Daily Orange (Syracuse)

(U-WIRE) SYRACUSE, N.Y. – As first-year students at colleges across the nation get their first taste of residence hall life, quad activities and college parties, the approaching first batch of midterms are sure to cause them to rethink their study habits.

According to a study conducted by the ACT, 21 percent of all college-bound students have all the skills they need to succeed academically in college.

The ACT is one of the nation’s leading academic achievement tests, measuring students’ performances in four main subjects: English, reading, mathematics and science. It is not a requirement for admission to Syracuse University.

“Since 75 to 80 percent of our students come from the East, only 807, 24 percent of the entering class, submitted ACT scores,” said Assistant Dean of Admissions Nancy Machles Rothschild in an e-mail. “The mean composite ACT score for first-year students at SU was 26 out of 36.”

The ACT study also found 26 percent of all college-bound students have the ability to earn a C or higher in a college-level biology course. SU biology professor Marvin Druger said he felt this was not true among first-year students at SU.

“If you’re a first-year student at SU, you are a pretty smart kid,” he said. “We set the stage so help is always available, and there are multiple ways you can get it.”

Druger said he encourages first-year students to “keep (their) mind focused on academics; it’s very easy to slip off the end.”

English professor Nicole Moss, who teaches “Studio 1: Academic Writing” to first-year students, said students should practice writing and reading as much as possible to broaden their knowledge.

“The demands of the first-year writing courses are magnified by the fact that most incoming students are making some major adjustments developmentally,” said Moss in an e-mail.

Many experts feel the problem starts at an earlier time within students’ academic careers.

“Students need to understand, if they want to go to college, they need to take high school seriously,” said ACT media representative Ken Gullette. “Our test indicates that students who take higher level courses will be more prepared.”

Gullette said parents and students need to pay attention earlier.

“Students need to learn before they get to high school; they should get on track in middle school,” he said.