Do college freshman feel prepared for school?
February 15, 2012
There's no denying the fact that college can be a difficult transition for any student - regardless of age. However, a recent survey conducted by the College Board found that one-third of college freshmen don't feel like their high school did a good job preparing them for college.
The nonprofit organization's survey polled more than 1,500 high school graduates from the class of 2010 that had begun taking college level courses.
"I don't think high school prepared me for college, because my high school emphasized test scores and memorization but did not worry that much about creative or critical thinking," University of Alabama student Geoff Carroll told The Crimson White newspaper. "I believe that those are important when people are interviewing you for a job, and they have been important in my college courses. I think it is especially important in the upper-level courses that teach you to think on your feet and other things to use for your career."
Besides the educational challenges taking college classes presents, many young students have a difficult time being on their own, away from home, for the first time.
However, many older, nontraditional students may not face as difficult of a transition as younger students.
An increased ability to focus, more life experience and the ability to deal with challenges are among some of the advantages older students have over their younger peers, according to DegreeDriven.com.
The ability to share real life experiences with classmates can also benefit themselves and others.
Distance-Education.org adds that adult students are often more focused and able to perform better and finish their degrees quicker than younger students.
In addition, moms who go back to school can serve as positive role models for their children by showing them the importance of education.
"Many children of parents who went back to school have high respect for their parents' sacrifices and are likely to make education a priority for themselves," the website states.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, 5 million (25 percent) of college students were over the age of 30 in 2010.
Mothers who want to get a college degree should know that there are many ways to offset the high cost of an education. They are often eligible for grants for parents as well as various college scholarships for adults.
