Kevin Teasley: Ask the question—do you have experience?

Most employers ask two very simple questions of all job applicants. Do you have any experience? And were you successful?

They ask for a very simple reason. They want to know if the applicant will be successful in the job they have to offer.

Here’s a question. Why don’t we ask that question of all college scholarship and grant applicants?

What do I mean?

Indiana currently offers the 21st Century Scholars program, a college tuition program that supports income-eligible students who demonstrate need. They are required to demonstrate good attendance, good behavior, good grades and good citizenship during high school.

However, the application ignores what are perhaps the most important questions: Do you have any real college experience? If so, were you successful?

National studies show students who experience real college classes while in high school are twice as likely to graduate from college with a degree than students who don’t. Today, only 38% of 21st Century Scholars complete college on time. The state funds the 21st Century Scholars program to the tune of $166 million or more every year. We should demand better than 38% college completion.

Requiring students to have college experience while in high school is a potential game changer.

It is at GEO Academies schools in Indianapolis and Gary and in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Here in Indiana, we require all high school students to take the college entrance exam to Ivy Tech Community College as early as ninth grade. If they pass, we put them in real college classes right away. If they fail, we remediate. We cover all tuition, textbooks and transportation costs for our college-going students. We want to support students so they are successful at the college level.

Our model has delivered high school graduation rates in Gary that consistently beat the state and the local district. Why? Because students see the connection between high school graduation and the next level—college.

And 75% of the students who earn a full associate degree while in our high schools have gone on to complete a bachelor’s degree in less than three years out of high school. This year, more than 50% of our students earned a full associate degree, career certification and/or the Indiana College Core. To put that in perspective, the state’s goal is 60% by 2030. We will beat that rate five years ahead of the state’s goal.

Those students who have earned full associate degrees have cut their need to borrow or request grants or scholarships for college by 50%, too.

Think of it. Students are completing high school on time at rates better than the state; they are completing college degrees faster than the traditional student; and they don’t need as much, if any, additional loans, grants or scholarships.

Four of our students enjoyed their time on the college campuses of Indiana University Northwest and Purdue University Northwest so much during their high school experience with us that they earned a full bachelor’s degree before graduating from our high school. Debt free, too. They are the only four Americans to do this in the country!

Indiana can lead the nation by asking two very simple questions on its state scholarship program application: Do you have any college-level experience? And were you successful?

This will motivate high school students to take real college classes while in high school. It will help students understand the rigors of college and what they are getting themselves into. And it will encourage high schools, colleges and universities to further blur the lines between them.

Colleges and universities have demonstrated various levels of cooperation with Indiana’s high school community. Asking this simple question of high school students will encourage more collaboration.

What do we have to lose by asking the question? Nothing. And we have everything to gain.•

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Kevin Teasley is founder of Indianapolis-based GEO Academies.