8 teaching recent high school graduates in freshmen college courses. College professor participants mentioned many SEL skills that were unique to college readiness. Independence was important to college professors because many first-year college students struggle with their newfound independence and the abrupt lack of supervision to keep them on track. Students must find an internal drive to succeed and be highly self-motivated to go to class, study, and complete coursework with minimal punitive consequences. Learning was another theme that was unique to college readiness. College professors expressed the importance of students approaching learning with curiosity and wonder. Students need to make deep connections in their learning and look for the interconnectedness between courses and their chosen career areas. College professors stated that recent high school graduates struggle with the depth of learning in college and find that factuallevel learning will not produce good results or grades. Participants also mentioned the need for first-year college students to learn effective study and notetaking skills. through social media or other electronic means; however, graduates often struggle with building meaningful relationships in person. Social Awareness was another area of strength referenced by participants. Several participants mentioned that graduates genuinely care for others, are concerned about what is happening in the world, and want to contribute to making the world a better place. Communication Skills, Growth Mindset, Resilience, Responsibility, and Self-Awareness Cross-cutting SEL Skills were referenced as areas of weakness or needed growth. Surprisingly, participants from all post-secondary entities indicated strategically designed efforts that they or their organizations take to bridge the gap in these areas of weakness. These intentional efforts to build SEL skills in these areas of weakness suggest the significance of SEL skills in relation to success. Research Question 1 (RQ1) What social and emotional skills do college educators perceive high school students need for college readiness? RQ1 examined what SEL skills college professors believe high school students need for college readiness. College professors gleaned from their personal experiences Figure 1 Research Question Aligned Themes Stephanie M. Wolf, EdD
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