Read Long and Prosper: Five Do's and Don’ts for Preparing Students for College

Abstract

Too often, students reach college without the learning, critical thinking, and literacy skills they need to succeed in higher education. Recent educational trends that promote teaching to the test, short reading and writing assignments, group work, and technological resources contribute to students' difficulties transitioning to college-level work. Instead, students need practice in sustaining attention to longer readings and writing exercises, researching through more traditional library methods, learning from a variety of teaching styles, and working individually to show subject mastery and creativity. These five Do's and Don'ts of preparing students for college represent a college professor's wish-list of secondary classroom experiences to help students make a smooth transition to higher education.