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

by David T. Conley

Although more and more students have the test scores and transcripts to get into college, far too many are struggling once they get there. These students are surprised to find that college coursework demands so much more of them than high school. For the first time, they are asked to think deeply, write extensively, document assertions, solve non-routine problems, apply concepts, and accept unvarnished critiques of their work. College Knowledge confronts this problem by looking at the disconnect between what high schools do and what colleges expect and proposes a solution by identifying what students need to know and be able to do in order to succeed. The book is based on an extensive three-year project sponsored by the Association of American Universities in partnership with The Pew Charitable Trusts. This landmark research identified what it takes to succeed in entry-level university courses. Based on the project's findings - and interviews with students, faculty, and staff - this groundbreaking book delineates the cognitive skills and subject area knowledge that college-bound students need to master in order to succeed in today's colleges and universities. These Standards for Success cover the major subject areas of English, mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, second languages, and the arts.

Genres: Education, Teaching, Nonfiction

384 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Virginia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping this book would help inform our review of course offerings at our high school in the social studies department. Unfortunately, the requisite knowledge listed by the author as necessary for college success is just as broad and vague as our current understanding.

Just saying, for example, that students should be familiar with the Vietnam war does not actually inform what is to be taught about the war. Or what accompanying historical skills are necessary for college success. I totally agree with the author's premise that more should be done to ensure students are ready for college, but he didn't make the task any more manageable.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although this book provided statistical date on how to achieve in college, I will not consider this to be insightful. The book mainly informed people on what to expect in college but did not really give them any solutions on why should they attend. When I read the book title, I expected to read a persuasive book on the benefits of college and the excuses people make on why they are not going. Instead I got a bunch of graphs, data and useless information on comparing high school academics to college. The author kept insisting that his purpose was not to convince people to go to college but I can't tell. Each chapter demonstrated his reasons for writing this book and it got really boring fast.

I am a college student and find most of this information to be outdated. This is not to say that the book did not have any highlights. Quite the contrary, the detailed information is a reason alone why some may consider this a good book. On the other hand, this is not what I will consider a book to read for people that are transiting from high school to college. It did not provide me with enough clarity and examples to want to succeed in college. Most passages sounded rehearsed and not original at all.

The biggest flaw with this book is that it was not persuasive to me. If I was a high school student reading this book, I would not learn how to succeed in college but merely survive. Test taking skills, Math, Grammar skills and research is not what makes college different from high school. It is true that most of them are advanced classes and require that know how to do extensive assignments but it is hardly as difficult as the book suggests.

Needless to say, I was very disappointed in this book and regretted that I checked this out. Due to the content, it was not horrible by any means but it was too informative and not enough persuasion. It did not motivate me to succeed or anything, just have me compare high school to college performance.

[Ed Ingman · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I began this book I didn't have really inspiring hopes for what I would learn. I had heard from others that it was dry and technical (are those mutually exclusive?). I came away thinking that this is my go to handbook for strategies that will help increase students college access. Mr. Conley has some great ideas for how you can improve your school and better prepare students for college. This is definitely written for educational leaders (within high schools, colleges, or policy-makers). But, there are sections that are directed at parents, students, teachers (not that they also aren't building level leaders), and professors. I recommend this if you fall into one of those categories and you're trying to improve a high school.

[Terry]

In reading Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning, Conley's book is cited repeatedly. I'd hope to go to the source Schmoker finds so compelling.

[Warda Youssif · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hoping this book would help inform our review of course offerings at our high school in the social studies department. Unfortunately, the requisite knowledge listed by the author as necessary for college success is just as broad and vague as our current understanding.

[Fbenton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more of a textbook than a book you read and like. It is very useful for thinking about curriculum and for thinking about big picture school alignment.

[Charmayne Polen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for teachers to read!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great for helping me articulate my big picture goals for both my class and the program in general

[Jen b b · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took LOTS of notes.
Super-useful