High school biology preparation: Do students feel they have been adequately prepared for introductory college biology?

The purpose of this study was to determine how well students are being prepared in high school for introductory college biology courses. Specifically, the objectives of the study are as follows: To gain a better understanding about how well students feel they have been prepared for college science classes based on their high school education, to gain insight on how college preparation in high school impacts students’ self-confidence, and to determine if the accessibility of advanced education courses is influenced by the size of a high school. A mixed methods survey was distributed to freshman in the fall semester of 2017. The results indicated that most students felt well prepared for introductory college biology, but there were still students that felt unprepared for the course. In addition, there is an inequity of access to advanced biology courses for high school students in South Dakota and the surrounding states. Further research should explore additional factors that lead to student success in college