Is it possible to get through university if your literacy rate is less than proficient? Should it be possible? And should universities accept students who can’t operate at a proficient level?
This editorial in USA Today Unaccountable U suggests that the answer to all of the above questions is “yes:”
A 2006 study sponsored by the Pew Charitable Trusts found shockingly low literacy among students at four-year colleges, with only half testing at a proficient level. This is partly because colleges are accepting more students, inevitably with lesser skills, but they face little accountability for raising those skills.
It seems that these colleges are taking the money and running:
… college costs continue to skyrocket beyond the overall rate of inflation. Last year, average tuition, fees, and room and board at private, four-year colleges reached $30,367. For in-state students at public colleges, the total was $12,796. Passing along costs is easier than controlling them.
