Studies show that students completing Certificate of Sixth Year Studies (CSYS) in Scotland do not significantly nor consistently achieve better results in first-year university courses. Questions the basis of Howie Report and Scottish Education Office endorsements of the CSYS as a way of channeling more students into higher education. (KS)

A U.S. Department of Education study concluded that the most significant predictor of college completion is not SAT scores or socioeconomic status, but a school curriculum's academic intensity: advanced math, 4 years of English, 2 years of lab science and foreign language, and advanced-placement courses. (MLH)

Dissatisfaction with student success has caused a crisis in developmental education. Critics from both inside and outside the field question whether remedial courses really prepare students for future college work or even if they are properly part of the college mission. In this article, we review research and present information that suggests…

Recently, research into gender differences in achievement has mainly concentrated on the underperformance of boys in comparison with girls. Qualitative research in particular points to the importance of the gender-specific cultures adolescents experience. The purpose of this article is to test quantitatively the explanatory value of academic…

In the current study, we examined factors that influence rural West Virginia high school students' college attendance decisions. Using Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory of human development as a theoretical basis, we studied direct and indirect influences of environmental factors upon the academic aspirations of rural Appalachian youth.…

Since 2000, the "Measuring Up" report cards have evaluated the progress of the nation and individual states in providing Americans with education and training beyond high school through the bachelor's degree. The purpose of the series is to assist the nation and the states in improving higher education opportunity and effectiveness.…

Effects of ethnic/racial diversity among students and faculty on cognitive growth of undergraduate students are estimated via a series of hierarchical linear and multinomial logistic regression models. Using objective measures of compositional, curricular, and interactional diversity based on actuarial course enrollment records of over 6,000…

In February 2005, Achieve and the National Governors Association sponsored a National Education Summit on High Schools at which governors from 45 states, business leaders and education officials addressed the preparation gap that leaves many high school graduates unprepared for success in college and the workplace. The Summit helped focus the…

It has been more than a decade since the U.S. Congress enacted the "Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act," which requires colleges and universities to make public their six-year degree completion rates. Based on the "Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act," prospective students and their parents are being encouraged to make…

With interest in university-college partnerships increasing, this paper presents an example of an effective college-church partnership. A Christian college partnered with 19 urban churches to offer precollege activities for urban youth in grades 7 through 12. As expected, the level of poverty associated with young people's neighborhoods (i.e.,…

The "Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005" created two new grant programs for undergraduates: the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) program and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (National SMART) Grant program. The ACG program is intended to encourage students to take challenging courses in high school and thus…

Two studies examined the effectiveness of Mathematics, Engineering Science Achievement (MESA), a program designed to prepare high school minority students for math-based fields. They found that MESA seniors completed more math-related courses, showed improved academic performance, and are likely to pursue a math-based college major. (KH)

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived outcomes associated with girls' school attendance, with a focus on examining alumnae perceptions of the effectiveness of their schools in preparing them for the academic and social aspects of college. Drawing on the responses of more than 1,000 alumnae representing 61 schools, the findings of…

This paper examines the educational experience of students in their high school years and how this experience shapes their ability to be successful after high school. A study of research on high school students' educational experiences leads to the conclusion that the skills and knowledge needed by high school graduates who enter the workforce are…

The LifeLong Learning (L3) Scholarship Program was developed for Johnston County, North Carolina in 1992 and was expected to continue until July 2003. An evaluation was conducted of the program, using data from various sources. The L3 program depended on private donations to guarantee students in Johnston County the opportunity for higher…