Common Core & SAT help prepare students for higher education

With recent changes to the SAT and other movements to enhance the education system such as the Common Core, it’s clear that we are in the midst of an educational revolution. These new developments will hopefully unify learning goals so that students continue their success as they move from high school to college without faltering from being underprepared.

Changing the SAT to reflect the Common Core

Recently, the College Board announced important updates and alterations to the SAT. Along with that development within the education, more work continues to be done to develop the Common Core State standards. The Common Core seeks to set standards for academic expectations in the English-language arts (ELA) and mathematics. These expectations define the knowledge and skills all students should master by the end of each grade level in order to be on track for success in college and career. This, like many education developments has received mixed reviews, some coming in with support and others coming in with criticism.

Why are these changes happening?

These advances not only want to see high school student’s work to the best of their ability but also want to see their success continue as they enter higher forms of education within colleges and universities. Many students find that their GPAs drop significantly within their first semester or year of college. Some are even advised that this might happen because of the change in course work and expectations. However, this shouldn’t be the case.

A high school diploma doesn’t signify that a student is ready for college. Many colleges offer courses for students, both during the summer before and during the first semester, that cover material previously offered in high school. These courses are remedial for students who need the information repeated but they also cut into actual college class time.

This is an issue for multiple reasons; one being that it’s costly for students and taxpayers who are paying for this public education twice. Furthermore, it’s costing schools to offer courses that should already be taken care of before college.

Making the transition from high school to college

A major weakness that can be universally found within students making the transition from high school to college is poor writing skills. This stems from an even bigger problem of limited reading experience as the two are always paired together. The Common Core seeks to remedy this by having students respond to grade appropriate reads and assignments so that students advance as they go.

As students begin to study and review texts that match their grade level they will in turn develop better writing skills to enhance the communicate their thoughts. These skills go beyond the correct usage of grammar, mechanics and sentence structure. Now students will be asked to organize, develop and critically discuss what they have read and what they think about it and hopefully apply it to other things the learn later on.

If these new Common Core developments are successful, fewer students will graduate from high school and find that they don’t have the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in college or in a career. Too many students fall behind once they reach college not because the work is that much more rigorous but because the expectations are different and skill sets are assumed. In order to remedy this, universal writing, reading and mathematical skills will prepare students to better accomplish their goals..