There’s a lot to think about when it comes to college, including your major, future career path, tuition, possible schools, and more. But one thing you may not have been thinking about is if you’re ready for the rigors of higher education.
Even if you feel ready on a personal level, college readiness courses evaluate whether you might have any gaps in the skills and knowledge needed to successfully integrate into college, such as study skills, critical thinking skills, and organizational skills. Find out more about college readiness and why it’s a valuable addition to your college planning.
What Are College Readiness Courses?
College readiness refers to the skills, behaviors, and knowledge a high school student should have to start college and integrate into the experience. A college readiness course covers a lot of these necessary skills, including:
Education
Generally, colleges and universities expect education in common core subjects like math, English, history, and one foreign language. These skills are then developed and expanded in college.
Skill Sets
Aside from academic skills, colleges expect certain life skills to successfully integrate into the college learning experience. These include completing a scientific experiment, writing an essay, or public speaking, as well as time management and critical thinking.
Mindset
College can be demanding and requires a lot of self-discipline, motivation, and positivity. Students are expected to have these skills to face and conquer the challenges they may encounter in college.
Skills for College Readiness
Honing skills before entering a college degree program is important for setting yourself up to excel. Here are some skills you should work on for college readiness:
Self-Management
Unlike high school, which involves a lot of scheduling and oversight, college has a lot of freedom and flexibility. This is especially true of online colleges, because most of these courses are self-paced and allow students to keep their own schedule. Flexibility is important for balancing the responsibilities of life, but it requires self-management.
Communication
Communication in college is both written and verbal. Students are expected to communicate with their professors, mentors, and peers, so strong, clear communication is an important skill to develop for not only academia but professional life.
Problem-Solving
One of the critical skills learned in college is problem-solving. Courses often challenge preconceived ideas, push boundaries, and test limits to support critical thinking and intellectual independence.
Collaboration
Most jobs require collaborative work. College helps to prepare students for this by putting them with other students to complete work. For some, it’s challenging to work as part of a team instead of on their own, which is why this skill needs to be developed.
Organization
Balancing the demands of multiple courses – especially with responsibilities outside of school – can be challenging for a student straight out of high school. Organizational skills are crucial to staying on top of course work and deadlines.
Academic Skills and Study Techniques
College requires skills and study techniques to stay focused, keep up with assignments, and prepare for exams. College readiness offers structure and support to teach these vital academic skills, such as understanding the format of college exams, efficient and thorough note taking, and study techniques.
Reasons to Take College Readiness
College readiness offers an advantage over high school learning to prepare for the challenges of higher education and more advanced courses. Here are some benefits of college readiness courses:
1. Developing Critical Thinking Skills
Colleges consider more than just the GPA and SATs. They also look at how difficult a student’s courses were and whether they challenged themselves in learning. Learning at college goes beyond memorization and rote learning – it tests the grasp of underlying course concepts with discussions, essays, and more in-depth assignments.
A college readiness course prepares for critical thinking by challenging students to develop these skills and shows colleges and universities that students are taking a proactive approach to their educational experience.
2. Opening Scholarship Opportunities
Some colleges and universities offer scholarships to students who have taken college readiness courses. This isn’t always an option, but having a college readiness course on your application may give the institution confidence in your ability to manage college-level work and the rigors of higher education.
3. Building Competitive College Applications
Applying to college is getting more competitive, especially for prestigious universities or programs. Taking a college readiness course may bolster your college applications to show that you’re committed to your education and ready to tackle the challenges of college academia.
4. Boosting Academic Confidence
Taking a college-level course in high school isn’t easy. Students have to push themselves further than their peers, giving them confidence that they can take on the challenges of college curricula. This skill could carry into other areas of life, including a future career path.
5. Saving Time and Money
College readiness courses give students an opportunity to earn college credit while they’re still in high school, which could help to save time and money. With the skills gained from college readiness, you can also take some additional college-level courses to get general education credits completed before you begin your official college degree program.
Get Prepared for College with College Readiness
College readiness can offer insights into how prepared you are for college before you start. From the key skills you need for college academia to life skills like communication and time management, college readiness could give you an advantage in your college career.
Interested in college-level readiness courses? Start a free trial at Sophia or explore our designed to transfer courses!
