Questions for 4/16/13

1. According to the ACE report the number of minorities enrolling in Higher Education is extremely low compared to the number of whites. Is this due to high school completion, cost of higher education, or other factors? In this case, is affirmative action justified?

2. With more college students needing to work part or full time jobs to support themselves through education, is college naturally geared against those of a lower income? Should the government increase financial aid benefits to offset this issue? How do we “fix” this inequality if we can at all?

3. With over 40% of people who cycle in and out of college changing universities, is a system like Pathways (universal across campuses) a good idea? Should there be a universal core curriculum taught throughout the nation to accompany those who cycle in and out? If not, how do we compensate for those classes being counted as credits?

4. Should Affirmative Action still be used or should all college admissions be based on merit? If they are merit based, how do we account for those who are from lower classes or lower incomes who may not have the money for SAT test prep, or to go to a better school in a better area. How do we control for these disparities? Is there another way to admit those students such as an income based affirmative action?