The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books
To Read in College, It Helps to Start Early
A recent article in The Atlantic by Rose Horowitch highlights an unsettling trend: even students at elite universities are finding it hard to keep up with reading assignments. This isn’t just about attention spans—many students arrive at college unprepared for the demands of academic reading.
Professors report that their students often struggle to read entire books or even short poems, making it clear that these challenges aren’t limited to difficult or dense material.
The question is: how did we get here?
And more importantly, how can you make sure your child develops the skills they need to succeed?
What’s Behind the Decline in Reading Skills?
The Rise of Digital Distractions
It’s no secret that today’s students live in a world of constant digital noise. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube serve up endless streams of short-form content that condition the brain to crave quick, easy wins.
According to the American Psychological Association, the percentage of teens who read daily for fun has plummeted from 27% in 2012 to just 14% in 2022. Unlike social media’s bite-sized content, reading requires sustained focus and deeper engagement, which are skills that are becoming harder to nurture in our fast-paced, digital-first world.
Research shows that this shift toward skimming and multitasking weakens students’ ability to engage with long-form content. As a result, tasks like reading novels or analyzing academic texts become overwhelming.
The Role of School Curricula
Another key factor is the shift in classroom priorities. According to an EdWeek Research Center survey, only 17% of third-to-eighth-grade educators focus on teaching entire books. Instead, most rely on excerpts or short texts designed to prepare students for standardized tests.
While this approach has its benefits, such as teaching skills like summarizing or identifying main ideas, it doesn’t build the stamina students need to tackle full-length works. By the time they reach college, many students have never read a book cover to cover, leaving them unprepared for the heavy reading load required at the university level.
The Benefits of Deep Reading: Why It’s Important to Start Early
Deep reading, engaging with an entire text to explore its themes, characters, and ideas, is essential for developing critical thinking, empathy, and problem-solving skills. Neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf explains that deep reading stimulates the brain regions responsible for reasoning and emotional understanding, allowing readers to connect with texts on a much deeper level. You can read more in Maryanne Wolf’s Proust and the Squid. [As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a commission from qualifying purchase of this book.]
This is why fostering a love for reading early on is so important. By encouraging children to engage deeply with books, parents can help them develop the cognitive tools they’ll need not just for school, but for life.
How to Help Your Child Become a Lifelong Reader
The good news is, there are ways to prepare your child to become a lifelong reader—before they even reach college. Here’s how:
Start with Daily Reading Habits
Building strong reading habits begins with consistency. Whether it’s family read-aloud time or independent reading before bed, setting a daily routine helps children build focus and stamina.
Use Tools to Stay on Track
Visual aids like Learning Re-Engineered’s Book Adventure Log and Daily Reading Dash can make reading goals more tangible. These tools help kids track their progress and celebrate milestones, turning reading into a rewarding experience.
Make Reading Fun
Interactive games like Guess the Word or Story Time Mad Libs bring a playful element to reading. These activities keep children engaged while helping them develop vocabulary and comprehension skills.
Create Personalized Reading Plans
Not all kids enjoy the same books, and that’s okay. Learning Re-Engineered’s Family Reading Guide GPT helps parents tailor reading plans to their child’s unique interests, ensuring that every book feels like an adventure.
How Learning Re-Engineered’s Community Can Help
One of the biggest challenges parents face is helping their children develop consistent reading habits in today’s digital world. That’s where the Learning Re-Engineered Community comes in.
By joining, you’ll gain access to:
- Faith-aligned, culturally responsive resources designed to build essential reading skills.
- Personalized reading plans that grow with your child’s interests and needs.
- Engaging games and trackers to make reading fun and rewarding.
- A supportive space for parents and kids, where you can connect with families who share your values.
Together, we’ll make reading a habit your child looks forward to—one that builds focus, empathy, and confidence for years to come.
The Time to Start is Now
With fewer students reading for pleasure and digital distractions making it harder than ever to focus, the need to build strong reading habits has never been more urgent. But it’s not too late to make a change.
By joining our community, you’ll be giving your child the tools to grow academically and personally, while fostering a lifelong love of learning. Let’s work together to help your child not just keep up, but excel.