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Dropout rates are improving as the data above shows. College attendance is at an all time high.
Why are people taking the doom and gloom on high school education? There is always room for improvement. But perhaps it isn't the disaster some think it is.
Dropout rates are improving as the data above shows. College attendance is at an all time high.
Why are people taking the doom and gloom on high school education? There is always room for improvement. But perhaps it isn't the disaster some think it is.
Less then 50% 4 year college students graduate.
Less then 30% 2 year college students graduate.
yes, they are going in in droves, but few ever look at how many are actually finishing.
^^Can't rep you again, but I agree. They told us that when I went to college in 1967. Even at Caltech in 1966, they told my husband's class the same thing, about 50 % will graduate.
Ok, so they are graduating. But they still can barely read or do math.
If the nice "charts" is the goal then we met it.
If producing an educated citizen is the goal, then we are failing for many of them.
Government documents are produced for an 8th grade reading/comprehension level because that is what the average American reads/comprehends at.
Thats another issue, which I'm not going to argue with. We talking about the drop out rate. Which I don't believe is a problem in the US today. The charts are actually pretty impressive (especially for minorities) IMHO.
Thats another issue, which I'm not going to argue with. We talking about the drop out rate. Which I don't believe is a problem in the US today. The charts are actually pretty impressive (especially for minorities) IMHO.
I was commenting on a poster saying college attendance is at an all time high.
High attendance isn't proof of low dropout rates.
They may not be dropping out at high rates, but we are not graduating top notch students.
We should be ashamed that the average reading/comprehension of Americans is at 8th grade level.
I was commenting on a poster saying college attendance is at an all time high.
They may not be dropping out at high rates, but we are not graduating top notch students.
We should be ashamed that the average reading/comprehension of Americans is at 8th grade level.
I'm guessing here but that guess tells me that most of the people who post here were in the advanced/honors classes in school. Which means that they weren't exposed to the vast majority of students who worked at/achieved at lower than grade level. That's not a new phenomenon but, again. historical.
I see this all the time with new teachers, they can't believe how "dumb" their students are without realizing that is the way it's always been. They just didn't notice it when they were in school.
As a note, those kids at lower levels used to either drop out or took some sort of vocational or business course. Now those programs have been largely gutted and everyone is being told they're going to college.
Less then 50% 4 year college students graduate.
Less then 30% 2 year college students graduate.
yes, they are going in in droves, but few ever look at how many are actually finishing.
I believe by the way that too many kids are going to college. They are attempting the wrong degree and borrowing too much money. If they are going to work at Starbucks after earning their history degree they could do that straight out of high school. Four years later they might be an "assistant manager" without debt.
So I am not concerned about completion rates. Some people just aren't cut out for college. And if some kids start college and decide it isn't right for them - quitting might be the best outcome - instead of wasting time and money.
I believe by the way that too many kids are going to college. They are attempting the wrong degree and borrowing too much money. If they are going to work at Starbucks after earning their history degree they could do that straight out of high school. Four years later they might be an "assistant manager" without debt.
So I am not concerned about completion rates. Some people just aren't cut out for college. And if some kids start college and decide it isn't right for them - quitting might be the best outcome - instead of wasting time and money.
Suppose you get yourself hired to decide who shouldn't go to college. Look those parents in the eye and tell them their kid isn't "college material". Maybe you could do follow-up by picking their majors for them. My brother was a history major and had a good career in human resources.
Suppose you get yourself hired to decide who shouldn't go to college. Look those parents in the eye and tell them their kid isn't "college material". Maybe you could do follow-up by picking their majors for them. My brother was a history major and had a good career in human resources.
On one hand though, if these kids took out student loans they are now burdened with that debt to pay back.
The opportunity to go to college is there for everyone.
I think high schools do a bad job at career counseling with this push for 4 year academic schools.
If the kids don't have the grades to get into a 4 year school then the 2 year CC is pushed.
They have 1 year certificate programs at the CC or 2 year degrees at the CC.
The counselors at school have access to student records and for some, it's quite obvious they are not college material yet they are pushed in that direction.
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