Cal State
Funeral Being Held for Higher Ed in California (Getting In)
Amidst California’s budget woes, their higher education system is taking an absolute beating. Today at Cal State Long Beach they are holding a funeral and on the first day of classes (which are normally held today because they are all on the quarter system) many faculty members are talking to students about how to ensure the long-term feasibility of public education in addition to going over syllabi rather than delving right into Shakespeare or supply and demand curves.
This really should be a word of caution to you high school kids though. College is not a right. In recent years admission and financial aid has been relatively easy to come by if you’ve gone through the motions of filing the paperwork on time. Things may be on the cusp of changing. Truthfully, many states have become perhaps a little too inclusive with their higher education schemes in allowing some students that perhaps are not great fits for college into college. And other states have focused all of their energy into putting everyone onto a costly four-year college track rather than realizing that it may not be for everyone and giving students options for less costly vocational tracks (that can often lead to just as, if not as profitable careers). Though talk of changes like these are a ways down the pipeline and don’t help students in college now or those in the applicate process right now. In the meantime, the actions of high school counselors isn’t going to change, yet the number of slots available in public colleges and amount of financial aid money are both going to get smaller. It’s time to get more competitive.
Good thing the school year is still early. A few quick tips this for October:
-Pick a fresh hobby for the winter (especially if you’re in a sport that’s season is ending soon… I’m talking to you, football players!)
-High school juniors, get to know your club and sports advisors and coaches well because this time next year you’ll be asking them for recommendation letters!
-If it’s not too late, make sure you’re in a foreign language (preferably at least in year 2 or 3 of said foreign language, high schoolers!)
And of course, check out that LA Times article on that funeral at CSULB.
Tags: getting in, california, budget cuts, public universities, csulb, cal state, la times, financial aid crisis, california public school, recession
California Dreamin’ (Getting In)
Has California lost their grip on the hopes and dreams of the next generation in a political and financial quagmire? Quite possible.
In today's Los Angeles times, to celebrate the last day to submit applications to the Cal State system, a story about how tough financial times have made it tougher for students to seek higher education, and that the trouble is coming from all angles.
For schools the state is handing them less and less money to educate students. For instructors and staff at universities it's a known fact that new faculty aren't about to get hired on and those still there are likely going to see furlough days if they don't succumb to layoffs. Then there's the students, many of whom in fine arts and humanities fields are finding their course offerings cut dramatically.
One thing mentioned in the article is the envy a Cal State student feels toward a friend that went to a private college. That while she, a drama major at a Cal State can't even get into the classes she needs, her friend has been in two theatrical productions.
What's the goal of this post? The world is changing. I'm betting that state schools are going to begin to cut their fine arts and humanities courses significantly. So while you may have been planning to apply to a whole slate of public schools, maybe you should think about private schools. While private schools are still facing a budget crunch, they are accountable to their students, not to taxpayers and politicians. If you're really dedicated to what you'd like to study, be it English, Economics, or Engineering a small private school could be a better investment in your own human resources.
Though before you make any life-altering decisions, check out the original article. And if you're still unsure or you disagree, send me a comment or submission!
Tags: getting in, budget cuts, private colleges, california state university, small colleges, fine arts, best education value, investing in yourself, human resources, cal state
Are Admissions Standards too Low? (Getting In)
All of this talk about budget cuts and toughening up admissions standards in the California State University system (Cal State) makes me wonder if we’ve been too lenient on college admissions standards for quite some time.
The Cal State system is marginally more difficult to gain admission to than any of California’s public community colleges (which is most of them) and it has by far been the least expensive four-year college option in California. However, with extreme budget cuts something’s got to give. Maybe it really is time to downsize public colleges.
There’s been this perception that college is for the best, most dedicated, and elite students. But anyone that actually goes to college can tell you that it’s not the case. Likewise, there’s this perception that colleges are a great cradle of personal growth and development through education, but a single step into a crowded lecture hall at a Cal State or virtually any public institution might have you thinking twice.
It might not be a bad thing to ramp up admissions standards. People tend to not value what comes to them too easily or what doesn’t cost much. An education that requires work to obtain, both mentally and financially is one that a student will value more deeply because of the sacrifices required. Going to college and getting a degree isn’t meant to be easy, yet with the current trends an undergraduate degree is becoming the new high school diploma.
But the way I see it, for many four to six more years of school on average isn’t making us a better society with a stronger workforce, it’s delaying the inevitable: growing up. It’s also generating a society that feels more entitled. Well I hate to be the one to say it, but simply having a bachelor’s degree doesn’t entitle you to a good paying job and a nice car. In fact, unless you’re willing to put in the extra work and go the extra mile to really put value to your degree it entitles you to nothing except a few more years before you have to grow up.
Furthermore, and your high school counselor probably isn’t about to tell you this, there are lots of jobs out there that do pay well and don’t require a college education or at least not a four-year education. Plumbers, electricians, and car mechanics all make at least $50 per hour and if they’ve got a four-year college degree, it’s for personal enrichment not for their vocation. Indeed if there’s one thing critically wrong with a lot of American high schools it probably is that traditional college is what most schools prepare you for, they do very little to promote vocations or the other respectable, well-paying careers out there that don’t require a bachelor’s degree and that you can essentially walk into with a little bit of training after high school.
So Cal State, this is one person that’s in favor of the toughening of admissions standards. God forbid that we demand excellence and hard work out of students and that they actually earn an education. Indeed, this could be the best economic lesson any of them could learn.
Tags: getting in, community college, budget cuts, california state university, opinion, vocational school, op-ed, cal state, admissions standards, educational value