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| image courtesy: bit.ly/14w4wGH |
People are thinking otherwise as President Obama speaks
about introducing the newest academic reform idea which is said to cut it low
on educational costs. His idea is to help several families financially so that
budding students can achieve academic success through cost-effective
educational programmes. While giving his statement, Obama has included that his
administration is all set to come up with a system that will rate universities
and colleges in order to determine whether a particular institution can be
linked with federal student aid or not. He said that the administration’s
initiative is all likely to become effective from the year 2018.
However, questions pertaining to the same are doing rounds
everywhere across the United States of America. Like for example the Catholic
University’s president, John Garvey has said that when Nick Anderson, his
colleague has asked other university presidents about what they feel regarding
Obama’s plan he received mixed answers. Furthermore, Anderson has said that
Obama’s new plan will hardly make it big since no one is too sure whether the
plan will work or not. In fact he has clearly said that the federal government’s
intervention into the academic field and that too its attempts to link federal
aids with colleges and universities will least likely impress people.
In fact Anderson personally feels that the entire
proposition may turn out disastrous because it is not quite a good idea to have
the government involved in intellectual matters. The different points that are
most likely to be considered during a rating scheme are discussed below:
· The average number of pupils getting Pell grants
· Transfer rates
· Graduation rates
· Average scholarship, tuition and loan debts
· The amount graduates are deemed to earn after completing education
· Advanced degrees earned by college graduates
Furthermore researches have been conducted on various
aspects, after evaluating which, most academicians have come to the conclusion
that:
1. The huge number of transfer rates is because of the learning environment of the school in which students are enrolling. After studying for some time pupils are discovering that the learning environment is not suitable for them. They are thus transferring to other schools where they think that the academic environment is better.
2. Despite knowing that public subsidies determine the tutoring facilities offered by a public school, the Government has cut the funding to a great extent; thus letting these schools suffer. The point is whether it is right to evaluate a school through metrics which have been affected by the legislature.
3. Even determining the graduation rates has become tougher. The real problem lies with the fact that graduation rates are mostly calculated on first-time and full time basis. So, students who have changed schools or those who look for a fresh enrolment are hardly considered in the list.
White House’s fact sheet focuses on upcoming ratings. According
to this fact sheet colleges are compared to similar institutions. Alongside
this, the fact sheet also considers colleges that provide efforts to help
students hailing from weak financial status; and also academic institutions
that are showing remarkable performances. It is believed that the government’s
interference in cutting academic costs by rating colleges is surely not going
to help student or institutions.
source: http://wapo.st/1fwVHkP
