Four years ago, two of the most influential researchers in higher education dove into a huge pool of data hoping to answer a bedeviling question: Why do so many students who start college fail to graduate?
In part I of this blog series, we must first understand how and why students choose to enroll at certain universities.
One idea the authors discussed is the term “undermatching,” which suggest that a large number of well-qualified high school seniors with credentials are choosing less selective schools, two year schools, or none at all.
In essence, “undermatched” students’ trade in high loan repayments/debt for easier grades in addition to taking a longer time to navigate through college and eventually graduating at a rate 15 points lower than comparably prepared students who went to more selective schools.
Many reasons I’m sure come in to play to students choosing a school including staying close to home and a lack of financial resources. However it’s important to know that many of your state supportive selective schools (ex. UNC) are not as pricey as some private schools across the state (ex. Shaw University). Ultimately, the authors suggest that it all boils down to inertia (resistance to change), lack of information, lack of forward engagement, lack of encouragement.
The data suggest low-income and minority students, and especially those whose parents don't complete college, are especially susceptible.
Therefore it’s important for young people navigating their way through the college application/selection process to do a thorough review before making a decision that will ultimately impact the rest of your life.
In part I of this blog series, we must first understand how and why students choose to enroll at certain universities.
One idea the authors discussed is the term “undermatching,” which suggest that a large number of well-qualified high school seniors with credentials are choosing less selective schools, two year schools, or none at all.
In essence, “undermatched” students’ trade in high loan repayments/debt for easier grades in addition to taking a longer time to navigate through college and eventually graduating at a rate 15 points lower than comparably prepared students who went to more selective schools.
Many reasons I’m sure come in to play to students choosing a school including staying close to home and a lack of financial resources. However it’s important to know that many of your state supportive selective schools (ex. UNC) are not as pricey as some private schools across the state (ex. Shaw University). Ultimately, the authors suggest that it all boils down to inertia (resistance to change), lack of information, lack of forward engagement, lack of encouragement.
The data suggest low-income and minority students, and especially those whose parents don't complete college, are especially susceptible.
Therefore it’s important for young people navigating their way through the college application/selection process to do a thorough review before making a decision that will ultimately impact the rest of your life.
sometimes you dont know how well you will do until you are in that situation... as a new student there are so many things that universities offer like campus activites, social groups, clubs, sports...etc. you dont know how involved you will be.
ReplyDeletei think its most important to find the college that fits you and in the first year or even semester you notice its not a good fit... find on that is, dont just quit.
is there data that shows the number of students that transfer and end up finishing?