Owen Asks the Right Question

Owen of Boots & Sabers has the right question.  

The post focuses on an unexpected result of "Free Tuition" at a prestige medical school; that result was that the "underprivileged" admissions dropped by seventy-five percent (!!).

Anyhow, here's Owen's take:

 ...What the story doesn’t talk about is outcomes. How many students were able to complete their degrees? How many graduated and went on to good careers? Colleges focus so much on the equity of admissions but not the success of their students after they graduate....

That query leads to a broader--and just as critical--question:  Is college really the One Necessary Thing?

In this country, taxpayers, parents, and students commit very large resources to 'a college education.'  But for many students, the money is wasted; they are not able to do actual "college work."  (Defining "college work" is another large problem when Harvard is forced to offer remedial math...)

In Milwaukee, Allis-Chalmers led the parade of employers requiring a college degree for all of its administrative (e.g., customer service, computer programmer, mid-level accounting) and management employees back in the mid-'70's.  (Shortly afterwards, the CEO who emitted that demand led the Company off the cliff; Allis-Chalmers is no more.)   Were those degrees really necessary?

Are they today?

Nah.   

There will be a very significant reduction in the number of colleges and universities operating in the USA over the next 10-20 years.  It's largely demographic-related; but another noticeable component is the growing perception that college is not 'all that.'

Finally!