Many students in standard college preparatory programs are not reaching their potential levels of achievement. The purpose of this study is to determine the need for and possible content of a course for improving the academic performance of these students. The study was conducted in the spring of 1986 at Marshfield High School, Massachusetts.…

The graduate student survey, undertaken annually by the American Institute of Physics, monitors trends in the population of graduate students in physics and astronomy. Individuals are surveyed for information on their personal and educational characteristics and career goals. The report presents tabulated data from the survey, with analysis…

This report is based on data from the 1979 and 1980 waves of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth Labor Market Experience (NLS). These data were collected for a nationally representative sample of 12,686 youth in 1979 and 12,141 in 1980. Chapter One uses the longitudinal capability of the NLS to examine those youth who were unemployed at the…

The data obtained from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 was used to yield estimates of the total number of instructional hours in each of the academic areas over a 3 year period. Rates of exposure to industrial arts and commercial courses exhibited large sex differences and small racial differences. Both white and…

Opinions of 162 University of Pittsburgh faculty concerning the basic academic skill levels of undergraduates now attending the university were surveyed in 1981. A majority of the respondents felt that the 1980 undergraduates possess basic skills levels that are lower than the comparable cohort of 1970. They felt the greatest losses were in…

Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Education suggested a needs assessment model for designing school guidance programs. Subsequently, an instrument was developed to enable school guidance personnel to conduct an assessment of student needs. A 119-item questionnaire reflecting 13 areas of need was administered to 313 secondary students. Students…

Records of introductory college accounting students from 1976-78 were consulted to compare performance of those who had had exposure to bookkeeping courses in high school with those who had not. An underlying assumption was that high school counselors may be discouraging students from choosing business majors, in favor of liberal arts preparation…

In an effort to meet the needs of a wider range of abilities in sixth-form students in England, their major and minor studies were combined with a program of general studies in curriculum working toward a Certificate of Extended Education (CEE). In summer 1974, the CEE experimental testing program was offered to students in the sixth form,…

A study that examined patterns of access to Greek universities among 500 high school graduates found a strong but unsatisfied demand for higher education, high preparatory school costs for families, and inequity in the distribution of available university places. (Author/MSE)

The relatively greater success of Australian private high school students in gaining university admission than of public school students is examined from the viewpoints of social factors, college preparation, and the university curriculum. (MSE)

This paper presents findings of a study on the gap between high-school academic content standards and the knowledge and skills needed for success in entry-level university courses. The study had two parts. The first described the development of standards of knowledge and skills for university success (KSUS) through a combination of a modified…

This study examined faculty experience with student academic unpreparedness at two open-admission universities in the southern United States. Fourteen faculty from core subject areas, such as English, history, and mathematics, completed open-ended interviews on the effects of student unpreparedness. Faculty discussed the basic problems and…

The New England Student Success Study includes the results of survey of 350 low-income 4-year college students and in-depth interviews with low-income and minority students enrolled in 4-year institutions in the region combined with national data from the U.S. Department of Education. Four areas were of particular interest: (1) precollege…

This report reviews the college preparatory programs offered to state university students in Florida through partnerships with local community colleges. Courses are offered either at the community college or by the community college on the university campus. The program review was conducted by the State Board of Community Colleges in cooperation…

High schools have traditionally focused on preparing students for entry-level jobs or for postsecondary education. Recently, federal legislation (e.g., 1990 and 1998 Perkins Acts) has encouraged a more integrated approach for all students, one that maintains college entry as a viable option while also providing a stronger foundation in work skills…