Supporting the Drama, Tech & Musical Theater Clubs

 When:  Campaign runs through October 18th 

How: Purchase Schwan's Frozen Foods 

On line at www.schwans-cares.com 

Search for Campaign ID #1175

Click on the picture of the Great Gatsby cast & crew

Click the "Support Now" button

Shop!

OR

Call 1-855-870-7208 and provide Campaign ID #1175 AND Fundraising ID #1740

 Clubs benefit by earning 40% of each $25 e-cert purchased on line (one per supporter) and 20% on all other orders.  Clubs will also earn 5% on all orders placed against the fundraiser for 320 days after the campaign ends.

New customers receive either $5 off your first $25 order or $10 off your first $50 order (coupon code W7). The second order is eligible for $5 off your $25 order (coupon code W8), and the third order you are eligible for $10 off your $50 order (coupon code W9).  When you sign up for the rewards you'll also earn a point for every dollar you spend and you'll get exclusive e-mail offers.

It's not enough to just get in, one must graduate!

By Dave Goldberg, M.Ed.

Guidance Counselor 

 Tiger Mom, Caring

The Chronicle of Higher Education, here are some graduation rates for public universities, taken from the class of 2004, over a 6-year frame:

• University of Virginia 92.6%
• University of California, Berkeley 91.1%
• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 89.7%
• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 88.1%
• Pennsylvania State University at University Park 85.3%

For Arizona public four-year colleges:

• 57.1%

For California public four-year colleges:

• 65.1%

For Texas public four-year colleges:

• 49.0%

For Utah public four-year colleges

• 46.9%

For Colorado public four-year colleges:

• 53.3%

For a detailed data set disaggregated, click on this link:

http://collegecompletion.chronicle.com/ 

The other statistic you will want to glom onto will be the persistence rate into the sophomore year, because if your children can make it through Year One, they will have crossed a significant threshold. About 80% of UofA's first-year students move on to sophomore status, without stopping out. About 44% of all freshmen at the UofA, after their first term, are on academic probation.

http://oirps.arizona.edu/files/Student_Demo/Compendium/FR_FTFT_Probation_Persistence_Ch.pdf 

Notable from the statistics is that ASU has 59.1 six year graduation rate. UofA earns a 59.7% graduation rate over the same span, and NAU comes in with 49.2%. Only 28.7% of NAU's students graduated in four years. ASU's four-year graduation rate was 32.3%: UofA again led the pack with a four-year graduation rate of 33.8%.

These are sobering numbers, people. Literally, many are called but few are chosen.

So, do you agree with this statement? A four-year college experience isn't for everyone. Or, is this a better characterization? Students are not coming into the university with the skills necessary to succeed. Or, are overly optimistic university recruiters creating a false sense of excellence among their recruits?

I do not have these answers. I do know that correlation is not always causation. I do know that students admitted who barely got in, sometimes go on to graduate in four years and others with great GPA's and test score occasionally flop out, but these are exceptions.

It might be best to say that fate, serendipity, persistence, heart, integrity and forethought come into play. None of those things are measured on the SAT and ACT. The high school transcript, like a Geiger counter in Las Vegas picking up radiation, vaguely alludes to the presence of these attributes.

Further, I would say that high school students who leave their home cities for college sometimes get homesick; they miss their old haunts and friends, so they drop and go on to college #2, so it's not all dire after a stop out. However, making the correct decision on the front end saves a lot of grief. College advisors are paid to work with transfer students but it's an odious practice trying to co-mingle curricula, especially when there are cohorts involved. Mis-match in curricula frequently leads to a fifth or sixth year in college. That's a double whammy of a year your child isn't earning and year you're paying tuition.

The take-away? You need to vet your college choice. You need to know what your child is getting into. And, you need to support your child through the college experience.

What factors might lead to dropping out? In no particular order: A bad roommate or love relationship, exposure to hedonism, not enough personal responsibility, inattentiveness to studies, poor time management, working more than 20 hours a week, political or religious incongruence and weather.

The good news is that all universities are aware of the persistence problem. They despise it too. While they bemoan helicopter parenting, the fact is you need to be aware of programming available such as the Integrated Learning Center at the UofA. Basically, they dug a big hole in the center of campus, connected it to the library, added generalist advisors, academic coaches and computing centers and voila! Your child now has a one-stop place to get on with the matter of, well, college.

All colleges have the ability to intercede. The trick is getting your child to understand the importance of getting help and working toward deadlines and quality outputs-the same stuff they'll do in the real world. You can help by being aware that the university process is fraught with peril. Invisible roaring lions are everywhere, waiting to pounce on your child. Being forewarned means everything. Shortly, you will be making a decision where to attend. Make sure your child understands the expected decision-making process at the university, and that parental input is stymied by design.

By visiting campus now and meeting people in critical out-of-classroom venues-

ILC, Campus Health, Computing Commons-your child will develop an electronic rolodex support network, and relationship tentacles will sprout.  

Math Websites for parents