In Early College Programs, Listening Is an Acquired Skill

When high school students participate in their first college seminar, a few things give away their age.

"There's a lot of saying the same thing again just so your voice gets heard in the room," said Ray Peterson, principal of Bard High School Early College in New York City.

It takes a while, he said, to learn how to listen and contribute to a discussion.

At Bard, high school and college courses are taught on one campus. That helps faculty who are more accustomed to working with older students understand "what's organized and not organized in a ninth-grader's head," Peterson said.

Bard High School Early College, a prominent model for the national initiative, was created in 2001 by Bard College and the New York City Board of Education. It was the first to receive Gates funding.

In the years since, the initiative has grown. It usually includes an emphasis on spending time on a college campus.

To prepare the younger students, schools often offer college readiness classes. Students learn that a college professor cannot be counted on to track them down for a homework assignment and that office hours are the best time to talk with a professor one-on-one.

-- Michael Alison Chandler