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I have even more criticism of colleges that take tuition money from these students who they know full well are not going to graduate. Unfortunately, I've also seen how that sausage is made.
Open enrollment policies sound nice, but those schools structure their courses and prerequisites to make sure unprepared students expend all their financial aid before they get to the point where they learn college isn't going to work out for them. Then you have instructors fudging their grading to ensure financial aid keeps flowing in, schools saddling homeless people with student loans, and a whole host of other sinister behavior.
Preach!
I have even more criticism of colleges that take tuition money from these students who they know full well are not going to graduate.
I can see the monetary incentive to string a student along as long as they can, but obviously, no one in the administration is going to admit that except in a James O'Keefe style drunken conversation.
We might be able to calculate the likelihood that upon entry a student won't graduate. As far as I am aware, we have plenty of indicators but nothing that creates a holistic score (I would love to see that forumula). Even if we had a score like that, I am unsure how to reconcile that with a student's determination.
Even if we had a score like that, I am unsure how to reconcile that with a student's determination.
I actually do like the open enrollment concept, because it gives people a chance to succeed. As you indicate, determination can overcome a lot.
What bothered me at both levels that we're talking about (high school and college) is the total lack of honesty with the students. The university knows all the graduation rate information for people with each level of preparedness.
If they were honest with students that would at least give people a fair shot. Of course, they won't do that because many people won't go to college if they know people like them only graduate 10% of the time.
I worked with the underprepared student body for years. It's deeply rewarding when you get to help someone overcome major obstacles and achieve a difficult goal. It's also inspiring to see people dedicate themselves to achieving their goals. It's just too bad how few such cases are.
I'm in a position where every week I am working with such students. They struggle hard, and sometimes they make it to graduation. The efforts to dumb down the curriculum, pile on support, and provide many allowances through petitions certainly help them, but it leaves a trail of professional complacency and complicity.
The value of a degree and grade are not only inflated; they are structurally compromised.
The very sad times are when they express some other interest that does not require a college degree, something they are capable and passionate about pursuing.
Parents can be as guilty as councilors and teachers in putting on the pressure. They are hearing the same vaguery as the students--"you have to go to college if you want to success." Shrugging off Mr. Johnson, the college counselor is one thing; shrugging off Mom is another.