The US doesn’t need more college grads

With a new school year begun and people focusing attention on questions of the cost and value of higher education, it is reasonable to inquire whether America is putting enough high school graduates through college. It is widely believed that we don’t.

After all, six other nations now surpass the US in the percentage of younger adults who have college degrees, reports the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education in "Measuring Up 2006: The National Report Card on Higher Education." The 2004 national report card concluded, "…the United States is underperforming in higher education." "Measuring Up 2006" maintains that this is still true. Commenting on the report’s findings, the center’s president, Patrick Callan, asserts: "What is at risk is America’s future educational and economic leadership…."

But the notion that we will put our country’s future in jeopardy unless we get more students through college is mistaken. The US already puts too many unmotivated students into college, where they learn little.

By George C. Leef

Full Story: http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0925/p09s01-coop.html?s=hns