By Adriana Harrington, ExcelinEd
This op-ed originally appeared in the Standard-Examiner
Is college worth it?
Teens are debating it on social media. Professors are wondering what it means for their job security. And university administrators are dusting off their marketing plans to make sure they’re not swept up in the recent closure trend.
Based only on the issue of income, the answer to the “worth it” question seems like a resounding yes.
But it’s not the question we should be asking. It’s too simple, and it fails to acknowledge the many successful pathways presented to students in high school, from technical schools to industry-recognized credentials to two-year and four-year colleges. The better question is how can we improve the collegiate graduation rate for those who choose to pursue higher education?
Longitudinal studies and short-term data bear out the challenge.
A new report released by the Institute for Education Sciences followed 23,000 students who started high school in 2009. While 75% of the students enrolled in college after graduating in 2013, 40% didn’t complete their degree within eight years.
The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center recently reported a 3% decline in the number of undergraduate degree earners in the 2022-23 academic year. That’s the steepest decline ever recorded.
Let’s face it — everyone ends up in a career, but unless we provide learners with the right support during their formative years, they might waste their own time and money going down a path they won’t complete. At ExcelinEd, we believe pathway navigation is a key tool toward helping students figure out what they want to do after high school and how their experience after high school will help them progress towards their goals.
