It’s not often that those outside of higher education reform circles question the establishment line that the country needs more college graduates. “College for All” seems to be the mantra for most university leaders, journalists, and policymakers. But things may be changing.
In this week’s Pope Center Clarion Call, George Leef highlights two articles in a recent Chronicle of Higher Education issue that challenge traditional thinking about college completion. “This is about the same as if Bernie Sanders said during a campaign rally, ‘Look people, I recently read a book by Milton Friedman that makes a lot of very strong arguments against socialism, so I’m rethinking much of my platform,” writes Leef.
The good news, according to Leef, is that as more people are beginning to question the value of college, more alternatives to the traditional four-year experience are cropping up and providing practical training that can lead to well-paying careers. “In short, we’re seeing a move away from government educational planning and toward the spontaneous order of the free market,” he writes.