| "By 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world."
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—President Barack Obama
February 24, 2009
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Nearly half of students at four-year colleges in the United States don't finish within six years. For community college students, the drop-out rate is around 64 percent. These are alarming numbers, given widespread acknowledgement today that education and training after high school is a prerequisite for supporting a middle-class lifestyle.
Many policymakers and educators now conclude that a four-year college education is the best avenue for young people preparing for the workforce. And many business leaders join them in recommending that students acquire 21st century learning and communication skills to meet the changing demands of the workplace in our knowledge-based economy.
College Success
A surprising number of graduates leave high school unprepared to succeed in college-level courses. Studies show that 28 percent of all students at public four-year institutions have enrolled in a remedial class, a number that rises to 42 percent in community colleges. But remedial courses themselves, which are costly to schools, often frustrate and discourage students from staying in school because they do not count toward a degree. With an online program such as MyActiveMind, students at risk of failing gain a deeper awareness of the structure of college-level work and develop the skills it demands. The result? They complete their remedial work quickly and come to understand just how it relates to their future goals.
Career Opportunities
In reaction to increased competitive and market pressures, businesses now expect more from their employees. Workers need to be able to analyze information, prioritize, think critically, comprehend new ideas quickly and communicate clearly to find career success. Unfortunately, there is an astonishing lack of breadth, depth and quality in the learning and communication strategies currently taught to students. A majority of students have simply not learned how to learn effectively, leaving them ill-equipped with the skills to succeed.
MyActiveMind not only teaches students 21st century learning and communications skills that will help them achieve their academic goals. Its mission to "Connect Learning to Life" also motivates students to stay on track by putting their learning in the context of their future careers.
A Prepared Workforce
A recently released national report card on higher education called "Measuring Up 2008" has concluded that "our higher education performance is not commensurate with the current needs of our society and our economy." Furthermore, it emphasizes that low graduation rates are "depriving the nation of college-educated and trained workers needed to keep the American workforce competitive globally." These statements reflect serious facts. When ranked by its postsecondary completion rate (those 25 to 34 years old who have an associate degree or higher), the U.S. has dropped to 10th place among industrialized nations.
Because of the serious economic challenges our nation now faces, more than ever it is critical that young people learn the skills necessary to prepare them for the future. The more graduates we produce, the more our workforce gains a competitive advantage over other developed nations whose capabilities are on the rise.
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about the Research behind MyActiveMind
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