Are high schools preparing students for the real world?

This third section evaluates whether high schools are successfully preparing students for life in the real world and a majority of residents say they are, ranging from 52 to 56 percent depending on how the question is asked. These results are more consistent with the first section (preparation for work) than the second (preparation for college). The same kinds of demographic relationships hold, where perceptions are positively related to age, education and income while also showing significant racial disparities. These relationships seem stronger, though, when the question asks about skills needed for the real world than about being prepared for life and its everyday challenges.