College Knowledge: What It Really Takes for Students to Succeed and What We Can Do to Get Them Ready » (Reprint)

David T. Conley is professor of Educational Policy and Leadership and founder and director of the Center for Educational Policy Research at the University of Oregon. He served as the developer and executive director of the Proficiency-based Admission Standards System (PASS) for the Oregon University System, and currently conducts studies for the College Board to validate the standards used in the SAT, PSAT, and AP tests.

Conley (educational policy and leadership, University of Oregon) confronts the disconnect between what high schools and colleges expect from students, and he proposes solutions useful for high school teachers, administrators, and parents. He explains the current high school system and its limitations, drawing on interviews with students and teachers, describes what really happens during the first year of college, and presents Standards for Success in major subject areas. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

School Library Journal

For a number of years, Conley has been researching the problem so many students face once they are at their chosen school of higher education: that they are totally unprepared for the academic demands of their institutions. He recounts the preparation or lack thereof during the high school years of three college-bound students and makes it clear that there is a difference between college-eligible and college-ready. He lays out chapter by chapter what is wrong and how it can be remedied. Conley's findings include the fact that many of these students are first-generation college-bound so their parents don't know how to help them, and, due to budget cuts, many high schools don't have guidance counselors who can help teens plan their classes in proper preparation for college. Conley sees this problem being alleviated by strict course of study planning and by educated community volunteers who have the experience and vision to help teens wanting a higher education. This valuable book belongs in every high school library.-Alice DiNizo, Plainfield Public Schools, NJ Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.