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Academic preparation

Academic preparation can advance college access and success. First-generation college students are less likely than their peers to be academically prepared for college. A national study by the U.S. Department of Education finds that a rigorous academic curriculum in high school — more than any other pre-college indicator — improves a student's chance of graduating from college and levels the playing field for all students who aspire to a postsecondary education. More...

Research also shows that rigorous preparation in high school substantially narrows the gap in postsecondary outcomes between first-generation students and their peers whose parents graduated from college.  Learn more in Bridging the Gap: Academic Preparation and Postsecondary Success of First-Generation Students, from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Lumina Foundation supports programs that attempt to better prepare low-income or first-generation college students for postsecondary education:

• Advancing Academic Excellence aims to provide more Indianapolis public school students with the opportunity to jump-start their college experience by supporting more Advanced Placement (AP) teachers and classes and helping to pay AP test fees for low-income students.
• The Bridge Partnership, a program of the League for Innovation in the Community College and supported by Lumina Foundation, seeks to identify 10th grade students who need developmental courses in reading, writing and math to reach the competency level necessary for postsecondary education. More...

Participation in college-preparatory curriculum varies by race, ethnicity and income characteristics of students. Likewise, college attendance rates vary by race, ethnicity, gender and socioeconomic characteristics of students. Latino youth, in particular, face many challenges when preparing for postsecondary education. A report from the Educational Policy Institute and the Pew Hispanic Center (PDF) shows that Latino youth graduate from high school, enroll in college and complete college at lower rates than other students.

This low achievement rate has severe implications for American society because the Hispanic population is growing faster than other segments of the country's population. U.S. Census data shows that between 2000 and 2025 the white working-age population will decline by 5 million, and the Latino working-age population will increase by 18 million. Several groups have called for a national effort to combat issues that lead to poor Latino attainment. More...

Read the about the following Lumina-supported programs and resources that identify and attempt to ease the challenges faced by minorities pursing higher education:

• The Center for Leadership Development (CLD) and its College Prep Institute focus on establishing high expectations for African-American teens. More than half of teenagers who attended CLD programs have graduated from college.
• Understanding University Success is a resource that high school officials can use to help align their curriculum, standards and assessments with university expectations. The higher education standards are a product of a three-year project of the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Association of American Universities and 17 member universities.
• The Pathways to College Network provides educators with the tools needed to implement programs that prepare students for higher education. Teachers can use these tools to conduct needs assessments, examine how they relate to students, and increase expectations for all students to help students succeed.

Learn more about access and success in higher education in What We Know, a research-based document representing the knowledge base for our strategic direction.