What high school students
and their parents should
know about college
D. Merrill Ewert, Ph.D.
President Emeritus
Fresno Pacific University
Questions you should be asking
• What does it take to get into college?
• What should I know about a college before I
apply?
• What does it take to succeed in college?
• What steps can I take to ensure that I
graduate on time?
Some important words….
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SATs and ACTs
FAFSA
Financial aid
Stafford Loans
Pell Grants
Federal Work Study
“Scholarships”
What should I know about a college
before applying?
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Net cost of college, not just the “sticker price”
How accessible are the faculty?
Who teaches the courses? (Grad students?)
What’s the four-year graduation rate?
Its academic reputation
Opportunities for international/intercultural
experiences
• Quality of the support system
How parents can help
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Establish the expectation of success
Teach time management skills
Encourage math
Make college visits early
Enroll students in test-prep courses
Focus on “net price,” not “sticker price”
Complete FAFSA in timely way
Regular conversation with your student
Preparing for college: what the
research says to high school students
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Start planning early – Middle school
Work hard in the classroom
Take Algebra II
Enroll in a writing-intensive course
Take Pre-Calculus or Trigonometry
Enroll in an SAT or ACT test-prep course
Consider taking a college course(s)
What the research says
about college success….
Who Earns a College Degree?
The probabilities are:
• 208% higher – if come from highest income quartile
rather than lowest income quartile
• 38% higher – if parents have bachelor’s or higher
rather than high school or less
• 40% higher – if took Algebra II/trigonometry
• 93% higher – if took pre-calculus/calculus
Source: Higher Education: Gaps in Access and Persistence Study. US Department of Education,
National Center for Educational Statistics, August 2012.
Who Earns a College Degree?
The probabilities are:
• 52% higher – if took ACT or SAT
• 39% higher – if earned college credits in high school
• 30% higher – if met advisor during first year
Source: Higher Education: Gaps in Access and Persistence Study. US Department of Education,
National Center for Educational Statistics, August 2012.
Who Earns a College Degree?
The probabilities are:
• 39% higher – if participate in school club during first
year
• 200%+ higher – if always enrolled full -time
(compared to those enrolled part-time for some or
all semesters)
• 63% higher – if started at 4-year school
Source: Higher Education: Gaps in Access and Persistence Study. US Department of Education,
National Center for Educational Statistics, August 2012.
Who Earns a College Degree?
The probabilities are:
• 59% lower – if started at for-profit school; (for
women, 74% lower than starting at a public)
• 39% higher – if participate in school club during first
year
• 200%+ – if always enrolled full -time (compared to
those enrolled part-time for some or all semesters)
Source: Higher Education: Gaps in Access and Persistence Study. US Department of Education,
National Center for Educational Statistics, August 2012.
Who Earns a College Degree?
The probabilities are:
• 19% lower – if work more than 20 hours/week (it’s
30% lower for men)
• 60% lower – for each stop-out during one’s
postsecondary years
Source: Higher Education: Gaps in Access and Persistence Study. US Department of Education,
National Center for Educational Statistics, August 2012.
Number of schools attended and
months required to earn a degree*
Median
48 or less
49-60
61-72
73-120
More
than 120
One school
45
60.8
24.9
6.1
5.6
2.6
Two schools
56
37.0
25.2
12.8
14.4
10/6
Three or more
83
17.9
14.0
10.7
23.4
34.1
Key finding: The more often you transfer, the longer
it will take to graduate!
*2007-08 first-time bachelor’s degree recipients
(Source: 2008-09 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B: 08/09); National Center for Educational
Statistics, Table 3)
Starting college strong
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Enroll in a “summer bridge program”
Pre-register during the summer
Participate fully in orientation
Get to know your advisor; set up a 4-year
plan during the first semester
• Form a study group in your hardest classes
• Participate in at least two activities
• Get a calendar app—and use it!
Succeeding in college: what the
research says
• Aim high!
• Outline a clear pathway to your degree
• See your advisor every semester; monitor
your plan
• Attend every class session
• Have an intercultural experience: study
abroad/global learning
Succeeding in college: continued….
• Seek help early when you are struggling (the
academic support office, tutors, etc
• Get involved in service-learning projects
• Seek out an internship
• Participate in capstone project
Increasing the probability of success
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Going directly from high school to college
Enrolling in a four-year institution
Going full-time
Not “stopping-out” (each stop-out reduces
the probability of succeeding by 60%)
• Not working more than 20 hours per week
• If you have to work, get a job on campus
It’s easy to get into
college; the hard part is
getting out!