Welcome to the Early Assessment Program at Sacramento State

FACTS FOR EDUCATORS

High School administrators, counselors and teachers are key elements in building high school students' understanding of how to prepare themselves for success in a college program. EAP can be a powerful tool in supporting a strong college-going culture in high schools. How well does your high school support the college aspirations and preparation by all of your students? Accurate information about college preparation is extremely important and especially needed by those students who would be the first in their families to attend college.

Below are some facts about the reality of college preparation.
We encourage you to find ways to communicate these to your students.

In year 2000, median annual earnings for workers aged 25 and over with a high school education was $24,267, compared with $26,693 for workers with an AA, and $40,314 for those with a bachelor's degree.
Over 70% of students who enroll in community colleges expect to obtain a bachelor's degree, but only 23% actually receive this degree.
The postsecondary completion problem is less a result of insufficient ambitions to go on to college and more of a lack of articulated standards and clear signals concerning adequate academic preparation, and limited knowledge of what it takes to enroll and finish.
The intensity and quality of the secondary school curriculum is the best predictor of whether a student will go on to complete a bachelor's degree.
While 72 percent of students went on to college in 1992, only 47% of them had enrolled in a college preparatory curriculum as preparation (U.S. Dept. of Education, 1997).
Without a strong high school curriculum, a student may be admitted to a college but not be placed in college-level courses; such courses generally cost the same as college-level courses but do not count toward a degree.
Low-income students are less likely to be enrolled in a college preparatory track (28.3% enrolled) than medium or high-income students (48.8 % and 65.1%, respectively).
Algebra II is a crucial course for college persistence and avoiding remediation. Only 41% of Latinos took Algebra II in 1998, compared to 66% of the Asian and white counterparts. (Education Trust, 2003).
Extensive remediation in college lowers a student's chances of a postsecondary degree (U.S. Department of Education, 2001).
Entering first-year students know little about the content of placement exams, and ultimately, many score poorly and are placed in remedial courses.
Between 1980 and 1993, only 34% of students who had to take even one remedial reading course completed a 2- or 4-year degree, compared with 56% of students who had not needed to take any remedial courses.
Many K-12 students do not have a good sense of what is expected of them in college, and often K-12 educators do not know how to help students gain an understanding of those expectations.

Sources:
From High School to College, Michael Kirst & Andrea Venezia
College Knowledge, David Conley
Compiled by Katheryn Horton, EAP Coordinator at Sonoma State University
5/31/05



EAP HOME ABOUT EAP Why EAP? Components of EAP Benefits of EAP SAC STATE EAP Calendar of Events Activities What's New? EAP Presentation.ppt TEST RESULTS ADVICE FOR STUDENTS Student Testimonials Fact or Fiction? High School Matters! > Facts for Educators PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ERWC & RIAP RESOURCES CONTACT US	FACTS FOR EDUCATORS High School administrators, counselors and teachers are key elements in building high school students' understanding of how to prepare themselves for success in a college program. EAP can be a powerful tool in supporting a strong college-going culture in high schools. How well does your high school support the college aspirations and preparation by all of your students? Accurate information about college preparation is extremely important and especially needed by those students who would be the first in their families to attend college. Below are some facts about the reality of college preparation. We encourage you to find ways to communicate these to your students. In year 2000, median annual earnings for workers aged 25 and over with a high school education was $24,267, compared with $26,693 for workers with an AA, and $40,314 for those with a bachelor's degree. Over 70% of students who enroll in community colleges expect to obtain a bachelor's degree, but only 23% actually receive this degree. The postsecondary completion problem is less a result of insufficient ambitions to go on to college and more of a lack of articulated standards and clear signals concerning adequate academic preparation, and limited knowledge of what it takes to enroll and finish. The intensity and quality of the secondary school curriculum is the best predictor of whether a student will go on to complete a bachelor's degree. While 72 percent of students went on to college in 1992, only 47% of them had enrolled in a college preparatory curriculum as preparation (U.S. Dept. of Education, 1997). Without a strong high school curriculum, a student may be admitted to a college but not be placed in college-level courses; such courses generally cost the same as college-level courses but do not count toward a degree. Low-income students are less likely to be enrolled in a college preparatory track (28.3% enrolled) than medium or high-income students (48.8 % and 65.1%, respectively). Algebra II is a crucial course for college persistence and avoiding remediation. Only 41% of Latinos took Algebra II in 1998, compared to 66% of the Asian and white counterparts. (Education Trust, 2003). Extensive remediation in college lowers a student's chances of a postsecondary degree (U.S. Department of Education, 2001). Entering first-year students know little about the content of placement exams, and ultimately, many score poorly and are placed in remedial courses. Between 1980 and 1993, only 34% of students who had to take even one remedial reading course completed a 2- or 4-year degree, compared with 56% of students who had not needed to take any remedial courses. Many K-12 students do not have a good sense of what is expected of them in college, and often K-12 educators do not know how to help students gain an understanding of those expectations. Sources: From High School to College, Michael Kirst & Andrea Venezia College Knowledge, David Conley Compiled by Katheryn Horton, EAP Coordinator at Sonoma State University 5/31/05

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