JOURNAL ABSTRACT

May 24, 2016

Bibliography
Schmitz, Sue, Montognese, Kathie, McGurk, Suzanne, Change the Message, Change
the Path, Change a Future, Techniques, March 29, 2016, pp. 18-21.
Summary of Content
Change the Message, Change the Path, Change a Future was about the battle new
college students face. Often, they are told, you are not college-ready. When faced
with this self-degrading statement, college freshmen are given a choice; take
transitional courses or dont pursue a degree. Although many take transitional
or readiness courses, it has been shown that fewer than 25 percent of
developmental education students will complete a degree or certificate. When
students are pressured with this message, many want to give up. They have no
motivation to get past the label of not ready.
A new curriculum was formed to Change the Path for college freshmen. This path,
created by Hennepin Technical College (HTC), uses both diagnostic testing and
targeted curriculum. First, HTC gives puts its applicants through a diagnostic test.
After receiving the results, it plans out the best courses for its transitional
students to take, focusing on their personal career choice. Using this method,
students are not stuck taking courses that are not helpful or relevant to their career;
instead, they are encouraged and pushed towards their educational goal.
After changing the path, the students future is then changed. They are given the
opportunity to receive education related to their career. Students are able to earn a
degree, and apply it to their lives. When one changes the message, they change the
path. When they change the path, they change a future. A persons life will be
dramatically different. A student will go from insecurity and hopelessness to
confidence and professionalism.
Application to This Course
Change the Message, Change the Path, Change a Future relates well to Company.
It breaks the norm of transitional courses that damage a students degree and
career, and instead pushes them towards success. Company does the same thing.
While many high school students are stifled by the normal classroom teaching
method, Company frees them, and allows them to pursue their interest without
hindrance.
We have studied many concepts in Company that relate to this article. For example,
we have learned about people, how they react to change, and how best to deal with
them, in Who Moved My Cheese and One-Minute Manager. Weve learned about
ourselves through Maximum Achievement and Meyers Briggs.

The article gives a little insight into Company. For example, we are shown how the
freedom we find in Company is necessary in the world today. We have found that
Company methods can help those who are not college-ready. We have been given
skills to encourage our peers to succeed, and to succeed ourselves.
Personal Reaction
From reading this article, I learned how deeply the outside world needs the concepts
taught in Company. People are desperate for the skills required to succeed, or even
survive, in life. The article has encouraged me to share this hidden gem with the
world.
Change the Message, Change the Path, Change a Future was interesting. It gave
me good insight into the college world. It was informative, teaching me what others
go through after graduating high school. It was also worthwhile, stirring up
compassion for the college freshmen deemed not college-ready.
This article is important enough to be included in a national magazine. It informs
people of what it is really like to be referred to as not college-ready. The world
needs to know the problem, so that they can also be aware of the solution. When
more people know of the solution, the word will travel to those who need the
solution.
I selected this particular article because the title caught my attention. It has been at
the forefront of my mind to find solutions to the problems of the world. The article
has given me another solution to give to others.
Vocabulary
Pedagogy: the method and practice of teaching, especially as an academic subject
or theoretical concept.
She is an expert in pedagogy.
Fiscal: of or relating to money and especially to the money a government, business,
or organization earns, spends, and owes.
The fiscal health of the business.
Holistic: relating to or concerned with complete systems rather than with individual
parts.
They have been taking a more holistic approach to teaching.