Open Letter to Ninth Graders

          In the article, "Open Letter to Ninth Graders" the author, Patrick Sullivan, illuminates the expectations high schoolers are faced with as they enter college. Sullivan intended for his letter to advise ninth graders to take high school seriously, and to develop the necessary skills needed in college and life. The author also stresses that students entering college are not always mature, and points to "their failure to exercise self-discipline" as the reason behind the students not reaching their full potential. This article makes many agreeable points, including that listening is just as important as your reading and writing skills, however, it is much more undervalued and underappreciated in our society. Sullivan is quick to place the blame for student failure upon the students themselves, however, there is still a need for teachers to improve as well.