It's become more competitive than ever to get into colleges and universities in the United States. Why? The population boom-- along with related problems.
The graduating class of 2008 is facing more anxiety than ever about getting into the schools of their choice. Here's an article from the New York Times that focuses on Connecticut-- but this is a nationwide trend:
Class of 2008 College Entrance Anxieties
Much of this has to do with simple demographics. College students of today-- the so-called Generation Y college students--are members of a baby boom generation. The original Baby Boom generation, born between 1946-1966, consisted of children born to those returning from the service and starting a family. The oldest of the Baby Boomers are retiring, and everyone's in a frenzy about the economic consequences of this huge generation on Social Security.
But that's not the only crisis. The Baby Boomers had a generation of babies of their own, and these kids are going to college now and facing a daunting application pool. And other factors are at work as well. The price of a college education is monumentally more expensive than it was after World War II. Even without the G.I. Bill, which helped thousands of servicemen pay for college, the post-war price of education was much more within the reach of families and individuals. Today, there's more competition than ever for scarce financial resources, making college out of reach for many.
Another problem is today's notion that a four-year undergraduate degree is necessary. Other nations have much stronger technical education programs. In the U.S., this kind of education is not as common, and it's seen by many as inferior. As a result, many students go to college who would be better served by a technical education, further increasing competition.
As this presidential election unfolds, we can only hope that candidates will address some of these issues. A strong nation depends on the available and affordability of first-rate higher education.
