By Bill Murrin
2017
Is “College For All” Really Appropriate?
Many in the political and academic communities argue that our society must pursue a “college for all” scenario. It is believed this is necessary to remain internationally competitive, to provide opportunity for everyone to “rise to the top,” and to eliminate poverty. While there is truth in the need for better education, it does not necessarily follow that there must be more. Quality over quantity, as in most things, is a far better approach to remedying our educational, economic, and social dilemmas. Current leaders are focused on quantity with almost no consideration for quality. As pointed out in my Quality of Education essay regarding efficiencies relative to individuals, quality over quantity provides far greater economic efficiencies for society - an important consideration given the constant battles over resource allocation of any community, regardless of size.
Scott and Cooper (2016) appear to lament the fact that only around one-third of U.S. citizens possess an undergraduate degree, though they do understand it is not for everyone. However, their solution is political manipulation of market forces rather than pursuing the cause of the problem.