Who’s to Blame for Unprepared Students?
Your editorial “Public Schools, CSUN Must Work Together” (Jan. 29) gives the impression that community colleges are part of the problem CSUN is having with poorly prepared incoming students. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Please read Robert Oliphant’s article “A Tutorial on Bringing Out CSUN’s Good Side” (Jan. 29). Oliphant is right on the mark. Incoming freshmen are the problem, not the community college transfers.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. Feb. 19, 1995 For the Record
Los Angeles Times Sunday February 19, 1995 Valley Edition Metro Part B Page 18 Column 1 No Desk 2 inches; 58 words Type of Material: Correction
Letter to the editor--In a letter to the editor published Feb. 12, transcribing errors misstated the first name of the writer, Ilene Blok, and introduced an error into the text. Blok wrote that some Cal State Northridge students enter college “only having had algebra.” This was inadvertently changed to say that most students enter “without having had algebra.” An article by Blok appears on the opposite page.
In fact, due to the articulation agreements between the Cal State system and most community colleges, it’s impossible for community college students to transfer with English and math deficiencies.
MERRY SHELBURNE
La Cresenta
* The Times editorial states that the intent of the trustees of California State University in scaling back remedial course offerings is to encourage the high schools to do a better job. The Times suggests that the schools should find out exactly what math and writing skills students should have as college freshmen and design courses to teach those skills. However, one look at current registration guides from area high schools will indicate that these courses already exist.
Those of us who work in college admissions know that, despite the change in CSU admission standards several years ago, most campuses continue to accept students who have not even taken the stated required classes. Fifteen units (a unit is a year course) of college preparatory courses are “required,” including algebra, geometry and advanced algebra. The reality is, however, that most students are admitted to CSUN with 13 or fewer units, and in most cases without having had algebra. Is it any wonder that these students need remedial courses in mathematics when they enter CSUN?
With 70% of this year’s freshman class not able to take college-level mathematics courses, CSUN needs to get tough with its admission policies. If students knew they could not get into CSUN unless they completed the stated requirements, they might be more motivated to work harder in high school to achieve. The high schools offer the right courses; it’s the students who must do a better job.
IRENE BLOK
West Hills
Blok is head counselor at Saugus High School.
