Report: Minority college attainment up, but stalls

International Herald Tribune (AP) ^ | October 9, 2008

[reaganaut1]

RALEIGH, North Carolina: Enrollment of minorities in U.S. colleges has increased substantially in recent years, but not fast enough to keep up with demographic changes.

Among Hispanics, a lower proportion who are in theri late 20s has completed at least a two-year degree when compared with those age 30 and older.

Unless the trend is reversed, the increases in Hispanic participation in higher education won't be enough to ensure that a growing proportion earn a college degree.

The findings are highlighted in a biennial report to be released Thursday by the American Council on Education, supported by the GE Foundation.

"One of the core tenets of the American dream is the hope that younger generations, who've had greater opportunities for educational advancement than their parents and grandparents, will be better off than the generations before them," said council President Molly Corbett Broad. "Yet this report shows that aspiration is at serious risk."

In fact, the report shows notable progress for minorities in higher education in several areas.

Between 1995 and 2005, total minority enrollment on U.S. campuses rose 50 percent, to 5 million students. The numbers of Hispanics receiving bachelor's degrees has nearly doubled over that period, as has the number earning doctorates.

However, significant gaps among racial groups remain, and by some measures are widening. In 2006, among 18- to 24-year-olds, 61 percent of Asian-Americans were in college. That compares with 44 percent of whites, 32 percent of blacks and 25 percent of Hispanics.

[reaganaut1]

Racial differences in attaining a two-year degree mirror racial differences in intelligence, as measured by IQ tests. It is "racist" to note the obvious, and instead of recognizing that not everyone is smart enough to go to college (including many people of all races), we may continue to devalue the college degree to close the evil "gap". This is analogous to giving mortgages to non-creditworthy borrowers to close the home ownership "gap". In the 1960s, having children out of wedlock was destigmatized in part because there was a racial gap in illegitimacy. I believe that illegitimacy rates among whites now exceed those of blacks in 1960.

The same thing happens with gender "gaps". If fewer women than men have the strength and speed to be a fireman or policeman, standards are lowered for those jobs are lowered instead of facing reality. I'm not a "compassionate conservative" like George W. Bush. But I think I'm right.

[ConservativeDude]

You know, there is also a Sallie Mae out there.

Does anyone know if they sell on their loans? We have seen insane credit expansion in the market for student loans. Is there a high default rate? Is this going to happen all over again???

[GOPGuide]

“Racial differences in attaining a two-year degree mirror racial differences in intelligence, as measured by IQ tests.”

Ask not for whom the Bell Curve Tolls, it Tolls for thee...

;)

[kittymyrib]

Uh...they can’t go to college because 50% of them drop out of high school. In spite of all the programs Texas has paid for the past 20 years, that dismal stat stays pretty steady.

[JoeFromSidney]

According to the STATISTICAL ABSTRACT OF THE UNITED STATES, as of 2005, 56% of black high school graduates and 54% of Hispanic high school graduates were enrolled in college. While this is less than the 73% of white high school graduates, it's clear the problem is not getting high school graduates into college, it's getting blacks and Hispanics to graduate from high school. For blacks, 13% have dropped out of high school by age 24, and for Hispanics, 27% have dropped out by age 24.