The students who are going to be hurt most by the gutting of the Department of Education are the ones who need higher education most for social mobility. It's the students who need the financial aid, for whom higher education and FAFSA can afford them access and opportunities, who will be hurt the most---go figure. These are terrifying times!
I completely agree with the need for a more expansive view of success beyond college. David Brooks nails it by pointing out how the single-minded promotion of higher ed is alienating and limiting. College has become less of an aspirational choice and more of a pressured expectation, which doesn’t fit everyone and often funnels people into massive debt or exploitative "universities."
And yes, the DOE’s role in safeguarding educational standards is essential. Without it, we’re opening the door for scams that prey on those who want to make a better life but might not be able to distinguish genuine opportunities from fraud. Imagine a world where higher ed becomes the Wild West—everyone would pay the price, especially those seeking new career paths outside of traditional university models.
Broadening our definition of success to include paths beyond college could empower people and protect them from predatory institutions. This has to be part of the policy conversation.
The students who are going to be hurt most by the gutting of the Department of Education are the ones who need higher education most for social mobility. It's the students who need the financial aid, for whom higher education and FAFSA can afford them access and opportunities, who will be hurt the most---go figure. These are terrifying times!
I completely agree with the need for a more expansive view of success beyond college. David Brooks nails it by pointing out how the single-minded promotion of higher ed is alienating and limiting. College has become less of an aspirational choice and more of a pressured expectation, which doesn’t fit everyone and often funnels people into massive debt or exploitative "universities."
And yes, the DOE’s role in safeguarding educational standards is essential. Without it, we’re opening the door for scams that prey on those who want to make a better life but might not be able to distinguish genuine opportunities from fraud. Imagine a world where higher ed becomes the Wild West—everyone would pay the price, especially those seeking new career paths outside of traditional university models.
Broadening our definition of success to include paths beyond college could empower people and protect them from predatory institutions. This has to be part of the policy conversation.
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