September 6, 2008 - Richmond Times-Dispatch

Is College Worth It? Absolutely!

As someone who recognizes the true value of higher education, I must disagree with the conclusion of Walter Williams in his column, "Is College Worth It?" on the Aug. 28 Op/Ed page. I suggest, instead, that for many students and their families, college is a sound investment indeed.

Professor Williams begins with a valid point. Colleges and universities have an ethical obligation to enroll only those students who have a legitimate opportunity to complete their curricula. The past decade has seen an increase in profit-seeking institutions of higher education. Some of these institutions serve little purpose beyond causing students to incur heavy burdens of student loan debt.

It is well and good that institutions that participate in such predatory practices should receive close scrutiny. However, these institutions are the exceptions, rather than the rule. Most of the nation's professional and pre-professional schools do an admirable job of enhancing their students' ability to compete in the work force.

Most traditional universities and colleges, including community and junior colleges, are not, as Williams suggests, "profit centers." In fact, most traditional institutions are legally not-for-profit entities. They are not allowed to profit from their enterprise.

This is not to say that higher education doesn't function like a marketplace in some instances. Competition exists for public and private funding, and to attract the best and brightest students.

Contrary to Williams' suggestion, students who enter a school but do not finish are not sources of windfall profits. Rather, as in non-educational organizations, it takes considerable time, effort, and expense to recruit and determine the qualifications of a new "hire." If a student who attends a traditional institution does not return, this effort and expense is lost. That is why traditional universities and colleges invest so much effort in the retention of students once they arrive on our campuses.

WILLIAMS over-generalizes when he suggests that traditional universities and colleges emphasize research at the expense of teaching. This ignores the fact that there are numerous traditional institutions (including the one I serve) that maintain a focus on undergraduate education; it is our raison d'être.

To be sure, many larger institutions have higher research expectations for their faculty, and therefore their hours spent in the classroom are less. However, many of the best researchers are also the best teachers, and the much-maligned (read: easy target) graduate teaching assistants are typically closely supervised, and are often fine teachers in their own right.

It is important to realize that information about institutions is widely available. There are numerous national rankings, and through the application process and campus visits, traditional institutions take great pains to ensure that prospective students are a good fit.

Prospective students and their families should ask questions and visit the campuses of schools that interest them. Find out if the school is accredited and by whom, who will teach the classes, how many students will be in them, and where students will live. Ask questions about the nature of academic support available, as well as the quality and availability of wellness programs including health and fitness facilities, health care, mental health counseling, and job and graduate school placement rates.

IF WE ARE considering marketplace metaphors for higher education then we should use caution in extending them too far. A college degree is not a commodity, nor even rightly a fee for service. One of the most interesting analogies I have heard for college tuition is to liken it to purchasing a gym membership. Our professionals will show you how to use the facilities and can provide you knowledge about theory and practice, but ultimately whether or not individuals are successful is a function of their innate talents and the amount of effort that is expended.

Higher education is an investment. With any investment, there is risk and potential for reward. A prudent investment in higher education carries huge reward potential. According to the College Board, a full-time, year-round worker with a four-year degree earns 60 percent more than a worker with only a high school diploma. Those with master's degrees earn nearly twice as much annually, and those with professional degrees almost three times as much as high school graduates earn over their lifetimes.

For those who come to college unprepared or unwilling to advance their education, it is indeed an unwise cost. For families and students serious about the long-term investment, college is unquestionably worth it.