Higher Education 101

Well friends and neighbors I’ve got something to say that will probably irritate a few of you good folks. But after a visit to our local community college today I’ve decided that we’re doing a terrible disservice to a whole lot of people as they move along through the American educational system.

Normally I don’t get near the community college during the so called rush time when students are registering and buying their books and such. But my wife, who runs the college bookstore, needed her lunch so I agreed to drop it off for her. While I was there, near the bookstore sales counter, I saw newly registered students engaged in their transactions. It’s a pitiful sight for so many reasons.

The community college in our state, like those institutions in most states, accepts anyone. By anyone, I mean anyone. And in our state financial aid will be provided to most of those enrollees as long as “need” can be established. And in an even more generous move a graduating high school senior with a 3.0 grade point average can attend the college tuition free under a program called “SEED” which is funded by the state legislature using taxpayer money. But I’m not going to complain about that program because that at least focuses on students who probably can read and write and do simple arithmetic.

The complaint I have, based on observations at the college and comments from educators and employees, is that students are admitted who have absolutely no business being in a college. I saw a student, a fellow in his thirties, who was being escorted through the admissions process by his mother (she was easily sixty years old and also a student) because he could not communicate in any direct way with the staff. He has some sort of mental disability. His mother while registering the guy online had inadvertently selected an advanced English class. When the bookstore clerk asked if the gentleman had the necessary background for an advanced class the mother said “Hell no, he can barely read. I want him in the class that teaches reading.” The bookstore employee suggested that they go see a counselor. An hour or so later they came back to get materials for the remedial reading program.

This is not an isolated example of the kind of student being accepted for what is supposed to be college level study. The idea put forth is that everyone has a right to attend college. Consequently folks who have no chance of completing a successful program of study take up the resources of the school, including financial aid funds, that could be better used elsewhere. What’s more, in the attempt to push these people through school the college must provide tutors, translators and other types of aides so the student has some sort of chance to finish. Most don’t. The on-time graduation rate at this two year institution is 3%. The overall graduation rate is less than 30%. A recent survey rated our community college as having a 29% success rate; success meaning students either finished the two year program in three years or transferred to another college. So our community college, which incidentally has the highest paid president of any community college in the country, would not seem to be the best investment for taxpayers.

When did a college education become an entitlement? Why should a person clearly unfit for higher education be supported in a fruitless endeavor with taxpayer money? Wouldn’t it be better to teach people who obviously are not suitable for college some sort of trade? Perhaps courses could be set up to improve a person’s prospects in the service industries; restaurant cleanliness and safety, money handling and salesmanship are a few possibilities. Aren’t there some real common sense reasons for screening applicants for college courses? These questions are obviously being answered in a different way by folks in the educational system than by those of us without a PhD after our names. Maybe I should go back to school. They take anybody, you know.

Now go learn how to have a fine day.