'The reckoning is here': More than a third of community college students have vanished

[dalton99a]

Last edited Mon Apr 3, 2023, 07:16 PM - Edit history (1)

https://hechingerreport.org/the-reckoning-is-here-more-than-a-third-of-community-college-students-have-vanished/

‘The reckoning is here’: More than a third of community college students have vanished
Among those who do enroll, red tape and a lack of support are crushing their ambitions
by Jon Marcus
April 3, 2023

...

With scant advising, many community college students spend time and money on courses that won’t transfer or that they don’t need. Though most intend to move on to get bachelor’s degrees, only a small fraction succeed; fewer than half earn any kind of a credential. Even if they do, a new survey finds that most employers don’t believe they’re ready for the workforce.

Even though community colleges are far cheaper than four-year schools — published tuition and fees last year averaged $3,860, versus $39,400 at private and $10,940 at public four-year universities, with many states making community college free and President Joe Biden proposing free community college nationwide — consumers are abandoning them in droves.

“The reckoning is here,” said Davis Jenkins, senior research scholar at the Community College Research Center, or CCRC, at Teachers College, Columbia University. (The Hechinger Report, which produced this story, is an independent unit of Teachers College.)

Although the enrollment drop-off sped up during the Covid-19 pandemic, it started long before then. The number of students at community colleges has fallen 37 percent since 2010, or by nearly 2.6 million, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

...

[Shermann]

1. "AI for Workforce" is bizarre

Why train entry-level developers for jobs working on the most complex of all computer science problems? These are the same senior-level jobs that the computer science BS's and PhD's will be gunning for.

"Websites for Workforce" would make more sense. Or "Databases for Workforce". Anything but AI.

[MichMan]

2. Likely quite a few will either downsize and lay off staff or close altogether

[Freethinker65]

3. Many community colleges offer two year associate degrees.

Many of those degrees or certificate programs, by themselves, are not especially more helpful in obtaining employment than had the student had two years work experience in the field instead. So, one can either learn on the job while earning some money, or pay money to learn many of the same concepts and skills in school.

Getting an associates degree, while knocking out pre-requisites that can be applied to a four year degree, is such a great opportunity. I hope more students are encouraged to take this path if they want/need a four year degree.

My son dropped out of a four year school when I pulled the plug on financing his "lack of academic progress". He was in music school and I have encouraged him to, at a minimum, apply those credits towards a two year associates degree. He has taken a few classes at the community college, but honestly sees not much value in his current career path to earning a degree. While I know a degree isn't needed, I am still a bit disappointed.

I am probably over-educated for the path I took in life, but I have never regretted my college education.

[mopinko]

4. i wonder how many ppl arent interested in a degree.

thing about cc’s is it’s a great place to take a few classes in something of interest to you, whether for a job, or just your own improvement.

[MichMan]

6. It's also an extremely affordable way to earn 2 years of college credits

without having to take out exorbitant loans. Credits that can be transferred towards a 4 year degree somewhere else. According to the link, few are doing so.

Maybe students would rather take out tens of thousands in loans instead to take the same classes at expensive 4 year colleges.

[onetexan]

8. Precisely. It's quite a viable option for many students and parents worried about financing

the child's education. Some community colleges like the local one in my county have been elevated to College status, and are offering great 4-year engineering & IT degrees and other careers, and tuition is still quite low. Combined with living with mom & dad to save on board & living expenses, the tuition & books cost should be manageable and with financial aid and any scholarship money, students can graduate with low debt or no debt.
I love the fact half of the states have made community college free: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/student-loans/are-community-colleges-free/

[czarjak]

5. All that durned fancy learnin' isn't helpful to Republicans?

[Sibelius Fan]

7. 66% of Americans don't have a college degree of any level.

Young adults today question the need for college, while a minority are busy racking up a six-figure college debt to earn a degree that may or may not get them a decent job. Yet we continue to believe a college degree is mandatory in today’s job market.

[usajumpedtheshark]

9. Not all states have community colleges

For example, South Dakota has four technical institutes with certificate, two-year degrees and some two-year plus programs. The two-year plus programs are articulation agreements with a university or college and allows the student to earn a baccalaureate degree.

Over the past 60 years, the political view of post-secondary education in America has changed from a public good to a personal privilege as states have decreased state funding for colleges and universities and increased tuition and fees. Grants have disappeared from most states over that time and have pushed students to take on loans.