Quality Books in Relation to College and Beyond

Teens and young adults in today’s society face a serious academic problem; the inability to read complicated material. Sure, there are movements to get kids and teens to increase the literature they read, buy the type of reading they do will not help them in the long run. They must be able to read more than silly novels and exciting stories while in high school, but also be able to read challenging, and many times boring, nonfiction works. Being able to read at an educated level in high school is the beginning to a flourishing life. Reading quality books is essential to success in college and throughout life.

            Reading quality books to prepare for college starts much before the summer of freshman year in college. It starts before senior year, and even before junior year. If one plans to succeed in college and beyond, one should start reading material of value freshman year in high school. This may sound early, but the road to being a good reader is a long and harsh one. In an article in the U.S. News & World Report, Carol Jago, President of the National Council of Teachers of English, says “the best way [for a student to be prepared for college reading material] is to read 40 books in a year, and not just Twilight” (page 40). She says that kids need to read “books that develop stamina” (40) in order for them to be prepared at a college level. This means that a student must be reading books of high value. So even if high school scholars are reading books by the bushel, they may not be doing as much good as was first intended.

            Those going into classes and jobs where complex literacy is necessary are not the only ones who need to be competent at this level. One example is budding scientists. Although in the science field there are more calculations and measurements than in the English department, young scientists still need to be able to read complex material. Bonnie Bassler, a molecular biology professor at Princeton University, looks upon reading intricate material greatly. She believes that scientists “need to read at the level of Scientific American and the science section of the New York Times” (40). If a scientist were unable to read either of the works stated, it would be nearly impossible for them to write at that level, and science contains much more writing than one would think. The same is true for any other student trying to get a good job. Without the ability to read quality material, one will not make it far in the world. Thus, for everyone, no matter if they want to become a writer or a scientist,  a columnist or a historian, or an English teacher or a business man, it is important to be able to read quality literature and material at the college age.

            The level of education over the years has risen to new heights, thanks to the drive for knowledge. Unfortunately, this drive seems to have gone down to more of a light current. One can hop in and speed through or just stay in the same spot.  This is the case with the advanced literacy rate in the nation. When polled by a research group named Achieve, “70 percent of professors (and 41 percent of employers) said students’ inability to read and understand complicated material was a serious deficiency” (40). This is why high school scholars should take the step to increase their reading comprehension and analysis of complicated material early on. In college, these skills will stand out among the average skills of other students. However, the results accumulated after reading of quality books does not end at the college level. The skills learned will help throughout life and help create a successful person.