I found a report about why students don't complete college (see link at right called "From Access to Success"). I thought I knew what it was going to say, but I found something surprising.
Obviously, the report discusses the fact that many students are academically underprepared (for example, in California there have been reports about students who enter the CSU system having met the minimum entrance requirements, and end up dropping out). But I hadn't heard about the phenomenon of "undermatching." These are students who don't select the very best college for which they are eligible. It suggests that,
"Many students and families choose less-selective institutions because of the price of attendance, proximity to home or similar factors that may seem reasonable—yet graduation rates are actually lower for individual students who enroll in less selective schools, rendering a seemingly cost-effective choice ultimately quite costly."
That's huge, especially in today's economic climate. It does seem more intuitive to save money by starting out in a community college or a local university that is more affordable than effective. But if students don't thrive intellectually, they may not stick with it.
I can't wait to show this to my husband!
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