It's easy to point to various symptoms and declare them the problem. High dropout rates, as high as 50% for some cities or 1/3 for some states, are often pointed out as the problem, but really they're more symptomatic of the issue.
The problem in many ways is that the schools aren't addressing the needs of the students. There is a huge emphasis on sending kids to college, no matter their aptitudes or interests.
A college education is a wonderful thing for many people. It makes great jobs available to them and on average increases their income. But it is not the road to every job, and not every child wishes for a job that requires a college education.
Don't get me wrong. Every child should have the opportunity to choose to go to college. But if their interests and aptitudes are elsewhere, shouldn't that be encouraged?
This can be tough. The trades and vocational skills lack the status of a college education. I doubt there are many people who expect that to change. This is true even though these are vital skills and those who have them can have good careers and be experts in their field.
The educational system has more problems than just how to best teach children. Many of the problems in the schools relate to students' home life. Uninvolved parents are an issue as well, but not one that the schools themselves can easily address.
Perhaps the greatest challenge comes from figuring out how to route children appropriately in school. At what age do children know what they want from school, much less their lives? How can the system be flexible enough to cope with uncertain and changing interests.
Sound impossible?
Absolutely it's impossible as the schools are now, and changing them won't be easy. It will take a long time to figure out how to implement a workable solution. Figuring this out doesn't mean changing everything at once. Better would be to try changing things carefully.
The focus on making college education available to all has driven us to focus almost to exclusion on getting children to the point where they can go to college. But this ignores the needs of many students who are not well served by such a focus. To improve our schools we need to work on serving the needs of all of the children, not just the ones heading to college.
Most people will agree than a college degree is the most important factor in securing your future. Receiving an education from a college or university allows you to have a career that might otherwise be out of your reach. One of the stumbling blocks many prospective students come across is finding the funds to pay for their college education. A college degree isn't cheap and someone needs to pay for it. You need to decide if it will be you or someone else.
Scholarships A scholarship is typically a merit-based monetary award provided by a college or a foundation based upon some predetermined criteria. Scholarships are not only for great athletes or excellent students. There are many scholarships available based upon community service, standardized test scores or other criteria.
Scholarships don't have to be repaid, which is the good thing. Some scholarships are one-time awards and others may be renewable yearly. Most renewable scholarships require students to maintain a certain grade point average. Otherwise, the scholarship may be lost.
Grants Grants can be given out by the government or by private organizations. The main difference between a scholarship and a grant is that grants are usually awarded based upon financial need or some other type of criteria other than scholastic achievement. However, there are some exceptions.
Most grants awarded by the government are based upon need. It must be determined that you cannot pay for college on your own, based upon your family income and the cost of the education.
There are a limited number of grants available, so not all applicatns will receive a grant.
Military Funding If you, your spouse, or either of your parents are currently members of a branch of the military, or have been military members in the past, you may be eligible for military funding for your education. Military funding is similar to scholarships and grants in that it does not need to be repaid.
To find out if you are eligible for military funding for your college education, check with your commanding officer.
College Fund Your parents or other relatives may have set up a college fund for you. A college fund is contributed to over the course of several years and it is used when you decide to enroll in college.
The amount of money in your college fund may not cover all your college expenses. If it is not enough, you can suppliment it with another source of funds.
Student Loans Taking out a loan is one of the last ways you can fund your college education. The main drawback of student loans versus other funding is that the loans must be paid back once you receive your degree. usually the benefits of your education will greatly outweigh the cost of the loan, making it a realistic way of funding your higher education.
Both Stephanie Foster & Peter Kenny are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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