Too Cool For School

Those who would herd millions of Americans into college never wonder if they might be better off somewhere else. Perhaps they should.

“The National Center for Education Statistics reported in 2002 that as many as three-quarters of college students no longer fit the ‘traditional’ classification,” the Center for American Progress (CAP) tells us. “ For instance, many of today’s students are older than “traditional” college students, work full time, or support dependents of their own.”

 

“They are more mobile than previous generations, and they frequently attend multiple institutions over the course of their college careers. These students are often ill served by the traditional model of college education where students attend the same school from 18 to 22 years old full time. Moreover, many of today’s learners enter the postsecondary system with college-level knowledge or skills.” Yes but many don’t.

 

“Many students matriculate to community colleges fully expecting to continue on toward a bachelor’s degree at a four-year institution down the road,” CAP tells us. “Other students may start taking classes at a community college with very different aspirations: taking a few courses needed to do their job better; earning a job-related certificate; completing an associate’s degree; or learning English.”

 

Malcolm A. Kline is the Executive Director of Accuracy in Academia.

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