College Readiness is about more than just academic learning

Numerous researchers have written about the non-academic skills necessary for a student to have in order to be truly college-ready.  These scholars write about coping skills and general "street smarts" that students need to navigate the college environment, such as study habits, knowledge about where to go for assistance, and simply what college students are supposed to do on a daily basis.

The author of the 2009 article "Social Class and College Readiness" argues that social class affects whether students gain this important knowledge.  The author remarks that first-generation college students are less likely to be aware of how to navigate professors' requirements and college policies than their second- and third-generation peers because their parents cannot impart this knowledge to them.  The author states that this is knowledge necessary for all students entering college but that social class can compound the lack-of-readiness of students from working class backgrounds.