The Higher Education Academic Readiness of Students in the United States

Abstract

The authors examined the state of United States student academic readiness for higher education from a global perspective utilizing data from the Organization of Economic and Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which tests over a half a million 15 year old student’s skills and knowledge. These scores were compared to the expenditures per student according to GDP growth and relation to U.S. dollars to draw conclusions. While it is true that the United States is among the top nations in terms of expenditures per student per year, the United States does not score in the top nations when tested by PISA.  The author’s did not find a correlation between the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate and the PISA Scores. The authors also examined several OECD studies across age groups and national performance and the United States students performed below the national averages. The authors, however, suggest that the declining average GDP growth rates and deteriorating standard of living in the United States are related in part, to the weakening academic performance in the United States. While the statistical correlation between academic performance and economic growth rates has not been proven, the United States mediocre test results are still disquieting.  It may prove true that it will take several decades before the correlation becomes statistically evident and, at that point, it may take a generation, or much more, for the United States to recover and become competitive globally once again.