"Public college education is the greatest investment we can make for the country"

I heard the statement quoted above on my local public radio station and while I understand, and even accept, the sentiments, I do not agree.

News : Baltimore mother accuses school of falsifying son's report card

I was recently sent this video link and was reminded me of something which happened several years ago. I too have a fake transcript.

The cost of a college education

In the last few months, the subject of cancelling (college) student loan debt has been popular and amongst its proponents has been the assetion that "college should be free". But should it? After all, providing an education of any type at any level has a cost which someone has to pay. What this slogan is really declaring is that "someone else shoud pay for my education" which of course raises two interesting questions. (Not begs, but prompts. Begging the question is something else.) The first is "why?" and the second is "who?".

A problem with transcripts

I was speaking with a friend yesterday who has encountered something of a problem. She is the dean of a large "college" at a local state university and last week was sent the list of all professorial and teaching staff associated with her college. This was the official list generated by the university's central human resources department, and clearly it has been some time since this was done since she had not received such a list previously. The problem? Roughly 50% of the records were substantively incorrect.

This is a tricky one

Grade inflation seems to be a recurring favorite among politicians, journalists and educational critics, specially when discussing colleges. Reportedly, the number of high grades goes up year after year and so the obvious inference is that courses are easier, standards are falling or both. Yet the only reports I recall reading are always about top schools like Harvard, Cambridge and Oxford. Perhaps the smart are getting smarter.

Righting a wrong or doing one?

University selection, by the university, is more of an art than a science and it appears that every model has its flaws. The latest approach, from the University of Oxford, involves selecting students based to a large extent on the school they attended. The Universty of Oxford has announced that students from "struggling" schools will still be admitted, even if they do not gain the normally required grades.