More Indiana high school graduates are better prepared for college today than just a few years ago.
That’s according to the 2018 College Readiness Report released June 14 by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. The report shows that while the number of high school graduates who go directly to college continues to hold steady at around 64 percent, those who choose to pursue postsecondary education are prepared for college coursework and more likely to succeed.
The latest data shows more Indiana high school students are earning college credit while in high school and high school graduates require less remediation when entering college. Among 2016 high school graduates, 61 percent earned Advanced Placement or dual credit or both while in high school – a 14 percent increase over the past four years.
The report also found 13 percent of 2016 high school graduates needed remediation in college, compared to 28 percent of the 2012 high school class.
The report also found there still is more work to be done.
While more students are prepared for postsecondary education, racial and ethnic gaps remain. Hispanic and African-American students are the fastest growing high school populations, but college-going rates among these two groups did not grow as rapidly over the past year, the report found. It was found that 57 percent of black students and 52 percent of Hispanic students go directly to college, compared to 77 percent of Asian students and 66 percent of white students.
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education is a 14-member public body created in 1971 to define the missions of Indiana’s colleges and universities, plan and coordinate the state’s postsecondary education system, and ensure that Indiana’s higher education system is aligned to meet the needs of students and the state.
