Report: College Preparation Better, But Access Falling

By Lisa Fine Goldstein

Many states have made noticeable strides since 2000 in preparing students for college, according to a biennial report card on states' higher education efforts.

But at the same time, it says, students' access to higher education has declined because college has become less affordable since the first such report was issued by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education two years ago.

Fifteen states improved their grades for preparing students for college through their K-12 education systems. Those states had success because they offered more upper-level mathematics and science courses, according to the report, "Measuring Up 2002," released by the San Jose, Calif.-...