University Preparatory Academy is committed to ensuring that their students are college-ready upon completion of high school. UPA defines a college-ready student as a student who is bright, self-aware, and resourceful, fully informed and exposed to his/her college and career options. Through a rigorous curriculum, internships and college and career counseling, the Academy is training students to be not only academically prepared for school, but also able to handle the intricacies that come along with living alone in a college or university environment. The skills necessary to excel in a higher education institution range from efficient study habits and time management skills, to personal accountability and doing laundry.
Statistics show that 17% of high school students are not college ready, joining a national problem where four out of ten high school students find that there unable to reconcile the gap between the perceived expectations of being a college student and the reality. The reality is that educators and parents have to take a more proactive role in helping students managing the expectations and encouraging student’s motivation to go on to a higher education.
Dr. Geneva Williams, CEO of University Preparatory Academy says that addressing that need and filling that gap is why UPA is hosting a new Parent and Community Engagement Series aimed at exposing parents, caregivers and students to the things that a student needs to about college and beyond to be successful entitled the “3 Degrees of Preparation” for students and parents throughout the city.
“All parents could probably benefit from hearing the real deal messages and information about what college is like. [University Prep] is increasing rigor in our curriculum and putting much more attention on our internship programs and we’re trying to involve parents more. As well as helping students understand [that when] they make the transition to college that is when they become really in control of their own education.
The first speaker in the series, Dr. Sidney Ribeau, Detroit native and president of Howard University, commented that there needs to be a push in both middle school and high school to excite and motivate students about their education and give them the skills required to be successful.
“What you see at University Prep schools is a school system that’s understanding the whole picture. “
The “whole picture” being: traditional academic skills, family life and support, getting the students familiar with the college environment.
Go online to https://uprep.com/ for more information on University Prep’s curiculum and the Parent and Community Engagement Series: 3 Degrees of Preparation.
Pic cutline: Dr. Ribeau with freshman Ian Price
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