In a recent Chronicle of Higher Education Review, University of Tennessee law professor Benjamin Barton authored an article, The Law School Crash, subtitled “What’s worse than a decade of financial turmoil? Not learning from it.” Barton’s news isn’t new. In fact, he mentions Brian Tamanaha’s 2012 book, Failing Law Schools, as an early critique of the disparity between the cost of law school and career and salary outcomes.
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Seeking Stories…From Liberal Arts Graduates
I recently wrote about the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce’s new report, the ROI of Liberal Arts Colleges, which was generated from the database created for their broader report, A First Try at ROI: Ranking 4,500 Colleges. Despite experiencing a liberal arts education through my undergraduate history major at Duke University, something about the report bothered me. Ultimately, I understood what was causing my consternation.
ROI of Liberal Arts Colleges
The researchers at Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce recently released a report, the ROI of Liberal Arts Colleges. Anthony Carnevale, Ban Cheah, and Martin Van Der Werf used the findings from their broader study, A First Try at ROI: Ranking 4,500 Colleges, to create a report focused specifically on liberal arts colleges. Since I previously wrote about the methodology behind the latter report, I will only reiterate those thoughts I deem relevant to the new one.
Reimagining the Public University
In the Winter 2020 issue of National Affairs, James Piereson and Naomi Schaefer Riley write about the past, present, and future of state flagship universities. Can these schools remain financially solvent while educating residents at the low tuition rates that were common in past decades? Based on a recent Washington Post survey of 50 such institutions, the authors answer “no.” While not all of these findings are news, the authors astutely assess negative changes in public higher education and recommend the true reforms needed.
The Job Skills Students Need That Colleges Don’t Teach
In a recent article published by the James G. Martin Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chloe Anagnos writes about the difficulties students have finding their dream job after graduation because they don’t understand the job market or they think they have all the skills needed to be an attractive candidate. Anagnos recommends that students learn how to market themselves in order to stand out in their field. It’s sound advice, but perhaps a bit more complicated than just marketing yourself.
Baltimore Ravens; Austin,Texas; and Lavaca Street Bar and Grill
Google vs. Harvard?
Brandon Busteed, president of University Partners at Kaplan and former director of education & workforce development at Gallup, recently wrote an article for Forbes, “Americans Rank A Google Internship Over A Harvard Degree.” He notes that when 2,000 Americans were asked what would be most helpful for a high school graduate to launch a career, a Google internship or Harvard degree, nearly two-thirds of the respondents selected Google. The December 2019 Kaplan survey was conducted by QuestResearch Group.
New Year’s Announcement: Free Tuition For Four Years – With a Catch
Among my newsfeeds over the holidays was one from the Lexington, KY Herald Leader about an announcement from Georgetown College in Georgetown, KY about a new four-year, tuition-free scholarship for local graduating high school students. The offer applies to students admitted over the next decade and requires they live on campus all four years and pay for room and board, approximating $12,000 annually.
Walmart’s Secret Weapon to Fight Off Amazon
The Wall Street Journal’s Sarah Nassauer recently wrote about Walmart’s strategy to counter the continuing growth of Amazon, reporting that Walmart CEO Doug McMillon has revealed a change in strategy to compete head-to-head with Amazon. Rather than continue to build a separate ecommerce business or other standalone ventures, he said that the new focus will be on operating a web of businesses through existing Walmart supercenters.