WASHINGTON: An independent report says the U.S. has been able to make improvements in preparing students for their college education, but it has fallen behind other nations in its college enrollment and completion rates, as the affordability of American colleges and universities has declined.
The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education's biennial study is intended to determine how effective higher education is, especially how it is useful to the general public. For the first time, the center compared national and state performances with those of 26 other countries in the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, notably Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and Turkey. Its report says although the U.S. continues to lead in the share of people in the age group of 35 to 64 possessing a college degree, it ranks seventh among 25- to 34-year-olds with college degrees. This is clear indication that once the well-educated baby boom generation retires, the country will have a dearth of college-trained workers to take over from them.
Describing completion of college studies as the Achilles heel of American higher education, Patrick M. Callan, president of the center, said younger Americans — the most diverse generation in the nation's history — are lagging educationally, compared with the baby boom generation. "Perhaps for the first time in our history, the next generation will be less educated.''
The U.S. is ranked fifth in college participation rates, but it is behind several other countries in raising the rates, the report, titled "Measuring Up 2006: The National Report Card on Higher Education," said.
The report also indicated that increases in tuition fees, along with reduced financial aid, lead to a flat growth in participation rates. James Hunt, chairman of the board of the center and former North Carolina Governor, says for most American families, college affordability has continued to deteriorate.
The report used a range of measurements to give the U.S. states grades, from A to F, on the performance of their public and private colleges. It also evolved an affordability grade, based on what percentage of the average family's income it costs to go to college. Accordingly, 43 states received Fs for affordability, up from 36 two years ago. The others got Ds, except Utah and California, both having got Cs.
The report found that the proportion of family income needed to pay net college costs (after taking care of student financial aid except loans), at public college for four-year courses has grown from 28 per cent to 42 per cent in Ohio, from 18 per cent to 30 per cent in Iowa, from 25 per cent to 36 per cent in Oregon and from 20 per cent to 31 per cent in Washington states.
The report brings out an income-stratified society, with a huge educational gap between low- and high-income young adults. In 12 states, the proportion of 18- to 24-year-olds from high-income families who are enrolled in college is at least twice as great as those from low-income families; in five states, the high-income students are at least three times as likely to be in college.
Another factor brought out by the study showed that colleges largely used their own funds, which make up the largest portion of financial aid, largely to lure high-achieving students in order to enhance the colleges' reputation. But normally, such students do not need help to enroll in colleges.
Colleges were found to give grants to 36 per cent of their students from families earning $20,000 per year or less. These grants averaged $4,700. But, the colleges also gave grant aid to 29 per cent of students from families earning $100,000 or more. Surprisingly, these grants were at a higher level -- on an average of $6,200.
The report says, while other nations have been found to have improved and expanded their higher education systems, the U.S. higher education performance has stalled since the early 1990s.
There are also issues relating to ethnic difference in college enrolment, the report pointed out. Four states had twice the percentage of white students in college as nonwhite students.
The report is the fourth in the center's series of assessments of national and state performance, which it produces every two years.
