The American educational system is no fairy tale. Students who think that it takes nothing more than a wish upon a star to make their educational dreams come true are sure to be disappointed. The authors agree with Professor Rosenbaum: In order to realize their educational dreams, students must invest considerable effort. Rather than encouraging…

Data from ESL students' records in Vancouver are examined in the light of the BC Ministry of Education's claim that ESL high school students are more successful than students whose first language is English. We argue that the academic achievement of well-to-do students whose parents are skilled workers or entrepreneurs may mask the completion…

Describes behaviors typical of high aspiration high school students denied admission to prestigious colleges. Students feel inadequate, parents may be devastated, and students and families may plot to influence the admission office. Counselors play a vital role in assisting student and family with an objective assessment of remaining alternatives.…

Targeted to teens at-risk for early motherhood and dropping out of school, as well as to teachers, counselors, and parents, this video encourages teens to delay motherhood by underscoring the link between goal-setting and education. The 24-minute film features seven urban high school students speaking about the importance of education and the…

This paper is organized around three central questions: (1) What should be the primary goals of high school reform and what is the critical set of outcomes that matter for students? (2)Shat do we know about the strategies schools could use to pursue those goals? and (3) What are the implications of these strategies for the development of high…

The influence of the college entrance examination (CEE) on social cohesion in Japanese society is considered, based on a 1976-1977 study in Nagoya, Japan. Attention is focused on socialization of adolescents and educational practice at the secondary level, and specifically cognitive and motivational orientations that are affected by CEE practice,…

In support of the premise that a better understanding of the causes of poor student motivation may lead to the development of techniques to stop unmotivated students from dropping out of college, this paper reviews the literature on the nature of motivation among adolescents and factors influencing academic achievement. After introductory comments…

The transition process from high school to college is considered from the perspective of a high school practitioner. Educational, social/personal, and financial factors that influence student planning are discussed. It is suggested that the secondary school must begin as early as the freshman year to help plan the curriculum the student will…

Analyzes declining Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores since the 1950s. Distinguishes between the population of those who take the SAT and the population of all high school seniors. The culprit is the downward trend of educational skills of U.S. academically most promising students toward those of the average student. (JB)

The crisis of dropping out among Latino high school students points directly to the important role that teachers, counselors, administrators, parents, and community groups can play in creating for each student a vision of the future that includes postsecondary education. The Five Cities High School Dropout Study, which documents the effect of key…

This study focused on identifying factors that would enhance the probability of college attendance among African-American students. These factors included parental involvement, high school curriculum track, the prestige of one's life goal, socioeconomic status, and amount of television viewing. Data were drawn from a random selection of 1,394…