Friday, September 27, 2013

College isn't for everyone


Let's stop assuming that "everyone" should go to college.

Only 43% of the high school students who took SATs  this year scored high enough to be successful at the college level.

This isn't a new finding. The College Board, which administers the SAT, has made similar reports for years.

The average score on the SAT is about 1500, as a total for all three sections of the test.

The College Board says a student needs at least a 1550 score to have a really good shot at grades of B- or higher in college….and in case you're old enough to be able to argue that a "C" student is getting average grades, you ain't seen what grade inflation has done to GPAs in the last couple decades. Trust me, you have to turn in a really, really disappointing performance to consistently get "Cs" in college.


So, bottom line is, the College Board reports the obvious: the average high school student, even one who's a teensy bit better than average, isn't prepared to do well in a college that's focused on a higher level of learning and at least a serious nod toward the classic ideal of a liberal arts education.

Let's stop assuming that "everyone" should go to college. Let's make big improvements right now in professional and career training after high school that doesn't require a traditional four-year degree.


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