With the continued national focus on workforce readiness, degree attainment, and increasing the number of Americans who earn postsecondary credentials, institutions of higher education are focusing on ways to ensure students who enroll in college actually end up with a degree or professional certificate on the other side. As schools are examining this factor in greater detail, information is emerging that makes many college educators wonder why students who may perform well in high school flounder academically when they enter the halls of higher education. A number of recent studies suggest that many high school students are ill-prepared for the academic rigors of higher education, even if their performance in high school was above average. This knowledge is leading some schools to revamp freshman programs to ensure more students stick with their academic efforts until they find success and a degree.
Parents evaluating whether a school is truly preparing students for life after graduation may find it useful to look beyond rankings alone. Public School Review's article on Public School Rankings: Are They Accurate? explores why traditional rankings do not always reflect long-term student outcomes.
This video reports on how 60% of students are not ready for college-level work.
“One Year Out” Explores College Readiness
A recent study conducted by the College Board, titled “One Year Out,” looked at college readiness, as well as several other factors that determine whether those who enter a community college or a university as a freshman will actually stick with their studies until graduation. While that study is now dated, more recent research from ACT, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), and the Community College Research Center continues to reach many of the same conclusions. Many students entering college for the first time are not prepared for college-level courses, no matter how well they did in high school.
Recent surveys of first-year college students show that many continue to find college courses more difficult than they expected. Colleges report that incoming students often require additional support in mathematics, writing, reading comprehension, and study skills. Although traditional remedial education has declined in many states, institutions increasingly provide co-requisite support courses, tutoring, and academic coaching to help students succeed.
In addition, recent studies continue to show that many students wish they had taken different classes while in high school, particularly in the areas of math, science, and writing. Many students admit they should have worked harder in high school to be adequately prepared for higher education. Others believe high school courses should have been more challenging to help prepare them for the rigors of college coursework.
Researchers also point to lingering effects from pandemic-related learning disruptions and chronic absenteeism, both of which continue to affect college readiness in 2026.
These findings highlight the importance of selecting schools that emphasize academic rigor and college preparation. Parents can learn more in How to Choose a Public School for Your Child.
Chicago Tribune Analyzes Public High School Preparation
The Chicago Tribune collected and analyzed data to determine how well public schools were preparing students for higher education. While those specific Illinois findings are now more than a decade old, newer national studies continue to identify a gap between high school achievement and college performance.
Researchers have found that many students struggle to maintain a "B" average during their freshman year of college, even if they performed well academically in high school. Colleges across the country report that many freshmen earn lower grades than expected during their first year on campus, and community college students often face similar struggles, particularly in introductory math and English courses.
“More and more students seem to be less prepared for college; particularly math and English skills are not what we would like them to be when they come to college,” Rita Cheng, then chancellor at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, told the Tribune. More than a decade later, educators continue to express similar concerns, although today's conversations also include critical thinking, analytical writing, information literacy, and problem-solving skills.
School officials at both the K-12 and college levels continue to blame the statistics on a variety of factors, including inadequate high school preparation, differences in grading standards, learning disruptions, and too much independence during the first year away from home. Many students do seem to boost their GPAs back up to a respectable level after their freshman year is completed.
Academic preparation is influenced by many factors, including class size and access to individualized support. Public School Review's article on How Important is the Student-Teacher Ratio for Students? examines how classroom environments can affect student outcomes.
Chicago Students Perform Poorly on ACT
Another study seemed to point to ACT scores as an indicator that high school students may not be as well prepared for college as they should be. Today, ACT results continue to raise similar concerns.
According to recent ACT reports, only about one in five graduates nationwide meets college readiness benchmarks in all four ACT subjects, which include math, reading, English, and science. Although many colleges have adopted test-optional admissions policies, ACT scores continue to provide insight into student preparedness for college-level work.
However, educators continue to assert that standardized test scores are just one benchmark of college readiness, and many other factors go into determining whether a student will be successful in college. These include course rigor, attendance, study habits, time management skills, persistence, and resilience.
“Clearly we want more students over the benchmark,” remains a sentiment shared by educators across the country. However, many educators emphasize that readiness should be measured through multiple indicators rather than a single test score.
Educators increasingly stress that standardized test scores should be viewed alongside broader measures of school quality and student growth. This perspective aligns with the findings discussed in Public School Rankings: Are They Accurate?.
This video from Newsy makes the claim that most high school seniors are not ready for college-level academic work.
West Virginia Students Facing Dropout Problem
In West Virginia, around 20 percent of all the freshmen entering college were projected to drop out before the first year was over, according to the original report. While those numbers are now outdated, freshman retention remains a concern across the country.
Recent National Student Clearinghouse and NCES data show that many students who begin college never complete a degree or certificate. The first year continues to be one of the strongest predictors of whether a student will ultimately graduate.
The reason given by many college officials is that some students simply are not ready for college. In response to the problem, colleges and universities are offering more programs to incoming freshmen to make the transition into higher education easier. First-year experience programs, peer mentoring, academic coaching, tutoring services, mental health support, and summer bridge programs have become increasingly common.
However, many educators also state that these approaches will not change the fact that some high schools may not be adequately preparing students for the rigors of postsecondary education. While students heading to college may receive much-needed assistance once they arrive on campus, it does little to address the readiness challenges students face before graduation.
One factor receiving far more attention in 2026 than when this article was originally written is student mental health. Colleges report that anxiety, stress, and emotional well-being play a significant role in student persistence and academic success. Another emerging issue is artificial intelligence. Many students entering college have used AI tools extensively throughout high school, leading colleges to place greater emphasis on critical thinking, writing, research skills, and responsible technology use.
College is a rigorous academic process, and proper preparation makes all the difference between success and an uncompleted degree. The problem is being addressed at the college level, but it also appears that dealing with the issue at the high school level is essential to the success of students across the country.
For families evaluating educational options, resources such as 10 Tips for Choosing the Best School for Your Child and Public School Choice, Magnet Programs, Charter Options: What's Best? can provide additional guidance when assessing whether a school is preparing students for success after graduation.
As educators continue working to improve college readiness, stronger alignment between high school expectations and college demands remains one of the most important challenges facing American education in 2026.
