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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The question was if students are better prepared for college not if colleges are more rigorous. [/quote]

It would be strange if better prepared students were getting a less rigorous curriculum and vice versa. Those variables are not independent.[/quote]

But we are not talking about better-prepared students. We are discussing students that are not prepared because of their K-12 education. That is what the OP asked. I am a college professor that has taught at a top 10 STEM university, a top 20 university, a SLAC and I now teach at a Tier 1 Public. [b]I would argue that many students over the last 20 years are not prepared for a rigorous curriculum[/b]. Most U.S. students are not prepared for a standard college curriculum. Many students haven't learned how to write, go beyond rote thinking and develop problem-solving skills needed to navigate the demands of a college student. [/quote]

In your opinion, has it gotten worse continously over 20 years, or have students just not been prepared for all of the last 20 years?

If continuously, have you observed any inflection points, or is it just steady downhill?

Lastly, surely not everything has gotten worse. Can you name anything that's gotten better?

ALso, what general field are you in, crankypants?[/quote]

I don't think I'm cranky, lol. Just reporting what I have experienced. I'm a technology historian (BS stem/MA social science/PhD humanities). I primarily teach STEM and social science students.

I think it has gotten continuously worse over the last 20 years but have noticed a precipitous decline in the last 10 years--especially lack of problem-solving skills and need for handholding. Writing has been an issue for years, however, most students in Top 20 schools are good writers (in my experience). At my current state flagship, I would say 20-30% of students I teach are good or excellent writers. The majority are adequate and about 25% are terrible writers.

What has gotten better? More students are interdisciplinary and competent in both the sciences and humanities. They are more engaged in the classroom, e.g., discussions and embrace different forms of learning.

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