A Slate parenting column this week captured a growing concern for families: more recent high school graduates are arriving at college underprepared for the academic demands they face, losing scholarships, ending up on academic probation, or needing to repeat introductory courses — even when they left high school with mostly A’s and B’s (Slate parenting column). New research from U.S. education organizations confirms the columnist’s anecdote and shows a wider pattern: high school grades have risen while standardized test scores and some measures of college performance have dropped, leaving many students — and their families — shocked by the rigour of college-level work (College Board report; ACT/EdWeek coverage). For Thai parents planning university paths for their children, these findings underline practical steps families and schools must take now to avoid similar shocks when Thai students transfer to provincial, private, or overseas universities.
The problem matters because it can change a young person’s life trajectory quickly: loss of scholarships, extended time to degree, greater debt, and lower morale. The Slate case — a student who performed well in high school but struggled in an out-of-state university, ultimately retaking courses at a local college — mirrors trends documented by major U.S. research bodies. The College Board’s analysis of first-year college grade point averages found that while first-year GPAs rose at more selective institutions, they remained flat or worsened at less selective colleges, even as high school GPAs rose and SAT scores fell (College Board report). Similarly, ACT data show that only about one in five recent test-takers met all four college-readiness benchmarks — a worrying gap between students’ self-confidence and measurable preparedness (ACT/EdWeek analysis).
Several causes show up across the research. Grade inflation in high schools accelerated through the 2010s and spiked during the pandemic, producing higher transcript GPAs that do not always reflect stronger academic skills (ACT grade-inflation study; College Board analysis). Standardised test scores such as the SAT and ACT declined on average during the same period, creating a mixed signal: higher grades, lower test results. Colleges have also shifted to test-optional admissions policies since the pandemic, removing a common cross-check that once helped surface academic gaps (College Board report). At the postsecondary level, surveys and faculty responses point to weaker reading, writing and analysis skills among many incoming students, forcing professors to spend class time on basics that earlier cohorts had mastered (College Board faculty perspectives; EdWeek faculty quotes).
The downstream effects are measurable. In the United States, large shares of first-year students historically required remedial work in math or English, and while remediation patterns fluctuate by institution type, the cost in time and money is real for families and for student retention (NCES data on remedial courses). College faculty who responded to recent surveys described an increase in students who struggle with sustained reading, critical writing, and quantitative reasoning — skills central to success in introductory university courses (College Board faculty perspectives).
Experts quoted in coverage are blunt: the discrepancy between students’ confidence and their measurable readiness creates a “perfect storm” for first-year bewilderment. The CEO of ACT has warned that fewer students meet core readiness benchmarks and that this makes success in credit-bearing freshman classes less likely (ACT/EdWeek coverage). Faculty respondents in the College Board study likewise reported that incoming cohorts are weaker on key academic habits and analysis skills than past cohorts (College Board report).
What does this mean for Thailand? While the research above focuses on U.S. cohorts, Thai students face overlapping challenges that make the lessons relevant. Thailand’s higher education system contends with regional disparities in school quality, high dropout and attrition rates in some provinces, and differences in academic preparation between city and provincial schools. Recent syntheses of Thai research highlight academic, economic and support-related factors that contribute to university dropout and underperformance, including inadequate study skills, limited academic advising, and financial pressures that force students to work while studying (Thai undergraduate dropout synthesis). The SEAMEO Secretariat’s “Road to Zero Dropouts” materials underline persistent vulnerabilities in the Thai education pipeline and the urgency of reintegrating at-risk youth (SEAMEO Road to Zero Dropouts).
Thai parents who send children to study in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, or overseas should therefore consider three local realities: many Thai schools focus on content coverage and national exams rather than the higher-order reading, sustained writing, and independent study habits prized at universities; scholarship systems often tie to GPA thresholds that may be sensitive to a first semester’s performance; and students who move away from family support — a major cultural shift in a predominantly family-oriented society — can lose the informal scaffolding that helped them succeed in high school. For families with children planning to study abroad or at Thailand’s more academically demanding universities, the mismatch between high school marks and college expectations can be particularly painful because Thai cultural norms encourage deference to authority and respect for teachers, which can sometimes slow a student’s development of self-advocacy skills needed to seek help in university settings.
Historically, Thai students have adapted through bridging programs, foundation years, and preparatory courses offered by universities and private tutoring centers. Research on learning-readiness in Southeast Asia suggests that interventions focused on self-directed learning, time management, and reading comprehension can improve transition outcomes — skills that students who later struggled in college often lacked (Study on self-directed learning readiness). In the U.S. context documented by the College Board and ACT, students who benefited from early exposure to college-level tasks, summer bridge programs, or disciplined study-skill coaching were more likely to avoid probation and remedial courses (College Board recommendations).
What should Thai families, schools and policymakers do now? For parents: actively prepare for the possibility that a single first-year semester can alter a student’s scholarship or path. Encourage rising seniors to build self-advocacy by making them initiate meetings with teachers and counsellors, contacting university departments about academic support, or enrolling in targeted pre-university courses. Parents should consider local options such as foundation-year programs at provincial universities, summer bridge classes, or reputable tutoring that emphasises academic skills rather than only exam cramming. For families considering study overseas, investigate whether target universities require or recommend summer-introductory modules and whether they have robust first-year advising and tutoring programmes — ask admissions about typical first-year failure rates and supports in the department of the intended major (Slate parenting column advice; College Board report).
For Thai schools and educators: reassess whether classroom grading policies and graduation requirements are signalling true mastery. Consider embedding more extended reading, written analysis, and project-based assessments into senior-year curricula to mirror university expectations. Strengthen school counselling so guidance staff can track not only grades but also skills such as independent research, academic writing, and time management. Where feasible, expand partnerships with local universities to offer dual-enrolment or credit-bearing introductory courses so students gain experience with university-level expectations in a supported environment. Policymakers can help by funding bridging programmes and by encouraging standardized, competency-based assessments that provide clearer signals of readiness to higher education institutions (ACT grade inflation analysis; College Board report).
Culturally sensitive approaches will work best in Thailand. Emphasise that seeking help is not a sign of weakness but a practical strategy consonant with Buddhist values of continuous self-improvement and family obligations to support children’s futures. Encourage schools to work with families in a respectful way that recognises parental roles while fostering student independence. Community-based tutoring and mentorship programmes — anchored by local universities or alumni networks — can bridge gaps without undermining family expectations. Funding mechanisms such as conditional scholarships with built-in remediation support could preserve dignity and reduce the stigma of repeating courses.
Looking ahead, the most likely near-term developments are increased scrutiny of high school grading practices, more demand for pre-university bridging courses, and a push by universities — both in Thailand and abroad — to make diagnostic testing and early support more systematic. If institutions place a premium on equity, we may also see growth in subsidised summer bridge programmes and career- or skill-based pathways that reduce the single-point failure risk. Conversely, if grading softens further without robust cross-checks, families may find more students facing early academic setbacks and financial strain. Policymakers should watch indicators such as scholarship loss rates, first-year probation numbers, and drop-out figures to measure whether interventions are working (College Board and ACT data; NCES remedial course data; Thai dropout research).
In conclusion, the Slate column’s family story is a useful warning flag for Thai parents and educators: a strong high-school transcript no longer guarantees a smooth college start. Concrete steps can reduce the risk: have students practise self-advocacy by arranging meetings with counsellors and prospective university departments; prioritise reading, writing and study-skill development during the final year of high school; explore local foundation courses or dual-enrolment options; and ask university admissions about first-year supports before committing to an out-of-area or overseas school. For policymakers and school leaders, the task is to align grading, curricula and counselling with the realities of higher education by expanding early-diagnostic testing, bridge programmes, and counselling resources — done in ways that respect Thai family norms and encourage students to seek help early. The evidence is clear: better signals of readiness and stronger early supports will save families time, money and heartbreak — and allow Thai students to make the most of the promise that higher education offers (Slate parenting column; College Board report; ACT analysis; Thai higher-education research).
Sources: Slate parenting column, College Board research on recent trends in college readiness, EdWeek coverage and ACT comments on readiness, ACT evidence of grade inflation, NCES data on remedial coursework, BMC study on self-directed learning readiness, and Thai higher-education dropout research and SEAMEO materials (Slate article, College Board report, EdWeek ACT coverage, ACT grade inflation, NCES remedial courses table, BMC self-directed learning study, Thai dropout synthesis, SEAMEO Road to Zero Dropouts).