Page 73 - Crisis in Higher Education

3

Underlying Problems: Quality,

Access, Graduation Rate,

Completion Time, and Jobs

Out-of-control cost is a critical problem for higher education because it
contributes significantly to other problems. High cost (1) increases bar-
riers for applicants from middle- and low-income families, (2) puts pres-
sure on students to work more while in school, which takes time away
from studying, reduces student learning so education quality declines and
graduates are less qualified for jobs, and increases the likelihood of failure
or dropping out, and (3) lengthens completion time because students take
fewer courses in a semester to save money or leave school for a semester or
longer to earn money. But there is more than just high cost; other factors
affect quality, access, graduate rate, completion time, and job placement.
When most people examine higher education in the United States, they
see a strong and highly effective system that is envied by other countries,
and there is evidence to back this up. For decades, large numbers of stu-
1
dents from other countries have come to the United States seeking under-
graduate and graduate degrees and many have stayed to find jobs and
raise families. Often, this infusion of talent is from underdeveloped and
developing countries where educational infrastructure and capabilities
are not as strong as in the United States. Foreign applicants see opportu-
nities here that may not be available in their home countries. However, as
countries develop and mature, their higher education systems improve,
so the universities in developed countries have closed the gap on U.S.
universities. The crisis in higher education is not predominantly a qual-
1
ity problem, but there are identifiable improvements that can and should
be made to enhance the quality of higher education and maintain its
status as the best in the world.

47