An educational system built for another time, another student demographic

Complete College America has just released a very interesting and important report entitled Time is the Enemy: the surprising truth about why today's college students aren't graduating- and what needs to change. The report moves beyond typical IPEDS information that focuses on full time students who enter as freshmen, thus ignoring part time and transfer students. Thirty three states provided information on their public systems that went into this report. A couple of caveats: The data do not track educational pathways of individual students (as is now available in a few instances), but rather use gross data such as entries, graduations, drop-outs, transfers from one part of a state's public system into another part of the same system. Thus, for example, transfers to private (either non- or for-profit) institutions and public systems in another states are not included. In addition, the labels "full" and "part-time" student are defined by the status of the student in the first term of enrollment, which may or may not be descriptive of the way many of today's students follow their education.These and other similar caveats aside, this report provides an excellent first look at a much larger and broader set of students than are described by IPEDS.

The report contains two striking demographic facts that underline problems in the way that we typically view higher education:

• 40% of public college students are able to attend only part time
• only 25% of college students are "traditional" in the sense that they are attending full time, attending a residential college, and have parents that are are paying most of their bills 

Unfortunately, most of the arguments and discussions one hears concerning higher education take place in some imaginary world in which students are traditional in the sense above. This is probably because much of our education system originally was designed around the traditional student and his or her needs, and the leading institutions in the system still serve primarily the traditional student. As a consequence, potential changes in educational approach or organization are most often judged according to whether or not they will benefit those traditional students who enjoy the benefits of residential life and a manageable financial burden. But, as this report describes, times have changed, the composition of the student body has changed, and because many of our institutions have not changed accordingly, the results are not pretty.

In particular, the report focuses on the plight of part time students, and shows that graduation rates for part time students at all levels - certificates, associates, and bachelors - are only about 40% as high as for full time students (if one looks at a time period twice the nominal period required for graduation). Graduation rates for both full time and part time students who are African-American, Hispanic, older, or low income are considerably lower than for the general student body, and the part-time "penalty" is somewhat higher than for the general population.

The report concludes that at least part of the problem can be solved by getting more students into full time study. To this end, they make an number of excellent proposals that include block schedules that pack courses into a more compact period, online technology to minimize class times, competency based advancement, common general education courses with guaranteed transferability throughout the system, and capping allowed credit hours to force students to move straight to degrees. Special focus is reserved for remedial education:

Remedial classes have become the Bermuda Triangle of higher education. Most students are lost, and few will ever be seen on graduation day.

A number of excellent suggestions are made here as well - although it is clear there is not a "magic bullet" solution to this issue, perhaps because higher education is being asked to do a job that is not part of its core competency.

All in all, a very important report, with sensible and meaningful recommendations. I can't give it an A, however, because I think its basic conclusion in not bold enough - and maybe not even correct. The recommendation is basically to fiddle the system to enable part time students to behave more like full time students, assuming that if they can behave more like full time students they will graduate like full time students. That is not a bad idea, of course, but why not start from the premise that the system itself needs to be redesigned so that it focuses on the needs of the part time students? Maybe the problem is not simply the full time/part time divide, but that the system responds or does not respond to the many and highly varied needs of part time (and by extension, non-traditional) students.

That student focus is what the University of Phoenix originally used when it set up classrooms wherever there were concentrations of students - it went to the students rather than making them come to a physical central campus. Phoenix then moved into online presentation when the technology allowed, thus making it even easier for working students to participate. That focus is what Western Governors University used when it pioneered competency based learning, so that students could get credit for pertinent knowledge gained anywhere by any means, and introduced pricing models that enable students to move as rapidly as they can through the system.

And what about curriculum? Many part time students have an understandably sharp focus on gaining skills and knowledge that will be useful in the workplace. Much of our traditional curriculum does not provide the obvious contact with workplace skills that might stimulate more non-traditional students to persevere in their education. However, there are institutions in both the for- and non-profit sectors that work closely with employers to ensure that their curriculum provides the skills and knowledge needed to enter into the workforce. Perhaps we could learn things about curriculum from these institutions that would improve graduation rates for part time students. 

A very important contribution to a very important problem - but I have the feeling that to really make an advance, we have to stop trying to fit the student into the existing box, and start trying to remake the box to fit the student.

 

Comments

[Deborah C]

Mervelle,

It is a highly concerning situation. Undoubtedly there is a growing number of students requiring developmental courses. I continually ask this question: 'Why do we allow academically underprepared students to graduate'? It is a recipe for failure.

[Lisa Ransdell]

Great report on the report, excellent conclusion at the end. I also really appreciate the comments of some others here. I agree with Brian that schools may be overselling the idea of college, which is ironic given that college was undersold to many in the past. Does every job in the U.S. really require a college degree? Is Bill Gates correct to call for 80% of high school grads to graduate from college by 2050? I think not, in both cases.

I believe that any student with genuine interest who can demonstrate readiness should have the chance to attend college. Let's get rid of tracking and deciding who is college material based on their background. Let's also promote and help support postsecondary education for all in a variety of forms: trade and technical schools, certificate programs, apprenticeships, college -- all of it.

Let's also improve the calibre of secondary education, so those who do aspire to attend college are truly ready when they get there. I am personally intrigued by much of what is suggested in the film Waiting For Superman, although I am not convinced that such an approach is feasible for the entire public school system -- although excellent teachers (and all it takes to cultivate them) is a bottom line.

Thanks for sharing this report. I blog about higher education from my perspective as a faculty member, former administrator, and current day independent college planner: www.pinnaclecollegeplanning.com. Much of my stuff is targeted to clients and prospective clients, but I occasionally touch on policy issues. Appreciating your blog!

[Mervelle Sage]

Interesting article. Remedial classes certainly seem to be the trend in higher education today. This should not be though. High school students in thier senior year should be exposed to college writing, reading , and math. Courses should be available to adequately prepare them for college. Now many high schools already offer such courses, but are all students taking advantage of them? Are the guidance counselors showing all the available options afforded to their students and making them aware of what to expect?

[Krista R]

Your final comment "we have to stop trying to fit the student into the existing box and start trying to remake the box to fit the student" is exactly what higher education should attempt to do. Shaping our future learning environment to the student will help attainment and graduation greatly. With the raising costs of degrees, now more than ever, students are looking more critically at where they are going to invest their money.

[Deborah C]

This is an interesting article. Several of the headings caught my attention. For instance:
“Remedial classes have become the Bermuda Triangle of higher education. Most students are lost, and few will ever be seen on graduation day” and “Students are wasting time on excess credits” caught my interest. Looking at the slide 12 in Complete College America I agree the credits cited for the Certificate, Associate and Bachelor’s Degree programs (68.5 and 85.5, 136.5 credits respectively) are really high. Are the extra credits general education courses?

I also agree that students should be underprepared college students should be introduced to 100 level college courses from the first day to start them earning credits. I think however that students can still take the college prep math and English concurrently. A solid academic advisement program should be provided and efforts should be made to have students feel engaged with faculty and affiliated with the academic institution from the first day.

I may have missed it in the presentation, but do you think that creating a learning community where all faculty members who teach underprepared college students are able to communicate on the students’ progress helps? Was this found to be one of the factors for success by the states in this research study? The number of college underprepared students is way too high and we need to really find a way to not have our students disappear in an abyss.

[Colleges in Dubai]

I think today educational system learn the education from new way,Here you share a great post.Keep it up these interesting blogs.

[Brian, act sat test prep guy]

In my opinion, many high schools promote college as a must-do option for all students. There are great opportunities for many students in manual trades, along with the fact that they don't have to accumulate a huge amount of student loan debt.