Embracing Vocational School

As the realities of a recession set in, many families are reevaluating sending their children to college. In a recent speech in Elkhart, Indiana, President Obama noted many "young people…put that college acceptance letter back in the envelope because they just can’t afford it." With rising unemployment and loans harder to come by, college is becoming increasingly out of reach for many families.

Unfortunately, unemployment and inaccessible student loans are only the beginning of potential roadblocks for would-be college students. For many schools, increasing tuition may become a necessity. The decline in stock market value drastically decreased the size of endowments at most universities. Put simply, decreased endowments mean increased tuition costs. Yale’s endowment has decreased 25% in just under eight months.

This situation is not without precedent. The recession of the early 90s forced families to reevaluate college choices. Students were forced to change their definition of a “safe” college from one they knew would accept them to one they could afford. For those with weaker academic credentials, this often meant attending vocational schools.

Sending more students to vocational schools is an idea that has been needed for a long time argues Charles Murray. Murray, a research scholar at AEI, claims that our culture places an unnecessary premium on a four-year degree. As a result, too many “unqualified” students attend college. The current recession, Murray hopes, will encourage those unqualified for college to pursue the “world of work.”

One must wonder how Murray’s ideal of a less-educated American populace would affect the global competitiveness of the United States. To explore these ideas and more, be sure to check out our Class of 2025 initiative.