A new national survey of recent public high school graduates shows that approximately 50% of them report gaps in preparation for life after high school. Recent grads say they would have worked harder if they had fully understood the challenges that lay ahead. The research suggests that providing real academic challenge for high school students and communicating with them about what is needed for future success helps to better prepare grads for the road ahead. [For " Rising to the Challenge: Views on High School Graduates' Preparedness for College and Careers. Key Findings from Survey of College Instructors and Employers Who Teach and Hire Recent High School Graduates Conducted April 2015," see ED582108. For "Rising to the Challenge: Are Recent High School Graduates Prepared for College and Work? Key Findings from a Survey among Parents of Recent Public High School Graduates Conducted August 2015," see ED582110.]