College Readiness
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BY THE CHILDREN’S COALITION FOR NORTHEAST LOUISIANA
requirements, as well as end-of-course exams oday, a majority of high school to help ensure course quality graduates aspire to earn a Vanessa Williams is a licensed college degree, and yet only professional counselor in Arkansas. 68% of them immediately She currently works as the Director of enroll in a two- or four-year Counseling, Disability Support Services, postsecondary institution after completing and Title IX Coordinator at South Arkansas high school. Even among students who do Community College in El enroll in college only about Dorado, Arkansas. Vanessa 60% of students at fouris a graduate of Southern year institutions complete a Arkansas University, where bachelor’s degree within six she received both a bachelor’s years of initially enrolling, of arts in sociology, minoring and degree completion rates in criminal justice and a master at two-year institutions are of science degree in counseling. even lower. Results from She is a doctoral candidate standardized test scores that at Walden University in the are aligned to college readiness field of public administration. standards assist in identifying VANESSA WILLIAMS Vanessa has worked in many the gaps that exist between settings, including emergency the knowledge and skills youth shelters, community corrections, students have acquired in high school and outpatient, intensive outpatient, inpatient, those that are needed to be successful in and residential facilities. She has helped college. Students may lack the academic students deal with personal challenges while behaviors and goals that are needed to pursuing higher education for the past five succeed in college. States, districts, and years. She is passionate about ensuring schools are looking for solutions to help students have the support they need and improve the college and career readiness equitable opportunities to pursue their of their high school graduates. Many states educational goals. are also adopting more rigorous graduation 218 DECEMBER 2020 | WWW.BAYOULIFEMAG.COM
Q: What is the most important thing parents and youth can do to prepare college? A: One of the most important things parents and youth can do to prepare for college is to set college as a goal at a very young age. Having college as a goal will help both parents and their children center their choices around this long-term goal. Appropriate steps include making sure children and parents build vital relationships with mentors and peers. Building healthy relationships can be accomplished through extra-curricular and volunteer activities at school or community organizations. These relationships ensure that students have multiple sources of positive influences who can help teach children how to persevere, positively deal with failure, and model how professionals behave. Students have numerous examples of how to behave appropriately in different settings and gain exposure to different environments they may not be exposed to if only relying on parents. Counselors can work with parents and children to ensure that children enroll in the right classes, receive help and encouragement when needed, and start early on admissions preparation, including volunteer activities and leadership opportunities.