Dual enrollment is better bet for teens
Guest columnist Rick Diguette (“Dual Interests,” Opinion, Nov. 4) hit the nail squarely on the head when touting the advantages of dual enrollment programs. As a Georgia high school principal, I promoted “post-secondary options” such as these to any student or parent who would listen. It’s a great deal for families looking to save money on college, earn up to a year’s worth of credits before enrolling, and get a real taste of what college is all about while in high school.
Many of my principal colleagues decry dual enrollment programs as the death of Advanced Placement and harmful to their schools’ image because their AP success rate remains a popular measure for defining a high school’s success. But this isn’t about making high schools look good. It’s about what’s best for kids and their families. A student can take an AP class, pass and pay a hefty fee to take the exam, but not pass it, thereby not earning college credit. A student in dual enrollment can take a college class, pass and earn the credit at no cost without rolling the dice on an AP exam.
KEN PRICHARD, MORGANTON, N.C.
Truth is, college isn’t for everyone
Peter Morici’s Nov. 4 guest column (“Too many college grads,” Opinion) is sage advice that needs attention. We have millions with arts degrees who can’t hammer a nail or fix a leaking toilet. Vocational education needs to be returned to k-12 programs that I had during my education from 1942-1954.
Observing all the individuals employed during a week’s activity, you’ll note more than half the jobs don’t require a college education. The constant drumbeat by politicians with no common sense that everyone must have a college degree has caused many young people to think there is no place for them in society. Thus, we have created k-prison as a practical program. It may be time to rethink the HOPE Scholarships that have led to bulging universities, expanding administrative staffs and a lowering of academic achievement.
JAMES H. RUST, ATLANTA
Raise status of 2-year education
I was interested in the article advocating for more students to follow a technical school path into more craft-based skills, which are needed in this economy. The argument there is more demand for these skills in today’s job market, versus a four-year liberal arts degree, obviously has merit, but there are problems. In my experience, parents and teachers are primarily motivated to get a student to a four-year college no matter what the major and future career prospects are. The reasons are the prestige of the four-year college and the perceived inferior image of two-year technical and community colleges.
One solution is to increase the cooperation between four-year colleges and technical schools to allow seamless movement between the two institutions. Practically, that would allow a tech student to choose between graduating with a two-year degree or advancing his/her studies through the four-year college’s technical curriculum. This would help by aligning course content and reduces the stigma now attached to the two-year tech system, at least in the eyes of parents and educators.
IAN SHAW, CUMMING
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