by Lauren Vangieri, Director of The Concept School

In USA Today I saw an article, “School Teachers, Professors Differ on What Students Should Know” by Mary Beth Marklein, 4/12/07, in which college professors were interviewed about how well high school graduates were prepared for college. Overwhelmingly, professors replied that high schools “…are focusing on the wrong, things” and that college freshmen are significantly under prepared for college.

That is not the case at TCS. Having graduates develop the skills they will need for college has been the focus of The Concept School for the last 35 years! Statistically, over the recent five year period, 99% have gone immediately into post secondary education or training facilities with 98% still continuing they’re education two or more years later. When TCS says “college prep” — they mean students will be ready to enter and maintain themselves in college.

The USA Today article criticized high schools for focusing on meeting state standardized requirements while failing to develop critical skills necessary for college. When Mary Beth Marklein, the article’s author, asked professors about the needed skills, she found out what was important by discipline:

Math
“… most desired by college faculty but covered the least in high school were algebraic problems such as solving quadratic equations and factoring,” states Marklein. Students at TCS exceed the PA state required 3 years of math by taking at least 4 credits in mathematics with at least 60% receiving exposure to quadratic equations and other Algebra II skills by their junior year in high school.

Science

Marklein found that while most students could answer content specific questions, they could not form hypothesis or other critical thinking comparisons required in college classes. TCS students begin the development of their process and inquiry skills in lower middle school so it is little wonder that when asked to discuss similarities and differences or defend a point of view they are able to form a cogent argument or develop a logical working thesis. Further, our high school social sciences courses challenge students to create position papers or participate in debates as a standard for passing.

English

“More than a third (35%) of college instructors placed high importance on basic grammar and usage such as sentence structure and punctuation, compared with 10% of high school teachers,” states Marklein. Her research also indicated that while middle school students were taught to find the main idea or identify author’s techniques, these skills were not deepened in high school.

Students at The Concept School not only find these skills taught in both middle and high school, they are explored across the curriculum. TCS students begin learning to write essays with research in the fourth grade. They broaden and deepen these skills through high schools — where almost all classes will require correctly composed and cited research papers based on sound critical thinking and solid research. Literature circles, author studies and more enhance the diversity of the literature TCS students explore. Little wonder that TCS graduates agree that they were ready for the challenges of post secondary learning.

As a private, independent college prep school, TCS is not burdened with “teaching to the test” to get students through state standardized testing. TCS focuses on what high school education is really for — getting students ready for post secondary learning. Each student at TCS understands themselves as a learner and therefore can select and sustain their post secondary choice, Each teacher at TCS not only develops their class for the content, but also analyzes what skills are being developed by this discipline for collegial success, ensuring college readiness. That’s what “college prep” really means! That’s why our TCS graduates are ready for college and do so well.