The Other 85 Percent

Kate Zatz Says:

Mike –
This is really cool. I hope I’m not the only one reading or writing back.
It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on issues like IPEDs reporting when there are so few first-time, full-time students in on-line institutions. We (Capella, APUS et.al.) are doing such a great job helping students complete degrees, it would be a better world if there was more emphasis on those numbers.
Kate

February 6th, 2008 at 12:40 pm

Mike Offerman Says:

Kate, thanks for the comment. And for a great suggestion. I will write a post about IPEDS.

Mike

February 6th, 2008 at 2:31 pm

Joe Pillera Says:

Sir,
Don’t fret over any drop of US students. It should almost be a non-issue to you. Stop and consider some facts:

o You’re an online venue – which makes you global. Or it should.

o China and India are in the beginnings of the American Dream. What do I mean by that? Their standards of living are dramatically increasing. With that increased wealth not only comes an increase in resource utilization, but an educational expectation for both themselves and their children for a better tomorrow.

o The USD (US Dollar) is declining against foreign currencies. Simply put, Capella tuition (as priced in other currencies) is falling – not rising. That makes your product a bargain!

In summary, our global realities today are a tremendous opportunity for Capella – and shouldn’t be viewed as a problem.

Best regards,
Joe Pillera
Capella PhD Learner

February 7th, 2008 at 1:42 pm

Jon Gehrz Says:

Thanks for sharing this article Mike.

It concerns me that this article views federal financial aid as the silver bullet to solving the affordability and college access challenge. Providing advice like “Students whose education-related costs exceed their available federal financial aid may consider private student loans” needs to stop.

Increasingly, there is a sub-population of students/learners/adults who have accrued large federal debt with no means of repayment. The solution; “Students aren’t required to make any payments on their Stafford student loans while they’re still in school (at least half time).” So, increasingly, folks are enrolling in subsequent programs as a means of further deferring repayment and only furthering their cumulative debt and inability to ever better their living situation.

Already, we are seeing the ramifications in that folks are midway through their programs, reaching their aggregate limit and in the position of needing to file for GradPlus loans or come to terms with the reality that they must begin monthly payments of $800-$1000+ for the next 30 years without their originally desired degree. Further forcing the issue, that the additional debt is the only option.

What should we be doing? Yes, absolutely, we should continue to provide access and the opportunity for education and further academic growth, but as an open access institution or collectively, academe as a whole, we would do well to provide further financial counseling similar to retirement planning that brings greater foresight to the individual’s current academic debt and future planning for life after degree program with quantifying what repayment looks like. We need to actively seek partnerships with today’s work force and corporations willing to create aggressive tuition forgiveness programs or willing to establish academic 401k-like repayment, employer matched contribution at the time of program enrollment. And yes, I think we need to be comfortable in saying, no, we don’t want your money, but let us provide you financial counseling that would better position you to come to us in the future and that would increase your odds for program completion and future life success.

Outside of academia, it would be wise to reform GradPlus eligibility criteria and require a modicum of repayment or defer eligibility until a set amount of original Stafford is repaid. It would be good to require further lender responsibility and accountability. Otherwise, while, yes, technically affordable, we have actually only reinforced a learners’ debt and ability to rise above his or her original position.

If we continue on current course, the ramifications will be a generation of retirees on a fixed income with a mortgage-sized education debt and no means of education repayment, increased federal loan defaulting and only further propelling us to fall even further behind collectively. Provide access, yes, but provide access looking past program enrollment.

Jon Gehrz
Advanced Learner Doctoral Advisor

February 8th, 2008 at 1:27 pm

Danette Key Says:

I work for a company that pays 100% tuition reimbursement if you make an A or B. But looking around at the employees who aren’t taking advantage of this wonderful benefit is sad. Americans are paid so well without the degree, they see no need for it.
Pride and self motivation drives me to earn and feel proud I did it, AFTER I raised my boys. It would have been easier as a young adult to go through this, but alas, that was not my focus then.
I wonder if we didn’t pay so much for no education if this would be more of a motivation for others. Long time employees wonder why the new kid gets the promotion and not the experienced worker. It boggles their mind. Experience is important, but they don’t understand that education is the vehicle that gets them further along than just being an “experienced worker”.

February 8th, 2008 at 9:30 pm

Marjory J Munson Says:

Two and a half years ago, at age 69, I went back to school online to finish my Bachelor’s degree. I did that, then continued and received a Master’s. Now, I am enrolled in a PhD program at Capella. I plan to use my new degrees as an online instructor. I very much enjoy the online format and do not find it distancing. In fact, there is more contact with instructors and other learners in this format than when I went to school on a very large campus many years ago.

February 11th, 2008 at 1:40 pm

Joe Pillera Says:

Danette,
When you say “employees who aren’t taking advantage of this wonderful benefit is sad” I agree 100%. I know it sounds negative, but I sincerely believe it to be true: the work ethic is largely gone in America now.

Very frankly, I think opportunity now exists much more offshore than it does here. Many of our fellow Americans are both in deep in debt and lazy.

That would make focusing on delivering education globally a much more profitable venture. See what I mean?

Best,

Joe Pillera
Capella PhD Learner

February 13th, 2008 at 8:29 am

Will Deyamport Says:

First and foremost, career centers must become a fixture at rural and urban schools. There are far too many students who are not being served by their guidance counselors. Add to that an uneducated social, communal, and familial circle of influence and you have more than children being left behind, you have generations being left behind.

Will

February 13th, 2008 at 3:47 pm

Len Pellman Says:

Last year at a meeting of the College Board I publicly took exception to a statement by the College Board’s president that the U.S. needs to make sure every child goes to college. My response was, “To what end? Will the foreign countries in which the majority of new knowledge work is being created welcome immigrants from the U.S. to take those jobs? If not, then what is the purpose of preparing people for them?”

Every study I’ve read recently suggests that the majority of jobs in coming decades in the U.S. will be in personal services (hair care, automotive care, medical technicians, etc.) that require vocational education; not liberal arts education. These are the only remaining fields in which the U.S. remains globally competitive. Knowledge work is being exported to countries with lower labor costs and higher academic standards. My grandkids won’t need a college degree to mow some movie star’s lawn, will they?

Instead of forcing every child into college, like a square peg into a round hole, we need to develop an effective system of vocational education in the U.S. to provide a viable alternative for the 85% of the population who won’t need a liberal arts degree.

February 20th, 2008 at 3:10 pm

Mike Offerman Says:

Len, thanks for your post and for offering an interesting perspective. Certainly there is a need for increased vocational education. But, I also think there is a need for increased professional higher education. That is what adult serving institutions tend to offer and they do that by working with the professions to identify where there is projected job growth or opportunity.

You are absolutely right that we should not encourage people into programs where there will not be jobs. While I am not ready to dismiss the need for liberal arts education, I agree that we must be realistic about career prospects. And, I would not want to move so completely toward vocational education that we create a self-fulfilling prophecy for our children and grandchildren.

February 22nd, 2008 at 7:46 am

Canela Arechiga Says:

Hi, I find this all interesting and it frustrates me to no end that the place where education is the focus (schools) does not offer to pay for educators to further their education. I do get $400.00 and that is more than many receive but with the push of NCLB and being highly qualified that normally goes elsewhere. I am in dissertation and I have thought about giving up because the costs just keep increasing and the total amount of my loans is very scary.

It is tough to model the idea of being a lifelong learner for my students when the public school system doesn’t even seem to support it. I believe we would all agree that teacher pay is falling farther and farther behind. Trying to pay back student loans is very difficult and many just can’t afford to further their education.

I know teachers that haven’t taken a class since the 70’s. I find that a travesty but I understand some of the reasons behind their lack of desire to continue to educate themselves so they may offer the best service they can to their students.

March 28th, 2008 at 12:06 pm

Lisa Says:

Are we falling behind? What should we be doing? What are the ramifications if we don’t?
I am very concerned with Americans not pursuing degrees and becoming content with high school diploma’s. Many students are content with a two year degree and refuse to seek more. We have developed a culture that no longer seeks high achievement. With the influx of migration and the pull factors bring more Asian, African, and Philippine professionals to our country we are going to have a society where migrants are in control of our economy.
One person wrote that his grandchildren will need a trade based on companies relocating over seas. I agree if we don’t encourage and develop programs to educate our youth in the high tech math and science careers.
The ramifications are great for America and I hope we do not live in a world that we are renting our buildings from foriegn countries.

March 28th, 2008 at 2:59 pm

Orin F Says:

The answer is not more degrees. The answer is vocational and specialized education that gives people the tools to make a living. The problem with liberal arts education is that it helps you think but it does not teach you to earn a living.

July 16th, 2009 at 6:30 pm