Why Read?
Because a vital relationship exists between reading and the growth of the mind, understanding the importance of this relationship as one prepares for and begins college is the focus of this guide. College requires preparation, but in addition to specific kinds of knowledge, it requires being prepared to learn. We have produced this guide to suggest some ways in which reading can provide this kind of preparation. Whether one is preparing for college or just beginning the college experience, reading well is prerequisite to all other activities that college learning involves. In our experience as teachers of reading, writing, and literature, we have found that students are best prepared to engage in writing at the college level when they are active, critical readers.
In addition to being important for college, the ability to read well is also an essential skill for life. As citizens in a world that is becoming increasingly more complex, we are inundated with messages from the media, politicians, and marketing sources. Critical thinking can help us to navigate through all of that material. When we read carefully and critically, we are less vulnerable to misleading information and faulty reasoning. Moreover, critical reading helps us become more informed citizens and thus has implications for our democracy, as an engaged and informed public is fundamental to democratic society. As Thomas Jefferson once said, “an informed citizen is the only true repository of the public will.”
So, you may ask, how can you prepare yourself for the educational expectations of a college or university? What can you do to enhance your own reading now? Begin by reading on.