Tabled report: How many high school seniors feel college bound?

Lawmakers delayed hearing a report from the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission Monday that showed only half of the state’s graduating seniors felt academically prepared to go on to college.

Chancellor Paul Hill was scheduled to present the report to the Legislative Oversight Committee on Education Accountability Monday, but the item was pushed until next month’s legislative interims because of time.

Legislators, however, were still provided with a copy of the report compiled from a survey of more than four thousand graduating seniors at 51 high schools across the state. It is intended to give lawmakers more insight as to why more students aren’t getting a college education.

According to the opinion survey, only 50 percent of graduating seniors in 2012 felt “very prepared” or “prepared” to go on to a 2- or 4-year degree program. The report also says 57 percent of students overestimated the cost of tuition at a four-year, in-state, public college or university. Those students also said the cost of attending was an obstacle. Socio-economic status and being a first-generation college student were also hindrances listed in the report.