What’s the best path? 4 year vs. 2 year colleges

Q: Why does Breakthrough emphasize the importance of four year colleges? Should students be encouraged to use community colleges as “stepping stones” toward bachelor’s degrees? Would community colleges be cheaper for students? Does it matter where students start their post-secondary educations, as long as they end up with bachelor’s degrees?

A: For most Breakthrough students, the chances of completing a bachelor’s degree within 6-8 years are much higher if they begin their post-secondary education at four year colleges. Read this Breakthrough white paper to find out more: Four year colleges vs. community colleges

ACT Study: 8th grade achievement is a key predictor of college readiness

A new study from ACT, The Forgotten Middle, makes the case that college readiness can be predicted as early as 8th grade. This study strongly supports Breakthrough’s focus on the middle grades. The authors of this study found that students need to be on track for college (both in terms of academic achivement and positive academic behaviors [e.g., good study habits, having positive relationships with school personnel, etc.]) by 8th grade if they are to be successful in college.   To read the full study: The Forgotten Middle
To read the executive summary: The Forgotten Middle -Executive Summary

Academic rigor – What does it really mean?

This research brief – What does it take to prepare students acedmically for college? - summarizes the research on the courses students should be taking in high school in order to be ready for college, but also explores the question of how do you know if a “college prep” curriculum is truly preparing a student for college?