Students today lack maturity, feel entitled : Professor

First-year university students are less prepared and have poorer research skills than students from three years ago, according to a new Ontario-wide survey of faculty and librarians.

Survey respondents reported students had lower writing and numeric skills, lower maturity, and a belief that good grades are an entitlement and a right.

Respondents also said students relied too much on Internet tools, such as Google and Wikipedia, as external research sources.

The survey asked: "Thinking about your own experience over the last three years, do you believe that first-year students are:"

- Better prepared -- 2.27 per cent
- About the same -- 26.85 per cent
- Less prepared -- 55.21 per cent
- No opinion -- 15.67 per cent

The survey, which received 2,000 responses from 22 Ontario universities, was conducted by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations.

"It is very troubling that a majority of respondents are witnessing a decline in student preparedness," professor Brian E. Brown, OCUFA's president, said in a press release.

"Study after study shows that success in university is linked to the preparedness of students for the rigours of the university curriculum."

Many respondents reported that universities were establishing remedial courses for students struggling with the demands of higher education.

Brown said the Ontario government has been applauding itself for increasing high school graduation rates but students are still not receiving the requisite skills they need for university.

"Our secondary schools are poorly resourced and require new investments to enhance the classroom experience if our kids are going to thrive," Brown said.

The survey was conducted between Feb. 16 and March 13, 2009.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree or disagree with the study?