Posted on 09/08/2006 1:11:53 PM PDT by JSedreporter
When it comes to education, conventional wisdom argues that it’s better to go to college after high school. Conventional wisdom states that an educated society will spur economic growth, that a college degree leads to a higher income, and that America needs to increase college enrollment to strengthen against international competition. However, in George Leef’s essay, The Overselling of Higher Education, he argues that this conventional wisdom has flooded universities with apathetic students, subsequently causing a “deterioration of academic standards, credential inflation and soaring costs of college attendance.” Leef serves as executive director of The John William Pope Center for Higher Education Policy.
Leef begins by suggesting that decisions made by federal and state governments to artificially keep the costs of education low, combined with a poor flow of information, have caused higher education to be oversold. For example, in 2001, taxpayers supplied almost 31 percent of the funds exhausted by colleges and universities, “whereas tuition and fees accounted for just 17.7 percent.” Thees discrepancies in numbers result in students and their families paying very little for a college education, which increases enrollment.
However, because of bad grades, bad attitudes, and a lack of determination and motivation, not all students are qualified to attend college. Nevertheless, according to standardized test scores, in 2000 over 100,000 more students went to college than were capable. These unqualified students enroll in higher education because teachers and counselors recommend that they attend college. These students are manipulated by conventional wisdom that is either mistaken or out of date. When students are inadequately prepared for college it leads to a “disengaged” behavior.
Many professors complain about “disengaged” students that “don’t have much interest in studying to improve their knowledge and skills.” The students are accused of not completing reading assignments, not participating in class, and ignoring attendance requirements. Moreover, they bemoan course workloads and demand fewer assignments. The difficulty in teaching “disengaged” students has led to professors compromising standards in order to avoid poor student evaluations. The universities encourage this practice because it keeps the enrollment constant, continuing the flow of revenue that students contribute.
However, the lowering of standards has not resulted positively for students. Many college graduates now enter the workforce with insufficient writing skills. A recent report authored by The National Commission of Writing claimed, “Corporations…express a fair degree of dissatisfaction with the writing of recent college graduates—and also with the academic styles of writing, unsuited to workplace needs.” Furthermore, a study released by the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) found that only 31 percent of college graduates were proficient in prose, document, and quantitative literacy.
So, if college graduates are not smarter, then how do they earn more money than non-degree holders? Leef explains the difference in earnings by arguing that exceptionally wealthy professionals and executives skew the average earning reports. Moreover, there are many employment opportunities for high school graduates that similarly compare with professions that require a college degree. Considering that, many college graduates are now working as theater ushers and office clerks; therefore individuals who do not hold college degrees would be in no better position if they had pursued higher education. These facts reveal that a change in the economy may not be benefiting college graduates.
Indeed, going to college does not necessarily prepare graduates for technological professions that will dominate the future. Many workers could fill these growing positions with minimal on-the-job training or an associate’s degree. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Labor projects that the occupations that show the greatest growth over the next decade will not require a college degree. In fact, of the top 10 jobs showing the most growth, only two require any form of advanced education.
Leef contends that since many more people hold degrees than in the past, positions that were once filled by non-degree holders are now being managed by college graduates. In addition, potential employers are using college degrees as a screening process because the pool of applicants is inflated, and it’s difficult to consider someone without a degree. The result of the overeducated population has led to credential inflation, whereby an individual will have to continue to seek higher education to stand out in a pack of potential employees. This will eventually lower the value of bachelor and associate degrees.
Unfortunately, this process has already started, as “many who already have earned college degrees are working at what used to be known as ‘high school’ jobs.” In fact, economist Daniel Hecker has detailed this phenomenon, and others argue that “university-educated workers are taking jobs where the average educational level has been much lower.” While higher education was once a platform to better jobs, it is no longer. This uninformed investment in education is not only leading to credential inflation and illiterate college graduates, but it is also slowing economic growth.
In fact, after careful analysis, Professor Richard Vedder of Ohio University concluded that there is a negative relationship between the amount of money states spend on education, and economic growth. Indeed, Vedder found that a 10-percent increase in state education spending will slow economic growth by over 5 percent. This is generally due from spending on various non-educational programs. Given the above evidence concerning “disengaged” students and illiteracy rates among college graduates, the slow growth statistic is not surprising.
Leef believes that the overselling of higher education has led to wasted resources, credential inflation, and weak academic standards in exchange for continuous revenue. Leef contends that to cease the overselling of higher education the federal government must stop subsidizing students, job training institutions must be created, and state governments should increase the cost of tuition. These solutions will force a “disengaged” high school graduate to consider avenues other than post-secondary education. If nothing is done, then the race to the top could become a free-fall to the bottom.
Matthew Hickman is an intern at Accuracy in Media.
I got my writing style from Thomas Sowell. It pwnz.
O rly?
Well, I must admit, to keep up with what kids were talking about online (I was one of those mom's that spied on their sites)...I often had to refer to the urbandictionary.com.
As far as the college article, my kid's a junior in college and emailed his math prof last night because although he had done all his homework (it's due Monday) he couldn't quite make sense of one part of one problem and asked for some direction.
My kid laughed because the prof's reply expressed wonder that he had already done his homework for next Monday's class. I guess most kids must wait till the last minute, but it was hours of homework and waiting till the last minute could have been disastrous.
My son has always been amazed at the absentee rate and the amount of sleeping that goes on during a college class.
But the truth is, the system is in place that without a higher degree, you don't get far (unless you want to do a trade) and so you get the degree, and hopefully an advanced degree while you're young instead of waiting till you've got a wife and family to support and then realizing you need the education.
I have long thought this, I call my theory:
The Academic Lowrider.
Growing up in New Mexico there were several guys in High School and beyond that spent every penny they earned building a lowrider car. People often would comment on how foolish it was to throw so much money at such a useless object. They would spend $20,000 or more outfitting wet bars in the trunk etc. In the long term rarely did the value of the vehicle increase as much. In fact they were money pits, you could not sell them for even 1/2 what was invested, especially considering the oportunity costs. But they can not be talked out of it due to the esteem they earn from peers in building such an object.
I don't see much difference in that scenario and a young person who spends two years in college only to flunk out or drop out. Often this student racks up massive student loans, learns little and in the end has nothing to show for it but wasted time and money. But they do have the esteem they earn from parents and peers... for whatever that is worth. They have built an academic lowrider.
If one speaks out against building a lowrider you will often find yourself congratulated, but just try and speak out against the academic lowrider and watch out! I have faced the anger frequently recently as two of 4 candidates for govenor here in Texas advocate tax payer funding for college for every graduating seniors. Increasingly this is not true of the academic. I have no desire to be forced to pay for the many academic lowriders that will result. All is not lost in building a lowriders, you do learn something in either case be it your social security number or welding. However in the end I admire the builder of the car because at least they spent their own time and money on the distraction.
-- lates
-- jrawk
Not only that, but even some who aren't apathetic lack the academic foundation to do college work. Most colleges have "bonehead" courses to try and bring such students up to speed, but it's frustrating to be teaching elementary skills to 18 year-olds.
bump
I correctly formed the last paragraph in this version of the post: (I went to public school)
I have long thought this, I call my theory:
The Academic Lowrider.
Growing up in New Mexico there were several guys in High School and beyond that spent every penny they earned building a lowrider car. People often would comment on how foolish it was to throw so much money at such a useless object. They would spend $20,000 or more outfitting wet bars in the trunk etc. In the long term rarely did the value of the vehicle increase as much. In fact they were money pits, you could not sell them for even 1/2 what was invested, especially considering the oportunity costs. But they can not be talked out of it due to the esteem they earn from peers in building such an object.
I don't see much difference in that scenario and a young person who spends two years in college only to flunk out or drop out. Often this student racks up massive student loans, learns little and in the end has nothing to show for it but wasted time and money. But they do have the esteem they earn from parents and peers... for whatever that is worth. They have built an academic lowrider.
If one speaks out against building a lowrider you will often find yourself congratulated, but just try and speak out against the academic lowrider and watch out! I have faced the anger frequently recently as two of 4 candidates for govenor here in Texas advocate tax payer funding for college for every graduating seniors. Don't get me wrong all is not lost in building lowriders, you do learn something in either case be it your social security number or welding. However in the end I admire the builder of the car because at least they spent their own time and money on the distraction. I would rather not be forced to pay for the many academic lowriders that will result from free college policies.
-- lates
-- jrawk
Don't forget auto mechanics. Good auto mechanics now make more than many engineers.
I think we've reached the point where most kids need 4 years of college to get what we regarded as a high school education 30 or 40 years ago. Of course, that was regarded as an 8th grade education, in the early 20th century.
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I used to do all of my homework as soon as possible. Then there were no nagging homework concerns for the rest of the week. Also, sometimes, if a question came up in class that was related to a future chapter in the text, I already knew the answer.
English Genius
You scored 92% Beginner, 100% Intermediate, 86% Advanced, and 100% Expert!
You did so extremely well, even I can't find a word to describe your excellence! You have the uncommon intelligence necessary to understand things that most people don't. You have an extensive vocabulary, and you're not afraid to use it properly! Way to go!
Thank you so much for taking my test. I hope you enjoyed it!
Farther/Further kinda threw me off. I didn't know there was a difference.
Sounds like you done good.
If the only coeds that go to college are those that expect to get a real education, then where will all the 'Girls Gone Wild' come from?
Just as vouchers create competition in the public schools, we need FINANCIAL competition in the Ivory Towers.
We need to eliminate the cost inflation protections for universities.
IOW, allow student loans to be dischargable in bankruptcy. If you can't get a job with your education, then you should be able to wipe out the student loans.
End universtity tuition welfare.
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