Kansas State University

MANHATTAN -- Only 26 percent of high school students met all four ACT college readiness benchmarks in 2013, according to the latest ACT "The Condition of College and Career Readiness" report. In other words, most high school juniors and seniors aren't ready for college.

"In college, at the university level, you don't often get credit for reading, memorizing and knowing something that was in a book," said Greg Eiselein, director of K-State First and Carnegie/CASE Kansas Professor of the Year. "You're almost always asked to do something with the knowledge that you have gained."

Knowing these challenges exist for new college students, Kansas State University is helping students transition into college with programs like K-State First. This program provides freshmen with smaller classes, a closer relationship with their professors and learning communities, all to help build support systems for students living away from home, often for the first time.

Eiselein says students are most likely to drop out in their first or second semester of college.

"Having the university be more attentive to the importance of those transition moments can make a huge difference in student success," he said.

The K-State First program has improved student GPAs and increased graduation rates.