Suggestions For Successful College Preparation
March 4th, 2010 
Administrator 
Teachers today say that students are more ambitious and parents more involved than in the past. Those are some of the key findings of the recent MetLife Survey of the American Teacher, an annual survey of the opinions of teachers, principals and students.
The survey found that 90 percent of students questioned indicated they are likely to attend college, which represents a 10 percent increase from when the question was asked 20 years ago. At the same time, the majority of teachers (67 percent) now rate parental and community support for their school as good or excellent.
Preparing For College
While ambition and parental involvement can be important elements of success after high school, there are other things students can do — with the support of their parents and teachers — to increase their chances for success in college.
“The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher findings clearly show that students are more interested than ever before in pursuing higher education,” said Dennis White, president and CEO of MetLife Foundation. “While this news is encouraging, the survey findings also raise concern about how adequately students are preparing for college.”
Here are some tips:
• Remember that grades still matter — even during senior year. Grades alone may not get a student into college, but they are still one of the first indicators used to exclude a candidate.
• If you can, take advanced placement courses. They can strengthen an application, help prepare a student for college-level courses and allow a student to get credit for college.
• Success at college — and beyond — calls for setting and following through on priorities. Learn to use time wisely.
• Get involved. Community service and membership in clubs can help you develop leadership skills. Balancing your interests is also a good preparation for college.
Additional Resources
In addition, there are a variety of online resources available to help students ensure they’re fully prepared for college. This includes www.knowhowtogo.org, a site that helps students in middle school and high school answer questions about college preparation on a grade-specific, step-by-step basis. It also contains valuable information about college funding.
Another resource is www.firstinthefamily.org, which helps students who are the first in their family to aspire to college learn what it takes to get going and keep going.
For additional information on the MetLife Survey of the American Teacher, visit www.metlife.com/teachersurvey.
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