Timing is Everything: Getting Students Back on Track to College Readiness in High School

Abstract

National trends and goals have pushed beyond the dropout crisis and are now focused on raising the percentage of graduates prepared for college and career. This study examined a longitudinal cohort ( n = 6443) of students in an urban, public school district in order to explore how districts and communities can redirect off-track high school students. The researchers explored timing to first-time college readiness in English and math using Event History Analysis. Variables under investigation included gender, first-generation college student status, college aspiration, enrollment in college preparatory courses, and participation in organized, extracurricular, college preparatory activities. Results indicated a student’s chances of being on the college-ready trajectory were highest in the 8 th grade. Findings also revealed a positive association between higher parent education levels and college preparatory course enrollment, particularly in math.