It’s become an expectation in our society that most everyone, homeschooled or not, literate or not, will attend college. Whether a young person’s bent leans toward book-learning or engine-rebuilding doesn’t seem to matter. The important thing, we’re told, is that they go to college.
There’s an entire empire based on helping parents and teachers help students get into college. There are books and classes available, professional help can be hired to lead you through the application process….it’s a huge industry in itself.
But there are a few dirty little secrets about college. One in particular is purposely suppressed by colleges and universities. For all the fuss about getting into a good college, for all the money that’s saved up from the time the student is a toddler, for all the home equity lines parents must tap into, the fact is that only half of all college students actually graduate! And this is nothing new; it’s been true for 30 years.
(I worked in my college dorm office in the late 1970s. I vividly recall that officials overbooked all of the dorms at the large university I attended because they knew students would begin dropping out the first week. They didn’t want to end up with empty rooms.)
There are many reasons for such a high college dropout rate, the primary ones being that students can’t hack it or can’t afford it. But the bottom line is, half of all students don’t make it through college.
Of course, when a student drops out of college, he still has to pay for the time he was there. If he borrowed money to pay tuition and room-and-board (increasingly likely), that money has to be repaid with interest. So while he doesn’t leave with a diploma, he may well leave with a parting gift (as the old tv game show hosts used to call the loser’s consolation prize) of years of debt burden.
College brochures and websites are slick and packed with information, but they sure don’t mention that high dropout rate, do they?
Unfortunately, we can’t forget the increasing number of remedial classes that are offered to the high school graduates entering the colleges. College Board acknowledges this: As many as 40 percent of students will take at least one remedial class during their college years.
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/college-success/49142.html
It’s sad that kids have expectations entering college that can turn into such a disappointment. Our always homeschooled 15 year olds are preparing for college, but have our eyes wide open as to weaknesses and strengths.
It’s sick that our government (state and federal) is trying to expand that failure with universal preschool and zero to five programs, while trying to suck in homeschoolers.
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So true, Barbara. I think it would be great for young people if we helped them realistically evaluate whether or not college is a good choice instead of making it seem as if everyone should go. I think it’s also important to help people consider the cost of those loans. I know far too many adults (especially sahms) who really regret having gone into debt for their degrees.
It’s not necessarily a waste of time & money to go to college for a few years but not finish. Most of the folks I know who dropped out did so because they did not really need a degree for their careers. The opportunity costs were greater than the expected benefits of finishing. Several of these did go back to school later on after being laid off, and others are doing just fine with only 2-3 years’ worth of college. But they’re all doing better than the folks I know who have only a H.S. diploma. They’ve got the cachet of having been accepted by a good college even if they lack the completed degree.
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Susan, our third child just started tech college (WI’s version of community college) this fall, and she’s amazed at how many people are taking remedial math and reading. In her business math class, the teacher had to spend the first two weeks on basic math review before they could keep going.
Carletta, the debt is astounding. My eldest works with people who have debt well into five figures, and they’re working retail because they can’t find a job. Sad.
CW, that’s an interesting point. Glad that’s working out for them. As long as they’re not dragging around enormous college debt, sounds like they should be just fine. Thanks for mentioning that!
Easily, one of the best things I’ve read today! Subscribed. 🙂