TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Are The Cost And Effort For A College Degree Worth It?

ADVERTISEMENT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 17, 2008

Nation Needs Those Skills

Regarding "College Degrees a Waste Of Time, Money" (Commentary, May 11):

What an especially unfortunate choice of commentaries to print at a time when the United States, in comparison to many other countries, is experiencing a falloff in the numbers of science, mathematics and engineering graduates.

It is true that college completion rates vary widely due to many different factors. High costs are one reason, and also the fact that too many students are not prepared to jump into college-level coursework immediately after high school. This certainly should not lead us to the conclusion, however, that seeking a college degree is not worth it.

A college-educated person has a higher earning potential over a lifetime and a lower chance of becoming unemployed. Anyone may check these facts in census or labor statistics studies. Let us also consider society's critical need for an educated citizenry that possesses high levels of reading, writing, technical and critical thinking skills, as well as a passion for arts and civic affairs.

KAREN FULL

Tampa

Enhance High Schools

I found Marty Nemko's commentary on the declining value of a college degree fascinating. As a teacher of struggling readers, I think it is tragic that we shove kids into a college prep track knowing full well many of them will never attend college and if they do they will be woefully unprepared to succeed.

But even as statistics such as the ones Nemko cites become known and colleges raise tuition prices and admission standards beyond the reach of most high school students, schools cut options for students, forcing more and more of them into a college-prep curriculum that is a dead end for most.

The high school I work at is losing both the wood shop and cosmetology programs at the end of this school year. Although I'm sure the district would find other reasons, the bottom line for this is money. It's a lot cheaper and less of a liability on the district to have a traditional classroom than it is to have a wood shop or cosmetology program, but the cost to our community is tremendous.

There are a large number of students who are "problem children" in traditional classrooms who excel in industrial arts programs because they know they will never attend college and are smart enough to see what our educational leaders do not: college prep classes are a waste of time for them. TOM DuSOLD

Tampa

Decide Path Early On

My husband and I talk often about the problems with our public schools, so I am prompted to respond to Marty Nemko's column.

Not all students are college material. In order to promote the best education for all our students and for the good of our economy going forward, this is what we propose.

Commencing with middle school, the students and parents should be advised that during those three years the students will be evaluated and tested for academic aptitude. Those students who are deemed to be college material and have the grades and test scores will then be placed with like-minded students in order that they may achieve to the highest level curriculums with emphasis on science and math. Those students who are not making the grades, should be tracked for vocational training.

Tampa Bay Technical High School in Tampa is a prime example of this type of education. You have the magnet school for the academically minded, college-bound students and the vocational schools for those who will learn a skill. This gives students who are not academically motivated the employment skills to enter the work force upon high school graduation.

This system would give all students an opportunity for employment upon high school graduation, especially those who are not college-bound anyway.

JOY SWEENEY

Tampa

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT