PROJECT OVERVIEW

Standards for Success was designed to answer two questions:
What must students know and be able to do in order to succeed in entry-level university courses?
How can universities make better use of state high school assessments in their application decisions?

These are difficult questions, because university admissions requirements only hint at what is actually expected once students reach college. State high school exams are driven by each state's content standards-which are developed largely without university involvement. Both states and universities have expectations for students, but to what degree do these expectations align? Even the best, brightest and most diligent high school students who easily meet admission requirements may find themselves struggling in entry-level courses. They may be eligible for admission and still not prepared to succeed. Others may fail to get through the admission gate because they possess skills missed by the indicators typically used by universities to measure potential success.

Standards for Success was a two-year study in which more than 400 faculty and staff members from twenty research universities, all members of the Association of American Universities, participated in extensive meetings and reviews designed to identify what students must do to succeed in entry-level courses at their institutions. To develop Knowledge and Skills for University Success, analysis of the data collected at the meetings and through the reviews was compared with national academic content standards documents. Multiple peer reviews were employed to hone the standards and ensure their validity, while consultants with expertise in standards development contributed suggestions for improvement. The statements that have resulted represent the most comprehensive and thoroughly grounded set of standards for college success yet developed.

Knowledge and Skills for University Success comprises six academic areas: English, mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, second languages and the arts. Individual items are illustrated by university work samples, submitted by faculty members as outstanding examples of the quality of work they expect from freshmen enrolled in their courses. Together the standards and work samples give high school students, their parents and teachers a clear view of what will be expected during their college freshman year.

The Knowledge and Skills for University Success standards were used in the companion report, Mixed Messages: What State High School Tests Communicate about Student Readiness for College. Using the standards as a reference point, 66 state exams from 20 states were aligned to the standards and found to bear an inconsistent relationship to the knowledge and skills necessary for college success. This first-of-its-kind study was undertaken to determine the degree of alignment that exists between state high school exams and university success standards.

Standards for Success continues to collect and deliver information to align high school and college expectations in an effort to make the transition for students a seamless one.

The Alignment and Challenge Audits further extend the reach of the Standards for Success project by aligning submitted high school documents with the college-ready standards developed by the S4S project. Individual high schools and school districts work with Center researchers to determine the degree of alignment between high school curricula and the Knowledge and Skills for University Success standards.