Comments on: Graduating At-Risk Students and Comparing Completion Rates http://www.theother85percent.com/2009/09/graduating-at-risk-students-and-comparing-completion-rates/ Working adults and the new world of higher education Thu, 20 Jan 2011 03:48:27 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Mike Offerman http://www.theother85percent.com/2009/09/graduating-at-risk-students-and-comparing-completion-rates/comment-page-1/#comment-14437 Mike Offerman Sat, 19 Sep 2009 20:10:47 +0000 http://www.theother85percent.com/?p=197#comment-14437 Thanks for taking time to weigh in Sooner66. I, too, look forward to seeing the final report. Mike Thanks for taking time to weigh in Sooner66. I, too, look forward to seeing the final report.

Mike

]]> By: sooner66 http://www.theother85percent.com/2009/09/graduating-at-risk-students-and-comparing-completion-rates/comment-page-1/#comment-14366 sooner66 Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:49:04 +0000 http://www.theother85percent.com/?p=197#comment-14366 Groups with increased attrition rates have easily identifiable reasons to "fail". Those in the traditional college setting generally have a "cushion" to fall back on - live with parents, adequate financial support from a third party, being raised in an academic minded environment (sometimes), and other similar things. The problem with this is as you have stated, it keeps out the at-risk students and attains high graduation rates. THEN, when a college like Capella gives most EVERYONE a chance to succeed and some (sometimes many) fail, the college is accused of "taking advantage" of at-risk students. So what is the answer? Is the traditional university saying "don't let them in because they will fail and waste their money anyway"? Perhaps, but we all need a chance. I, for one, have a Master's in nursing with a 4.00 GPA and chose Capella because of convenience and an unwillingness to take entrance exams for a PhD. I could "qualify" for admission at any institution. Who cares? However, like many others - I am a worker; there are millions like me who want the opportunity to pursue an education. If they are at-risk and fail at Capella, they probably would have failed at a state university. I, for one, wait with anticipation for the outcome data. Groups with increased attrition rates have easily identifiable reasons to “fail”. Those in the traditional college setting generally have a “cushion” to fall back on – live with parents, adequate financial support from a third party, being raised in an academic minded environment (sometimes), and other similar things. The problem with this is as you have stated, it keeps out the at-risk students and attains high graduation rates. THEN, when a college like Capella gives most EVERYONE a chance to succeed and some (sometimes many) fail, the college is accused of “taking advantage” of at-risk students. So what is the answer? Is the traditional university saying “don’t let them in because they will fail and waste their money anyway”? Perhaps, but we all need a chance. I, for one, have a Master’s in nursing with a 4.00 GPA and chose Capella because of convenience and an unwillingness to take entrance exams for a PhD. I could “qualify” for admission at any institution. Who cares? However, like many others – I am a worker; there are millions like me who want the opportunity to pursue an education. If they are at-risk and fail at Capella, they probably would have failed at a state university. I, for one, wait with anticipation for the outcome data.

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