Trying to keep up

Children grow up understanding that they are supposed to spend 13 years in school and then, if they continue after high school, they have another four years to go. Unfortunately, graduation rates have been declining; some students take longer than four years and some students drop out before graduating.

The Chronicle of Higher Education did an analysis of almost 1,400 colleges and universities across the country, which showed that one-third of four-year colleges reported lower graduation rates for the six-year period at the end of 2008 as compared to the end period of 2003.

The statistics only apply to students who are first-time, full-time students and students who complete a bachelor’s degree within the first six years. These statistics do not include students who transfer in or out of the respective institutions.

While this data may not be the most accurate, according to The Chronicle it leaves out 50 percent of students—these kinds of statistics are still important to look at.

We live in a world where a bachelor’s degree is becoming the new high school diploma and a master’s degree is becoming the new bachelor’s degree. Unfortunately, in this world, tuition is also constantly rising. College is becoming more of a necessity, while also becoming more of a luxury.

The decline in graduation rates could be due to a number of reasons. More people may be starting out at community colleges and then transferring to four-year schools to save money. People are taking longer, trying to work to pay for school while also trying to attend classes. People may also be starting out at an out-of-state school or even a private option before realizing that they are too expensive to attend, so they transfer to somewhere more affordable.

Many people enter college who are not mature enough to handle the responsibility of being in college. That is part of the reason many students drop out during or right after their freshman year. They are presented with new responsibilities and often live with their friends and peers in the first year. When students are given a choice between going to class and doing homework versus hanging out with their friends and drinking, they often pick the latter, not thinking about the repercussions of their actions.

While these statistics do ignore a significant number of the students enrolled in the colleges and universities studied, they still say something important. Graduation rates are important and need to begin receiving the attention that they deserve. Something must be done for students so that graduation rates can improve.

There are some things that schools can do to help retain students for graduation. For example, one thing that universities could try to do to help keep students in their institution, and to help them graduate, is to assign a designated academic advisor to each student at the beginning of their freshman year. There are some schools that do not assign academic advisors, or the schools make the students search for one if they want an advisor. Having an advisor to help with registration, financial aid and graduation would be very beneficial to students.

A study at Cornell University reported that schools that spent more funds on student services, such as advising or tutoring, retained more students for graduation. Often times, students are confused about their financial aid. It would be beneficial to have some kind of workshop every year or a financial aid advisor for students to explain what their financial aid package does and how to find other means of paying for college.

With the decline in graduation rates, it is time to take action. It is horrible for someone to not be able to complete a degree due to circumstances such as money. The students in colleges and universities across the country right now are the future. If they need a little extra help to walk across that stage and receive their diploma, then so be it. Graduation rates are not something that can be ignored. ?