Need Remedial College Courses? You Are Not Alone

“Nationwide, about a third of first-year students in 2007-08 had taken at least one remedial course, according to the U.S. Department of Education. At public two-year colleges, that number rises to about 42%.”  – USA Today

“One-third of students need remedial college math, reading,” a recent article in USA Today, documents a nationwide epidemic of students who arrive at college with deficient skills.  Some of these students are recent high school graduates whose skills are not up to par. Others are students who are starting college 10 or more years after they graduated high school; they simply need a refresher.

According to the article, the result is that U.S. taxpayers are paying twice to teach students basic skills – once in high school, and then again in college. The cost to taxpayers is staggering, at $3.7 billion a year. And since only about 17 percent of students who take remedial courses go on to complete college, it seems to be wasted money. 

But the article points out that students are usually not to blame. Other factors are, including mediocre teachers and schools that exaggerate students’ skills in order to meet government benchmarks. 

So what should you do if you are part of this epidemic – someone who needs remedial education when you arrive at college?

Well first of all, don’t beat yourself up. (You didn’t really want to take review courses, did you?)  

If you need to take brush-up courses, take them here at StraighterLine. It’s the streamlined, simple way to start your higher education on a solid footing. You’ll be a good citizen too, because you won’t be costing taxpayers a cent. 

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