Is "College Ready" Enough?

We talk a lot about college readiness in terms of academics—GPAs, test scores, AP courses. But research shows that most college students face significant mental health challenges that directly affect their academic performance and persistence.

Here's the thing: academic preparation is necessary, but it's not sufficient. Students also need emotional and psychological skills to manage independence, pressure, and social transitions. So what does that actually look like in practice?

Key Skills We Should Be Teaching

Build Self-Awareness: Students need to understand their own emotional responses, recognize their strengths and limitations, and develop realistic self-confidence. This metacognitive foundation supports everything else.

Teach Self-Management Fundamentals: Sleep, nutrition, stress management, and time management—these basics often fall apart first in college, but they're critical for cognitive function and emotional stability. Students benefit from explicit instruction in maintaining these practices.

Support Decision-Making Skills: Students need practice thinking through choices systematically—evaluating options, considering consequences, solving problems proactively. These executive function skills are fundamental to successful independence.

Strengthen Relationship Skills: College requires strong interpersonal abilities. Students need practice with collaboration, communication, and knowing when and how to ask for help. These skills matter for both academic success and personal adjustment.

Encourage Goal-Setting: Help students set realistic goals, create action plans, and maintain motivation through setbacks. A balanced, optimistic outlook—one that acknowledges challenges but focuses on possibilities—supports persistence.

Facilitate Social Connection: Encourage early engagement in campus communities through clubs, organizations, and social activities. These connections serve as protective factors; building a support network is an active, worthwhile investment.

College readiness needs to mean more than academic preparation. By intentionally developing these emotional and psychological skills throughout K-12 education, we can better prepare students not only to gain admission to college, but also to succeed and thrive once they're there.