by Ed Dugan

Created on: November 25, 2008

As a former college president I have to ask, what do you expect from a summer reading program that 4 years of sub-standard high school education failed to accomplish? Too many college freshmen are arriving at the campus as functional illiterates and a 2 month reading assignment isn't going to fix that.

Of course, it all depends on which college we're talking about. The Ivy's don't have that problem because they are more selective and the freshmen class from which they select are usually our best students. On the other hand, their are a great many third and fourth tier private colleges, and a handful of state universities, that are desperate for students and will accept anyone with a check in his or her hand. Believing that a summer reading program will overcome the huge intellectual deficit these students bring with them is foolish.

The problem is that college administrators, particularly admissions officers, don't want to offend the source of their students, our deplorable high school system, and so they simply say nothing. When my college, an engineering school, had a huge number of applicants from several foriegn countries, we took a look at their educational systems. Our decision was to require a BS degree from a college in their home country before we would admit them as freshmen. In other words, they had to start all over again. If we are to turn out college graduates that truly merit their degees, perhaps requiring one year of college prep work might help.

If we are to do anything helpful in the summer before a student enters college, I believe a 60 day, on-campus, preparatory period would be very helpful. During that time, reading skills should be assessed and any deficiencies addressed. If they can't read it should be obvious they can't learn! A full week of learning how to study would also be helpful. Very few high school students are skilled at note taking, or even ascertaining when to take notes. This prep period would also go a long way in helping the freshmen class become aquainted with each other. Dumping them on the campus a week before the regular session begins is meaningless.

Having required summer reading for incoming freshmen is putting a band-aid on a serious wound. Many freshmen are unprepared for college because they lack maturity. That is to be expected and most of them will work through that. On the other hand, expecting students with no intellectual maturity to face a college professor who demands some strenous work in order to get a passing grade is asking too much. The summer could much better be spent having the students spend a few months in a college "boot camp" than reading Gone With The Wind.

Learn more about this author, Ed Dugan.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.