College for the Rich

The NY Times has a discussion today on how hard it is to get into selective colleges these days.  I realize that this newspaper caters to the affluent.  Yet the reality is that a very large percentage of U.S. college bound students don't go to the Ivy Leagues.  The story of college in this country is about the colleges that are off the list of 10 Best....

So maybe there should be talk about what kind of education students get at "regular" universities?  There are often complaints about over spending or excessive focus on sports ($), but how about some studies on what you average American college student experiences?

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The Rich-Poor Divide Widens

September 12, 2010 - New York Times

by Jane Wellman is executive director of the Delta Cost Project.

Rising college selectivity doesn’t mean that students are smarter and more serious than in the past, although a few clearly are. It’s a function of excess demand for higher education, occurring at a time of increased financial privatization of the industry.

Rising college selectivity is the result of excess demand, occurring at a time of financial privatization.

The recession has only increased demand. The vast majority of students aren’t going to college because of a thirst for knowledge, or even for the cultural and social adventure they hope to have. They’re there because they need a job, and they need to get the credentials – and, one hopes, the knowledge and skills behind the credentials – that will get them into the labor market....link