Today’s kids are sharp, motivated
By Bob Robinson

GREENVILLE – Three students are focused on the computer screen… they have a series of paragraphs and their job is to edit them: remove all grammatical errors, including capitalization issues, spelling, punctuation and more. They have to pass this test if they wish to enroll at Edison Community College as a post-secondary student. This is one of three parts of the COMPASS test; the other two are reading and math. Students also have to have a cumulative high school GPA of 2.5 or higher.

The students will be juniors and seniors in the fall. According to Janice Michael, Dean of the Darke County Campus, 16 students are scheduled to take the test the week of March 10; another 16 the following week.

“Then we get slammed,” she said. “They have until March 30 to tell their high school counselor they are anticipating taking courses here in the fall. We encourage them to do it earlier, but they procrastinate. We’ll have 25-30 students a week in April.” She added they can test three or four at a time comfortably; after that it becomes more of a challenge. They schedule testing at 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. (except Friday), weather permitting.

Approximately half of the students at the Darke County campus are PSEOP (Post Secondary Educational Opportunity Program). Of the 389 students enrolled in the Fall 2013 semester, 183 were in high school. In the spring semester, 165 out of 327 currently enrolled students are post-secondary. They come from every district in Darke County plus outlying districts, such as Ft. Recovery, St. Henry, National Trail and Marion Local.

Students can take a full course load for two years and receive an Associate’s Degree, often before they get their high school diploma. They have to work with their counselors to make sure they meet Edison requirements as well as those of their high school district. Michael said she has at least six students who are on track to get their Associate’s before graduating from high school in June. The state pays all fees and book costs as long as the student maintains a cumulative 2.0 (B) grade average. Failure to do so places financial responsibility back on the student.

Students who will be freshmen and sophomores can also take post secondary courses but they must get an ACT score of 18 or higher in English and/or a 22 in math, depending on the courses they wish to take. They also must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher. Juniors and seniors can choose to use ACT instead of the COMPASS testing.

Michael said the students typically do very well with COMPASS. “We tested close to 200 students last year and I only had to send out letters to about a dozen or so that they didn’t pass.” She added it was usually because of writing. “They are so used to texting,” she said, plus other forms of informal communication.

She also noted in the last few years students are scoring better in math. “Several years ago we had students who were ‘almost’ ready but not quite there… now most students are testing into college ready math.”

Michael noted the kids today are really motivated… Edison, high school, jobs, athletics, boy friend, girl friend, family… “These are pretty sharp kids; hard workers. It makes me tired just to watch them.”

Published courtesy of The Early Bird