Bridging the Gaps: College Pathways to Career Success
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.41 (968 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0871547430 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 176 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2017-01-04 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Bridging the Gaps analyzes the many obstacles to realizing the worthy goals of millions of American students who are tripped up by institutional reliance on test scores, discouraging forms of remedial education, and advising systems that fail to reach the students who need them most. The authors tell us why this is the case and, more importantly, what we have to do to remedy the situation for the good of our young people, mature students, the labor market, and employers who need a skilled workforce. “Community colleges have long been the neglected stepchild of higher education in America. Newman, provost, senior vice chancellor for academic affairs, and Torrey Little Professor of Sociology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst . They are the institutions that absorb millions of less affluent students,
Bridging the Gaps shows how colleges can create new pathways for non-traditional students to achieve success in their schooling and careers. Most high school students today express a desire to attend college, and 90% of on-time high school graduates enroll in higher education in the eight years following high school. College-for-all has become the new American dream. Yet, degree completion rates remain low for non-traditional students—students who are older, low-income, or have poor academic achievement—even at community colleges that endeavor to serve them. Bridging the Gaps shows that when community colleges overemphasize bachelor’s degrees, they tend to funnel resources into remedial programs, and try to get low-performing students on track for a BA. Yet, remedial programs have inconsistent success rates and can create unrealistic expectations, leading struggling students to drop out before completing any degree. Sub-BA credentials can be completed at community college in less time than bachelor’s degrees, making them an affordable option for many low-income students. What can colleges do to reduce dropouts? In Bridging the Gaps, education scholars James Rosenbaum, Caitlin Ah