share this page with your friends and classmates. This page will be continually updated as more research websites are identified.

Do School Districts Tell the Truth About Achievement?

October 2, 2012

I recently received the above headline from a parent at our church who has a daughter attending school in the Cobb County Schools (GA) “Top National Averages in All Subject Areas of 2012 ACT.” The article notes:

“While Cobb’s six-year trend of rising composite scores came to an end, last year’s seniors still managed to post a composite score of 22.2, 1.5 points higher than their Georgia peers (20.7) and one point higher than the national average (21.1).”

Since many colleges and universities award full scholarships to students with ACT scores of 25 or above, and, as a property owner and resident of the county, I decided to compare the county data (Cobb County School District ACT Summary Report) against the 2012 ACT National Data to determine if the high schools that I support through my property taxes, and where many of the youth in our church currently attend school, are performing as well as the school system asserts.

Before comparing the county data against the national data, I discovered a huge performance gap within the county itself. While the average ACT Composite score of 22.2 in Cobb County is 1.5 points (7.2 percent) higher than the Georgia average of 20.7, I discovered that the ACT Composite score of the high school with the highest average, Walton (25.6), is 8.9 points (53.3 percent) higher than the high school within the county with the lowest composite score, Osborne (16.7).

In the article, the Cobb County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Michael Hinojosa, is quoted as saying:

“The performance on the ACT clearly shows our students are well-prepared for college-level work and can compete with students from anywhere in the country.”

I was particularly interested in whether the superintendent’s statement that “our students are well-prepared for college-level work” applied to all students in the county, and particularly those students attending Turner Chapel African American Episcopal Churchwhere I co-chair the Education Ministry.

Subsequently, I reviewed the ACT performance for each high school against the ACT Benchmark Scores (indicating that a student is considered “college ready”) to determine how well the county schools are performing against other states in the country and between schools in the county.

The average ACT Composite score (22.2) for Cobb County Schools is lower than the average composite score for the following 14 states:

  1. 24.1 – Massachusetts
  2. 23.8 – Connecticut
  3. 23.8 – New Hampshire
  4. 23.4 – Maine
  5. 23.4 – New Jersey
  6. 23.3 – New York
  7. 23.0 – Vermont
  8. 22.9 – Rhode Island
  9. 22.9 – Washington
  10. 22.8 – Minnesota
  11. 22.6 – Delaware
  12. 22.4 – Pennsylvania
  13. 22.4 – Virginia
  14. 22.3 – Indiana

I then reviewed the ACT performance for each high school in the county against the ACT Benchmark Scores (indicating that a student is considered “college ready”):

  • English – 18
  • Mathematics – 22
  • Reading – 21
  • Science – 24

Only 1 high school in the county had an average score demonstrating college readiness in all four subject areas (Walton ), no other high school in the county met the college readiness standard in Science, and 3 high schools (Osborne, Pebblebrook, and McEachern) had average scores lower than the college readiness standard in all subject areas.

Following is the breakdown of scores for each high school. If the number is in bold, then it does not meet the ACT Benchmark Score [The state ranking was taken from the website www.schooldigger.com]:

Walton (Composite Score 25.6): State Ranking (6)

  • English – 25.6
  • Math – 26.0
  • Reading – 25.7
  • Science – 24.6

Lassiter (Composite Score 24.6): State Ranking (4)

  • English – 24.3
  • Math – 24.8
  • Reading – 25.0
  • Science – 23.9

Pope (Composite Score 24.6): State Ranking (8)

  • English – 24.5
  • Math – 24.6
  • Reading – 25.0
  • Science – 23.8

Kennesaw Mountain (Composite Score 23.8): State Ranking (20)

  • English – 23.3
  • Math – 23.4
  • Reading – 24.1
  • Science – 23.7

Wheeler (Composite Score 23.5): State Ranking (62)

  • English – 22.9
  • Math – 23.6
  • Reading – 24.0
  • Science – 23.2

Harrison (Composite Score 23.2): State Ranking (11)

  • English – 23.0
  • Math – 23.0
  • Reading – 23.5
  • Science – 22.9

Hillgrove (Composite Score 22.3): State Ranking (23)

  • English – 22.0
  • Math – 21.9
  • Reading – 23.1
  • Science – 21.8

Allatoona (Composite Score 21.8): State Ranking (27)

  • English – 21.2
  • Math – 21.4
  • Reading – 22.6
  • Science – 21.8

Kell (Composite Score 21.7): State Ranking (74)

  • English – 21.0
  • Math – 21.4
  • Reading – 22.1
  • Science – 21.6

Sprayberry (Composite Score 21.3): State Ranking (46)

  • English – 20.7
  • Math – 20.9
  • Reading – 21.9
  • Science – 21.0

Campbell (Composite Score 20.6): State Ranking (83)

  • English – 20.1
  • Math – 20.7
  • Reading – 20.8
  • Science – 20.2

North Cobb (Composite Score 20.5): State Ranking (69)

  • English – 19.9
  • Math – 19.8
  • Reading – 21.2
  • Science – 20.7

South Cobb (Composite Score 18.7): State Ranking (190)

  • English – 18.2
  • Math – 18.5
  • Reading – 19.2
  • Science – 18.5

McEachern (Composite Score 18.5): State Ranking (138)

  • English – 17.8
  • Math – 17.7
  • Reading – 18.7
  • Science – 18.9

Pebblebrook (Composite Score 18.5): State Ranking (161)

  • English – 17.9
  • Math – 18.1
  • Reading – 18.9
  • Science – 18.6

Osborne (Composite Score 16.7): State Ranking (195)

  • English – 15.5
  • Math – 16.9
  • Reading – 16.8
  • Science – 17.0

Finally, I went to the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics website to determine if the Superintendent’s reference to “our children” was referring to students in our church.

“The performance on the ACT clearly shows our students are well-prepared for college-level work and can compete with students from anywhere in the country.”

Since our church is predominately African American, clearly, if students in our church are among the 153 Black students attending Walton High School, they are much more likely to be college ready than if they are among the 789 Black students attending Osborne High School.

Walton (Composite Score 25.6)

  • 1953 White
  • 393 Asian
  • 153 Black
  • 95 Hispanic
  • 2 Native American
  • 7.3 percent dropout rate (difference between the number of entering 9th graders and remaining 12th grades)

Osborne (Composite Score 16.7)

  • 803 Hispanic
  • 789 Black
  • 135 White
  • 40 Asian
  • 5 Native American
  • 44.6 percent dropout rate (difference between the number of entering 9th graders and remaining 12th grades)

In 2012, the Cobb County Schools Composite Scores for Black, White, and Hispanic students decreased from the year before. The scores also reflect that the average score for the highest performing racial group, Asian (25.2), is 6.3 points (33.3 percent) higher than the average score for the lowest performing racial group, Black (18.9):

  • 25.2 – Asian
  • 24.1 – White
  • 20.6 – Hispanic
  • 20.3 – Native American
  • 18.9 – Black

Whenever schools and school districts suggest that students are doing well, it is the responsibility of each parent to ask, “How are students like my child performing and what can the school or school district do to assist me in ensuring that my child is learning what he or she needs to know to be prepared for college?”

Read Aimee Sachs Marietta Journal Article…

Click here to download the 2012 Cobb County ACT Performance Data…

Click here to download the 2012 National ACT Performance Data…

 

2012 Report on Black Male Graduation Rates

October 1, 2012

TheSchott Foundationreport, “The Urgency of Now,” provides a 2012 – 50 state report on public education and Black male achievement. It should be clear to parents of Black males that the success of their sons, rests solely in their hands. Whether they are educated or uneducated, financially successful or living in poverty, living in a suburban community or in the inner city, they must accept ownership of their son’s learning.

The Urgency of Now: The Schott 50 State Report on Public Education and Black Males data indicate nationally the gap between the Black and White male graduation rate has only decreased three percentage points in the last 10 years. At this rate of progress, with no “large sale” systemic intervention, it would take another 50 years to close the graduation gap between Black males and their White counterparts.

Our failure to institutionalize the supports necessary to provide Black males with a substantive opportunity for success has yield a climate where in 2011, according to NAEP, academically only 10 percent of Black male 8th graders are deemed proficient in 8th grade reading, and only 52 percent are graduating from high school in a four-year period  (p. 2).

I am a child of poverty and a first generation college graduate. My father had an 8th grade education and my mother had only a 10th grade education. However, my mother and father did not entrust my fate to Chicago Public Schools. While they could not help me with homework or prepare me for tests and quizzes, they made sure that I was focused on college and they made my school work a household priority.

Due to my parents’ unrelenting affirmation that I would attend college, now, my wife and I are college educated parents with the intellectual tools to guide our sons through their schooling. Like my parents, my wife and I did not entrust the fate of our sons to their respective schools. We advocated for them, guided them, and ensured that their academic achievement was a household priority. Subsequently, our older son is about to graduate from Amherst College and our younger son has just entered Morehouse Collegeas a recipient of the Gates Millennium Scholarship.

If the findings of this report are not enough to move parents to seeking out the help they need to ensure their sons are learning what they need to know today in preparation for college tomorrow, then tragically little will change in regard to the future of our children. Parents, faith-based institutions, fraternities, sororities, professional and community organizations must understand that school systems and programs will not save our children.

The report notes that in 38 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Black males have the lowest graduation rates among Black, Latino and White, non-Latino male and female students (p. 6). Below are other key findings in the report.

The four-year high school graduation rates for males nationally are (p. 7):

  • 78 percent, White males
  • 58 percent, Latino males
  • 52 percent, Black males

The ten states with the highest Black male high school graduation rates are:

  1. 97 percent: Maine
  2. 84 percent: Arizona
  3. 82 percent: Vermont
  4. 76 percent: Utah
  5. 73 percent: Idaho
  6. 72 percent: Oregon
  7. 71 percent: Alaska
  8. 65 percent: Minnesota
  9. 65 percent: South Dakota
  10. 64 percent: Oklahoma, Rhode Island

The ten states with the lowest Black male high school graduation rates are:

  1. 37 percent: New York
  2. 38 percent: District of Columbia
  3. 41 percent: Iowa
  4. 44 percent: Nebraska
  5. 45 percent: Ohio
  6. 46 percent: South Carolina
  7. 47 percent: Delaware
  8. 47 percent: Florida
  9. 47 percent: Illinois
  10. 49 percent: Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, New Mexico

School districts with the highest Black male high school graduation rates are:

  1. 74 percent: Montgomery County (MD)
  2. 74 percent: Newark (NJ)
  3. 68 percent: Cumberland County (NC)
  4. 67 percent: Baltimore County (MD)
  5. 67 percent: Guilford County (NC)
  6. 60 percent: Fort Bend (TX)
  7. 59 percent: Wake County (NC)
  8. 55 percent: Palm Beach County (FL)
  9. 55 percent: Prince George’s County (MD)
  10. 54 percent: Virginia Beach (VA)

School districts with the lowest Black male high school graduation rates are:

  1. 9 percent: Rochester (NW)
  2. 20 percent: Detroit (MI)
  3. 22 percent: Clark County (NV)
  4. 24 percent: Philadelphia (PA)
  5. 27 percent: Chatham County (GA)
  6. 27 percent: Richmond County (GA)
  7. 28 percent: Cleveland (OH)
  8. 28 percent: New York (NY)
  9. 28 percent: Jackson (MS)
  10. 32 percent: Norfolk (VA)

Black male graduation rates for the largest school districts are:

  1. Atlanta, GA: 42 percent
  2. Baltimore, MD: 40 percent
  3. Charlotte, NC: 44 percent
  4. Chicago, IL: 39 percent
  5. Cincinnati, OH: 33 percent
  6. DC: 38 percent
  7. Dallas, TX: 35 percent
  8. Detroit, MI: 20 percent
  9. Houston, TX: 40 percent
  10. Los Angeles, CA: 41 percent
  11. Memphis, TN: 43 percent
  12. New York, NY: 28 percent
  13. Philadelphia, PA: 24 percent
  14. Rochester, NY: 9 percent

States where less than 10 percent of Black males are proficient in reading by 8th grade are:

  1. 4 percent: California
  2. 6 percent: Arkansas
  3. 6 percent: South Carolina
  4. 7 percent: Michigan
  5. 7 percent: Mississippi
  6. 7 percent: Nebraska
  7. 8 percent: Alabama
  8. 8 percent: DC
  9. 8 percent: Louisiana
  10. 8 percent: Missouri
  11. 9 percent: Indiana
  12. 9 percent: North Carolina
  13. 9 percent: Ohio
  14. 9 percent: Tennessee
  15. 9 percent: Wisconsin

With only 10 percent of Black males reading on a proficient level by 8th grade, any significant increases in Black male high school graduation rates and college matriculation rates will only occur within those households, faith-based organizations, and communities, where academic achievement becomes a priority.

The percentage of adults (25 year-olds and higher) holding a bachelor’s degree of higher:

  • 32 percent of White males
  • 16 percent of Black males
  • 12 percent of Latino males

Click here to download the full report…

Curriculum Matters

September 30, 2012

While many states are focusing on implementing the Common Core State Standards, many parents and students are confused about why the curriculum matters so much. After all, as long as students are learning how to read, write, compute, and think, aren’t they being prepared for college and careers? The answer is no!

The report, Large-Scale Evaluations of Curricular Effectiveness: The Case of Elementary Mathematics in Indiana, notes the very different learning outcomes experienced by students in elementary schools using different mathematics curricula. The study noted that 56 percent of fourth graders do math problems from their textbooks every day during class. Even this is a cause for alarm—why are only half of our students working math problems daily? With over 70 different curriculum alternatives, it stands to reason that students are largely learning what is in the textbooks. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics note: “If a topic is not included in the curriculum materials, there is a good chance that teachers will not cover it.”

The study revealed differences in student performance on state testing in grades 3, 6, 8, and 10, based on the math curriculum adopted by their respective schools. According to theACT Report: The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2012 for Indiana, 58 percent of Indiana’s students demonstrated college readiness in Mathematics compared to only 46 percent nationally. Although better than the national average, with only slightly more than half of Indiana’s students demonstrating college readiness in mathematics by 12th grade, parents and students should compare the sample ACT math problems against the type of problems students are being taught in their current curriculum.

Two questions should guide parents and students in taking ownership of student learning:

  1. What are students being taught in the current curriculum?
  2. What will students be expected to know to be ready for college?

Based on your school’s curriculum, there may be a huge gap between what students are being taught and what they will be expected to know to be successful in college. Parents and students should also be interested in knowing there are many colleges and universities that offer students full academic scholarships based on a student’s GPA and ACT or SAT scores. Ensuring that your school’s curriculum is effectively preparing students to perform well on the SAT or ACT can result in the opportunity for students to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars in academic scholarships.

 

College Completion Rates for Hispanic Students

September 30, 2012

A report by the Education Trust provides insight into the colleges and universities that are successfully increasing Hispanic student completion rates. The report, Advancing to Completion: Increasing degree attainment by improving graduation rates and closing gaps for Hispanic students, notes:

  • Less than one in five Hispanics between the ages of 25 to 29 has attained at least a bachelor’s degree
  • While 60 percent of all college students receive their degrees in 6 years, the percentage for Hispanic students is 47 percent

Although six-year national college degree completion rate for Hispanic students is 47 percent, there are huge disparities between the degree completion rates among individual colleges and universities. With the high cost of college tuition and the huge amount of debt that many college students incur, Hispanic parents and their children should pay close attention to each college’s degree completion rate as they engage in their college research and make the important decision of where to attend college.

The colleges and universities with the highest 6-year degree completion rate for Hispanic students mentioned in the report are:

  1. 98 percent: Penn
  2. 97 percent: Duke
  3. 97 percent: Harvard
  4. 96 percent: Wesleyan (CT)
  5. 95 percent: Notre Dame
  6. 92 percent: University of Chicago
  7. 88 percent: University of Southern California
  8. 87 percent: Santa Clara University (CA)
  9. 87 percent: Vassar
  10. 87 percent: University of Georgia
  11. 86 percent: Occidental College (CA)
  12. 84 percent: University of Dallas
  13. 83 percent: Boston University
  14. 81 percent: Point Loma Nazarene University (CA)

The colleges and universities with the lowest 6-year degree completion rate for Hispanic students mentioned in the report are:

  1. 28 percent: Wayland Baptist University (TX)
  2. 33 percent: Caribbean University-Ponce (PR)
  3. 39 percent: University of Colorado
  4. 40 percent: Stephen F. Austin (TX)
  5. 41 percent: Rhode Island College
  6. 44 percent: Dowling College (NY)
  7. 44 percent: Georgia Southern
  8. 44 percent: Southwestern Adventist University (TX)
  9. 43 percent: SUNY college at Buffalo (NY)
  10. 49 percent: Virginia Commonwealth

Visit theCollege Results Online website to view the graduation rates for most U.S. colleges and universities.

 

 

College Completion Rates for African-American Students

September 30, 2012

A report by the Education Trust provides insight into the colleges and universities that are successfully increasing African American student completion rates. The report, Advancing to Completion: Increasing degree attainment by improving graduation rates and closing gaps for African-American students, notes:

  • Less than one in five African-Americans between the ages of 25 to 29 has attained at least a bachelor’s degree
  • While 60 percent of all college students receive their degrees in 6 years, the percentage for African-American students is 40 percent

Although the six-year national college degree completion rate for African-American students is 40 percent, there are huge disparities between the degree completion rates for African-American students among individual colleges and universities. With the high cost of college tuition and the huge amount of debt that many college students incur, African-American parents and their children should pay close attention to each college’s degree completion rate as they engage in their college research and make the important decision of where to attend college.

The colleges and universities with the highest 6-year degree completion rate for African-American students mentioned in the report are:

  1. 97 percent: Harvard
  2. 95 percent: Vassar College (NY)
  3. 91 percent: Duke
  4. 89 percent: University of Southern California
  5. 88 percent: Rice (TX)
  6. 87 percent: Carnegie Mellon
  7. 87 percent: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (NY)
  8. 87 percent: Furman (SC)
  9. 85 percent: US Naval Academy
  10. 81 percent: Trinity College (CT)

The colleges and universities with the lowest 6-year degree completion rate for African-American students mentioned in the report are:

  1. 24 percent: Stillman College (AL)
  2. 25 percent: Texas Wesleyan
  3. 27 percent: Gallaudet University (SC)
  4. 28 percent: Indiana University-Purdue University
  5. 33 percent: American International College (MA)
  6. 35 percent: Tiffin University (OH)
  7. 35 percent: Long Island University (NY)
  8. 36 percent: Faulkner University (AL)
  9. 36 percent: University of Massachusetts-Boston
  10. 37 percent: University of West Georgia

Visit the College Results Online website to view the graduation rates for most U.S. colleges and universities.

Less than half of high school seniors are college ready!

September 30, 2012

According to College Board’s SAT Report on College & Career Readiness: 2012, only 43 percent of college-bound high school seniors who took the SAT achieved the benchmark score of 1550 and were considered to demonstrate college readiness. It is important for parents and students to note that high school course taking alone, does not ensure that a student will be adequately prepared:

  • While 83 percent of students took AP/Honors Math in high school, only 55 percent demonstrated college readiness in mathematics
  • While 71 percent of students took AP/Honors English in high school, only 49 percent demonstrated college readiness in critical reading

There also continues to be huge disparities, by race, of the percentage of students who completed their high school’s core curriculum:

  • 80 percent of White students
  • 73 percent of Asian students
  • 71 percent of Native American students
  • 69 percent of Hispanic students
  • 65 percent of African American students

The ACT’s report, The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2012, was nearly twice as dire as the SAT’s report, with only 25 percent of college-bound high school seniors demonstrating college readiness in each of the four areas tested (English, Reading, Math, and Science). The percentage of students meeting the college readiness benchmarks in each area were:

  • 67 percent in English
  • 52 percent in Reading
  • 46 percent in Mathematics
  • 31 percent in Science

As reflected in SAT scores, there is a huge gap between the percentage of high school seniors taking the core curriculum and their meeting college readiness benchmarks:

  • 81 percent of Asian students took the core curriculum and only 42 percent demonstrated college readiness in all four areas
  • 77 percent of White students took the core curriculum and only 32 percent demonstrated college readiness in all four areas
  • 73 percent of Hispanic students took the core curriculum and only 13 percent demonstrated college readiness in all four areas
  • 66 percent of Native American students took the core curriculum and only 11 percent demonstrated college readiness in all four areas
  • 72 percent of African American students took the core curriculum and only 5 percent demonstrated college readiness in all four areas

If students are to be adequately prepared for college, they must not only take the most rigorous classes offered within their high school or online, they must apply themselves to deepen their knowledge of the subject area. This will require much more than memorizing equations, formulas, or events. Students must learn why, understand how, and develop the reasoning and critical thinking skills to conceptualize, extrapolate, synthesize, and apply knowledge.

The SAT measures the reading, mathematics, and writing skills that are part of a rigorous high school curriculum and that students need to be successful in college:

  • The reading section assesses students’ ability to draw inferences, synthesize information, distinguish between main and supporting ideas and understand vocabulary as it is used in context.
  • The mathematics section requires students to apply mathematical concepts, solve problems and use data literacy skills in interpreting tables, charts and graphs.
  • The writing section requires students to communicate ideas clearly and effectively; improve writing through revision and editing; recognize and identify sentence-level errors; understand grammatical elements and structures and how they relate to each other in a sentence; and improve coherence of ideas within and among paragraphs.

The ACT benchmark scores represent the level of achievement required for students to have a 50 percent chance of obtaining a B or higher, or a 75 percent chance of obtaining a C or higher in their first0year college courses (English Composition, College Algebra, Biology, and an introductory social science course). The ACT benchmark scores are:

  • 18 in English
  • 21 in Reading
  • 22 in Math
  • 24 in Science

 

Be careful where you attend college!

September 30, 2012

A 9/28/2012 USA Today Editorial notes that five states—Colorado, Mississippi, Oregon, Utah, and Wisconsin have state laws that do not allow public colleges to ban guns on campus. When considering where to attend college, parents and students may consider whether or not a college allows students to carry guns as part of their college research criteria. For many students, college is already a hugely stressful experience. According to theAmerican College Health Association’s 2011 report of college students (page 14):

  • 1.1 percent have attempted suicide
  • 6.6 percent have considered suicide
  • 30.3 percent have felt so depressed that it was difficult to function
  • 36.2 percent have felt overwhelming anger
  • 45.2 percent have felt that things were hopeless
  • 57.2 percent have felt lonely
  • 60.5 percent have felt very sad
  • 86.1 percent have felt overwhelmed

The 2011 Newsweek’s Ranking of Most Stressful Colleges includes many colleges and universities considered as the nation’s best, in addition to being the nation’s most competitive to gain admissions. According to Newsweek, the 25 most stressful colleges and universities are:

  1. Washington University in St. Louis
  2. Penn
  3. Columbia
  4. Harvard
  5. Northwestern
  6. Brown
  7. Wesleyan
  8. Georgetown
  9. Johns Hopkins
  10. Tufts
  11. Dartmouth
  12. University of Chicago
  13. Yale
  14. Duke
  15. NYU
  16. Middlebury
  17. Cornell
  18. Bowdoin
  19. Claremont McKenna
  20. Swarthmore
  21. CalTech
  22. Barnard
  23. Carnegie Mellon
  24. University of Southern California
  25. Boston College

Read the USA Today article…

Read the report by the National Conference of State Legislatures…