Forty percent of students who enroll in a four-year college don't graduate within six years,
Regardless of all the well reasoned points in the article, that is just piss poor motivation (or direction) by too many people. And even harder to explain as it costs some 600-1000% more than when I went to school.
And I'd be curious to know what percentage of the 40% who don't finish took student loans or, other G or Univ benefits? If you are a benefit/loan underwriter, you are taking too many shitty risks with your (and maybe our) money, and benefiting the schools and lenders more than the students who owe it all back (but don't pay).
I don't think it was that bad when I started undergrad during Vietnam, when a whole bunch of students were there to avoid the draft (and to just get a C average, and party in frat houses). The draft ended when I was still in school, and most of those guys quit immediately.
I realize many people get tired of their kids at home and help them off to school. But if they are in the 40% failure crowd (and I'm sure some of those have to leave through no fault of their own), maybe they should be going in another direction than college.
How about raising the bar for loans and benefits? (to better than 60% finishing)
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And I take exception to one of the points in the article. (#2)
Take more credits (15, not 12) a semester to finish in 4 years.
As if you run out of time after 4 years even, and are forced to quit.
Well, if you are in a difficult or challenging curriculum and/or if grades matter to you, then going down to 4 (instead of 5) academics a semester, will result in less stress, better attitude and better grades every time (assuming you're putting in the work). And success breeds continuing success. School is not a sprint, it is a long haul, and if (only) one extra semester is all it takes to do 4 academics (instead of five) every semester, that is no sweat to deal with. It's exactly what I did in both undergrad and law school. It ended up adding 18 months, to a straight 7yrs, and my GPA (and relative sanity) showed it.
Happ
And that extra time was spent working construction making money to pay for all that school. (instead of borrowing it)
Sometimes life just happens. Sadly, I have no college experience. Nor does any of my brothers or sister. My daughter was the first in our family to go to college. She got her Associates Degree, got pregnant and quit to take care of my grandson. She was neither lazy or unmotivated. But wanted a family. They had been trying for some time with no success. Finally it happened, and her quitting and taking care of Brayden was the best thing she could have done. I’m hoping he will be the first to finish college and go on to a lucrative career that he enjoys. But more than anything, I hope he is just happy with his life as my daughter is.
