We live in a world where it has become fashionable, perhaps even expected, to ask for extra time. We ask for extra time on work deadlines; for dinner with friends, when we are running late; and on taxes.
One of the most important college readiness markers, though, in my opinion, is a student’s ability to manage time. Often faced for the first time with abundant free time between only periodic classes, college students must make critical choices among friends, extracurricular activities, and books. Making sure that they are ready, for the most part, to make wise decisions in college is paramount.
No wonder they often are not. As I tutor my students, I am amazed by the number of teachers who regularly extend deadlines for major projects and essays. They do so because of a big football game, because of the workload a student has in other classes, because the class has intentionally stalled or distracted the teacher’s instruction, or because the student politely asks for an extension with a smile, but are we doing the students a disservice by readily granting these requests? Students should learn to manage their time before they leave for college, so at some point they need consistently to feel the severity of a true deadline.
Students with Accommodations
There are instances where students are deserving of additional time, of course. I realize that debates exist over student accommodations, particularly in light of socioeconomic access and perhaps even questionable psychological diagnoses; however, our current educational system attempts to level the playing field for students with learning differences by granting some of them time-and-a-half and others, double-time.
I find that teachers often do not implement this accommodation properly, to the detriment of all students. Accommodating extra time can be a logistical nightmare, so, to make things easier on themselves, teachers frequently just afford all students abundant time. This strips students of the opportunity to learn to manage their time and also fails to afford the needy students any accommodation; how can the students who need extra time ever shine if their classmates have excessive time to polish their work? Alternatively, some teachers allow accommodated students access to an entire test, when half of the assessment will have to be finished later that day or even the next day because of the time required. Are we really expecting that students will not abuse the temptation to scrounge for an elusive detail in the interim?
Standardized Testing
To further complicate matters, we have students' seeking extra time for the SAT and ACT. Again, while some students can demonstrate legitimate need for this extra time, there is undoubtedly abuse within the system, where students receive extra time who do not need it, and others, who desperately need it, do not access it.
In short, the whole system is a mess, and our students are being denied the opportunity to grow, to learn, and to respect a deadline, which we all know, is a pretty important life and work skill that can determine whether a student stays in college or drops out.
College Application Deadlines
Colleges have spun this flawed system in their favor, too. They now, with great frequency, grant application deadline extensions to all students in response to major catastrophes, such as Hurricane Matthew. Experts recognize that this empathetic gesture accommodates students in need, yes, but perhaps with an underlying motive. With every extended day, competitive colleges receive additional applications – many additional applications. At the end of the admission cycle, these additional applications can render coveted lower admissions rates (# of students admitted/# of students applied) and higher yields (# of students attending/# of students accepted), both factors considered by organizations that rank colleges. Why do all students need that application deadline extended anyway? Our culture of asking for extensions is probably such a mainstay that managing requests for extra time has become a logistical nightmare for colleges, too. College admission offices probably find it easier to grant a widespread extension, and they benefit greatly by doing so.
Your Mission
As parents, we have to right this flawed system for our children. Instill in your children that they must respect a deadline. Personally model compliant behavior; for example, make every effort to be on time for business and social events, but go further than that: Encourage your child to show character and to meet an original deadline, especially if a granted extension does not respond to any of his or her own personal circumstances. Does your son really deserve extra time to file his UNC application when Hurricane Matthew had no impact on your family? Will your daughter really benefit from working on that English essay for two more weeks when her personal computer was not affected by a schoolwide virus? Make a conscious decision to ensure that your child knows how to respect a deadline; time is ticking.