Research
Recent Trends in College Readiness and Subsequent College Performance
In the wake of the covid-19 pandemic, schools and universities across the country continue to seek the appropriate balance between academic rigor and supporting students affected by extended learning disruptions.
To better understand key post-pandemic college readiness challenges, new research, Recent Trends in College Readiness and Subsequent College Performance, examines trends in first-year student college grade point averages and test scores at 22 postsecondary institutions during the five-year period from 2017-18 to 2021-22. As shown in the figure below, there was a notable divergence between performance on standardized tests and both high school and college grades. The fraction of students meeting the college readiness benchmarks on the SAT® fell 4 percentage points (from 82% to 78%) for the study sample over this five-year period, while the percentage of students earning moderately high GPAs in both high school and college rose 6 and 7 percentage points, respectively. Additional results in the paper demonstrate important differences across college and university selectivity.
In order to better understand the different patterns in college readiness conveyed in the figure above, we surveyed over 3,000 college and university faculty members from more than 1,200 two- and four-year institutions on the student readiness they observe in their college classrooms over the past few years. Results suggest that recent classes of incoming college students are less prepared than pre-pandemic college students, even as GPAs at both the high school and college level continue to rise. College faculty survey responses paint a clear picture of the challenges they now face:
- Three-quarters of faculty respondents report that their college students are now less prepared when it comes to critical thinking, problem-solving, and close reading and analysis skills than before the pandemic. There is deep concern among faculty that these challenges are translating into less academic success for students.
- Roughly half of faculty respondents report their course and grading rigor had decreased in recent years, largely due to policy changes, pressure from students and institutional administration, and personal empathy for students struggling with preparation and/or mental health challenges.
- Notably, more than 75% of faculty respondents took the time to offer open-ended survey feedback, suggesting significant faculty interest in the topic. One faculty member notes, “If I retained standards, I would fail over half of my class. I am curving grades 20% this semester just to get 10% of the class into the A range and 3% into the B range.”
As the balance between academic rigor and thoughtful student support remains a critical issue for higher education, research indicates the need for continued discussion of how academic preparation among incoming college students has shifted post-pandemic and how colleges and universities should continue responding to those changes.