Where Degrees Go to Die (Part One)
I get a regular email from the Chronicle of Higher Education about “trending” articles. Some are interesting, some pedantic, and others make my hair stand on end. There is irony in the fact that this full article will NOT download for some reason. The good news is that they placed a link to their primary source material in the second paragraph. AHA! We know millions start college and DON’T graduate. But this is the first time I have seen a NUMBER. Here’s the Headline to the unloadable article.
“39 Million Americans Went to College but Didn’t Earn a Degree.”
It’s a good thing I was already sitting down. I had NO IDEA it was that high. And, I learned a new acronym- SCNC (Some College, No Credential).
This report was for the 2020/21 academic year, right in the middle of the Pandemic. That explains it all, as far as I am concerned. Everyone was in survival mode. Students were trying to navigate in-person, then Zoom, then family & work issues, potential illness, etc. It was a total fiasco and statistically should not count.
What I can’t ignore is the previously reported number, of just above 36 million. That is pre-Pandemic. That is 10% of our entire country’s population, but over 20% of the working population of our country. How is it possible that these many people have STARTED a degree path, and not finished?
So, what are the reasons for this number? While there are many, they can be classified into roughly four core issues: Financial Challenges, Academic Preparedness, Personal Readiness, & College Itself.
Over the next few weeks, I will explore each category as one of my weekly blogs. I will try to detail the issues AND offer ideas for improving or strengthening the chances of overcoming them.
Before you read each blog, will you give yourself a quick grade on that topic? Don’t over think, just be real. Then, as you read about options, please take the time to consider them and what needs to be done to look into them. Some College, No Credential (SCNC) almost always includes college loans that impact your life for decades.
Please see this as a chance to improve your student’s odds of graduating with a degree. She/He needs all the help you can offer them. Simply put, the odds of graduating WITH a degree of any kind is all over the map.
Let’s expose the issues that can take away the dream of earning that degree, and look for good
Until Next Time,
All My Best,
Bonnie Burkett
