While many students may feel prepared to succeed in college, a survey found that a large portion of the nation's faculty disagree.

According to the survey, conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute, 41 percent of the nation's faculty view students as unprepared for college. A large portion of the nation's faculty feel that students lack the basic skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic to do well and therefore they struggle to keep up with the pace of classes.

"Overall, that number is very high," said Jennifer Lindholm, director of the survey. "But we need to put that in context and look at different faculty perceptions at different institutions. At elite institutions, professors are less likely to agree that students are unprepared."

Here at Marquette, professors said they believe that students are prepared for college work and have the ability to succeed.

"In the foreign language department, the general preparation is generally OK," said Barry Velleman, professor of Spanish. "Plus, the program is tailored to the students to fit their needs."

Many professors at Marquette believe students are not only well prepared for school, but that they also have the ability to reach their highest potentials.

"There are many centers, resources, and professors that are able to help students improve their skills," said Cristina Bucur, a philosophy teaching assistant. "If students want to do well and the effort can be done, then students can reach their goals."

Rick Jones, associate professor of social and cultural sciences, also refuted the study's findings.

"In comparing students of today to students of the past, I would say that students today are more goal-oriented in terms of pursuing a particular job rather than in terms of seeking knowledge," he said. "I would also say that there is more parental intrusion in education and more guidance by parents, but that doesn't make students any less prepared or any less independent. It doesn't even necessarily make them any less adult-like."

The survey also pointed out that while many professors across the nation feel that students lack basic skills to succeed, most college students themselves feel confident and well prepared.

Sarah Del Ponte, a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences, exemplifies this viewpoint.

"I believe that I have the necessary skills to succeed in college because I graduated from high school with good grades," she said. "I am really determined to reach my goals, get a degree, and make a difference in the world."

The study was conducted with data gathered in the 2004-2005 school year at the University of California – Los Angeles' Graduate School of Education & Information studies.

This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on September 20, 2005.