College freshmen dispositional readiness: Examining the perceptions

Evidence shows that many young people are unprepared for the transition from high school to college. Much of the research surrounding this problem has focused on determining the skills required at the postsecondary level, while a few have turned the focus on dispositions required. Additionally, there has been little or no research on the dispositions specified in the AASL (2007) Standards for 21st Century Learners in relation to college readiness. The purpose of this descriptive study is to determine the perceptions held by key players, i.e., high school seniors, high school teachers, and college freshmen, regarding the AASL dispositions students should bring to higher education from high school. The researcher collected perspectives of key players from a small Midwestern rural high school through a survey and analyzed where the key players’ understandings align and how they differ. The results indicate small gaps, but an overall consistency in understanding of the dispositions required for success at the college level, further indicating that this population of students is aware of the dispositions required for postsecondary coursework. More extensive research should be carried out to accurately determine attention to these dispositions as high schools prepare students for postsecondary education