Posted on 06/14/2010 6:16:41 AM PDT by Cardhu
There's good news and bad news in a new report from the Institute for Higher Education Policy. The good news: an increasing number of low-income young adults are going to college these days. The bad news: many of those low-income students remain in poverty after they graduate.
The report (pdf) found that 47 percent of young adults whose total household income was near or below the federal poverty level were enrolled in an institute of higher education in 2008, a healthy five percent increase from 2000, and another 11 percent had earned a degree. However, about one in ten of those students “failed to immediately transcend the poverty threshold.” In other words, they passed college but college failed them.
The introduction to the report quotes President Obama's State of the Union Address from January: "[I]n the 21st century, the best anti-poverty program around is a world-class education." Apparently, and unfortunately, things don't appear to be that cut-and-dry for many impoverished young adults. Although higher education opportunities are expanding for poor populations, outcomes are not getting any better. Which raises the question: what good is a college education without a positive outcome?
There are a lot of surprising statistics in the report that are begging for explanation. (White low-income students are twice as likely as African Americans and Hispanics to remain poor after graduation? Really?) Future reports in the series, which is being funded by the Gates Foundation, will examine educational aspirations, academic preparation, movement in and between schools, and financial aid and debt burdens among low-income young adults to give all of us a better understanding of what's going on here so we can try and address the problem(s).
Even for young adults not coming from low-income backgrounds, college is expensive and may not be worth it in this economy. If we don't start improving educational outcomes for poor students, college might start to seem like a worthless pursuit for everyone – and I don't think that's a road any of us want the country to go down. Gregory S. Kienzl, director of research and evaluation at IHEP, summed it up best: "If you have a degree, you should no longer be poor."
Not if the degree is in women’s or ethnic studies!
“a” college degree?
No...
You have to have useful skills and education that is in demand.
Not much demand for “insert your perpetually aggrieved group” studies degrees.
Not surprising since most college degrees are less valuable than an equal amount of toilet paper.
Who would even think of going into debt for such worthless degees?
College degrees officially jumped the shark when people spent $30K a year in tuition to qualify for a $25K a year job after they graduate. Aside from SOME BA degrees, and engineering/math/science degrees, most aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on.
People whose self worth is totally consumed with what people think of them and how much they “care”.
Depends on the degree. But I’ll say this - a good set of pipe wrenches and other assorted plumbing tools will do better at keeping one out of poverty than will many college degrees.
It is racist to apply simple cost-benefit analysis to a college education, don’t you know?
Education= Indoctrination!
A degree is now less and less even a work permit excluding those w/o a degree...
The only education is self-education.
A college degree is only a tool, not a guarantee.
I relate this often, but I was at a baby shower with my wife a few years back. There were a lot of “professional educators” there.
You should have seen the looks of shock and gasps of disbelief when I said “not everyone is fit for college, you know”.
I’ve taught math, physics, and EE at the undergrad and grad level for quite a few years. Given the present environment here in the states, I really don’t know if I’d encourage any student to pursue science or engineering.
Also, I respectfully suggest a change of nomenclature for college “professors”. I shudder when I find that some idiot with a degree in upgraded marshmallow coloring is called “professor” - the same prefix that I was honored and privileged to have.
Its called "Affirmative Action", and they are now a large portion of the government. I have a black female "supervisor" with a masters degree and she can barely read. (she has no clue what I do) I'm not kidding. PS, I'm a mechanic/technician w/o college but with years of Vo-Tech Schools.
I know a gentleman with a MBA from Notre Dame, now working at $8 an hour. A degree is only part of the equation. It’s how many are looking for the same job, work ethic, overall market demand, etc. A degree is a guarantee of nothing other than that the person spend 4 years or more pursuing an education. Beyond that, nothing.
failed to immediately transcend the poverty threshold.”
Ummm. Very few college grads IMMEDIATELY transcend the poverty threshold. Have to find a job, get out of debt, perhaps travel. Who are they kidding
Statistics in the hands of liars.
ambition + degree = success.
Huh??? Perhaps "if you go to college and learn skills in something useful (and can follow instructions, read and perform simple calculations) ... but what does a degree in Art History or Women's Studies prepare someone for that a high school diploma doesn't????
Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are college dropouts who seem to have done OK. I don't think the lack of a degree has held them back too much.
“work permit for excluding those” without the “right” ideology.
This has been the goal of all these “race to the top”, “no child left behind”, “goals 2000”, and “outcome based education” programs. By the way, these are all the same, just have different names.
Students soon will be screened and channelled based on ideology revealing tests - if you’re a Christian, you’ll be channelled to some labor job. If you’re a nihilist government worshipper, you’ll be channelled to some leadership occupation.
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