Ah yes, it’s a wonderful idea, long overdue in fact. Wait, it’s actually simply business.

With the pool of affluent white high school graduates about to peak, those non-accountable entities known as colleges and universities now are trotting out their long-hidden (i.e., virtually non-existent) commitment to diversity and inclusion (t-shirts and bumper stickers available at full retail prices at the corporate bookstore on campus).

The headlines are there: “we, the esteemed keepers of the higher education torch, want to bring to our schools more high-achieving minority students.”

And so it happens, really good kids of color, exemplary of character and motivation, possessors of seemingly attractive high school GPAs, receive nice scholarship packages and enroll at e.g., Middlebury and Lafayette and Syracuse. (This essay is not about the tiny sliver relevant to the Ivy League, although many of the points made could be apropos.) In too many instances, they find the academic rigor of their intended major beyond their capabilities, a cold realization which hits immediately, as in the Fall semester of their freshman year.
Nobody relevant to the college/initial thought process about a major ever has had a heart-to-heart discussion with these students about the academic quality of their high school preparation, nor about what a particular job requires in terms of subject matter mastered. The students had gone to decent public or private Catholic schools. They had done well. The problem – an academically inadequate high school curricula/rigor – never surfaced until the student was hit in the face at college.

The various reactions which ensue include:
*significant slippage in self-confidence *downgrading of the major, e.g., from engineering to psychology *questions about whether the right college has been chosen *criticism of the college for not being more supportive *increased interest in a semester abroad, simply to be in a different environment *irritation at the quality and quantity of guidance counseling they have received at each step of the education letter *a desire to drop college and go home to the family which loves the student no matter what has happened*an emphasis on getting enough credits to finish (the phrase “get out” is sometimes heard) in four years, to have the diploma, even if the newly chosen major is not one with which the student is truly in love … and do not ask what career/job the student has in mind.

EVERY ADULT WHO CARES ABOUT THESE KIDS MUST FIGHT FOR BETTER EDUCATION IN THE K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHICH INCLUDES CHARTER SCHOOLS. TO NOT DO SO IS TO BE DISENGENUOUS—YOU CANNOT ACCEPT THE CURRENT K-12 INADEQUACIES AND EXPECT LARGE NUMBERS OF “HIGH-ACHIEVING” MINORITY STUDENTS TO FLOURISH IN COLLEGE.

YOU CANNOT BE SILENT WHEN, E.G., ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE NAACP SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE VERY PUBLIC SCHOOLS (FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME, CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE PUBLIC!) WHICH ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING MINORITY STUDENTS FULLY READY FOR COLLEGE.
TEACHING IS THE NUMBER ONE PROFESSION; K-12 TEACHERS SHOULD BE PAID MORE. HOWEVER, YOU CANNOT BE SILENT WHEN TEACHERS UNIONS SEEMINGLY SAY THAT THE DEMANDS OF THEIR CONSTITUENCY ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE SUCCESS OF STUDENTS.

YOU CANNOT BE SILENT WHEN THE ADULTS IN THE POLITICAL BACKROOMS ARE SCREAMING ABOUT ADULT ISSUES AND IGNORING THE DAMAGE BEING DONE TO STUDENTS.

If you truly want more minority students to be collegians who graduate — with majors they want and are good at, you must speak out about the quality of their high school academic and counseling preparation. To not do so is to give the lie to all your warm-hearted sentiments.

BobHowittbooks.com/?page_id=22

TRUTH IN ADVERTISING …. HIGHER EDUCATION CATEGORY

 Prologue

The majority of Americans are favorably disposed toward immigration reform, including letting DACAmented young people stay here. The majority of Americans are in favor of some type of gun reform (better term than control). The majority of people, when apprised of the graduation rate at the nation’s campuses, are rather disappointed.

Remind me of any relevant broad-based legislative responses regarding these three areas.

You might regard higher education as neither a federal nor a national matter; this is true as a first look, but considerably less true when analyzing the flow of FAFSA-related funds to colleges.

The multiple defects of the K-College education non-system are known. “Nation at Risk” is decades old and there are at least a score of non-profit reform organizations with smart staffers who for many years have been able to bury one in productive insights and recommendations.

All of which is to say, “it ain’t about the research; it’s about the will” (well-known A-A education reformer Howard Fuller, a quarter century ago). True for immigration and gun reform as well.

There is nothing value-added for me to bring to the reader of my ensuing complaint list, nothing that could be labeled, “here is how to fix this, here is a great idea completely overlooked by the think tanks, here is what substantive change should look like.” It would be akin to a college student tour guide attempting to bring together the administrative/managerial leaders of his school to propose meaningful alterations in the college’s modus operandi.

Maybe a few of my arrows slightly miss the mark, but not, in my opinion, when it comes to the circle that encompasses financially challenged students who grow up in households without educational attainment at the top of the family.

One thought to consider is with respect to the order of the entries listed in “Truth.” Think of a soccer image; before the kickoff, you have decided on your formation, e.g., a 3-4-3 (plus the goalkeeper). The ball is put in play, at which time you have no idea as to how the actual game will unfold, literally from one second to the next (think counterattack or any other aspect of this free-flowing endeavor). Soccer makes other sports look methodical.

Similarly the student going off to college, while he knows his first two must-dos — find the buildings where he has classes and become familiar with the school’s website — really does not know when or which of the micro factors on my list will become relevant to him, even though everyone of the micro factors has that potential. There is no rational unfolding of the happenstances on my list. (While he advisedly is able to be blissfully unaware of the macro factors, it is equally true that simply because a person is unaware of a big picture factor does not mean he is unaffected.

In New York State, the high school graduation rate is 80%. Of the incoming freshman to the huge CUNY system in NYC, 80% require non-credit remedial work. Such data cause nobody to rethink how to organize their thoughts about education, because said divergence has been known for many, many years. We accept them, as we accept kids being killed. They are no more a true discovery than Columbus’ of America.

The four-year college graduation rate is 40%; it “soars” to 59% if six years becomes the standard. Again, known for umpteen years and perused and reacted to by whole rosters of intelligent people, even including the op ed people at the New York Times.

Below is, verbatim, an email I received recently.

“Mister Bob

Good night my name is David [deleted by me] I study in Dover high school I am in 12 grade and a friend give me your email I wanted an appointment  I will begin in college en September I wanted to know if you can help me I from Colombia thank you for attention I wait for your answer”

Yes, this is an outlier in terms of its complete disregard for punctuation, but it is less abnormal than affluent, white, rational people would want to believe. With whites not replacing their own and en route to being less than half of the population, colleges are beginning to reach out to lower income, ESL, first generation, poorly educated minority students. Good, yes, but wait, for many observers, “they” are candidates for two-year schools. The headlines you see about four-year colleges going after the above demographic, because their traditional student roster cannot support their business model, are focused on those “high achieving” minorities who have been reluctant to seek out universities.

The point? There is nothing systemic about this apparent change. It is not far-fetched to say that the collective “we” do not care about true diversity, or maybe the curtain has been pulled back and it is now apparent that “we” have no values which we are willing to say connect to a greater good (when a speaker merely notes the scope of the connection between incomplete families/households and negative outcomes, he needs a bullet-proof vest to escape the onslaught of criticism).

Instead, we will let the super wealthy offer the rest of the populace crumbs from their tax advantaged foundations, while they pontificate about the need for a universal basic income — made necessary by the hollowing out of both industrial America and government-based social services. Silicon Valley’s adamant support for immigration parallels its lack of interest in longitudinally fighting the political battles pertinent to education reform.  And the revered Buffet called part of gun reform efforts, “ridiculous.”

So you ask me to identify the reader of my venting? The answer is … me. To spend time being so-called “rational” about the particulars is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

Gun, immigration, and education reforms: we have no will to fight, we leave it to others, the lack of non-idiosyncratic success does not affect us. We kick the cans down the road and leave cleanup to our heirs.

So I write because I feel better afterwards, like some do crossword puzzles or Sudoku or jog or any of the myriad of activities which help a person make sense out of their day and life.

P.S. Reportedly 40% of Wall Street traders are new since the Great Recession of 2008. Question: do they have institutional or individual memory. The same issue/question applies to education reformers and those embroiled in immigration issues. Hopefully, the horror of Parkland will become an institutional memory because it stimulates significant change.

Not to be taken aback by my meandering negativity. As the phrase goes, one I have been using for a whole bunch of years to describe myself: “I think bearishly but act bullishly.”

Peace, Bob

Dear Reader of my Truth List

Please do me a favor. Exclude the Ivy League and quasi-Ivy League (e.g., Stanford) universities from your brain if and when you have visceral reactions to my ensuing complaint list. The above schools enroll only 2% of the collegians in the country, and they have both large endowments and great fund-raising capabilities. In other words, they function in a different world than mine –where the focus of my education assistance, including funding, has been financially challenged, often first generation students (frequently with documentation issues).  Thank you.

*Read the 17-page “Cutting College Costs” document prepared by some otherwise presumably intelligent New York State politicians and professors: nowhere will you find any mention of cutting college costs – the verbiage is entirely about finding more money for the customers, i.e., students, so that they can afford whatever cost is imposed by a college.

*In urban America, non-profit funders of band-aids (after-school education assistance) for broken legs (the dysfunctional school from whence came the students) are noticeably reticent when it comes to fighting the necessary political battles to create broad-based change in education. Handsomely paid leaders of universities are not reticent — they are mute.

*Do not watch the college tuition number (unless you like being sick to your stomach); shift your attention to the adjacent shell, the one which covers the pea labeled “fees.” Its inflation rate is akin to that of prescription drugs. (And if there is something called an “academic fee,” what is covered by tuition.) The after effect is a four-letter word, “debt,” – followed by deferred payments, delinquent, and … in default.

*Because of an institutional scholarship, a student is getting a “free ride.” Really, free, as in zero money from the young person is needed to spend four years pursuing a diploma. Not likely.

*Colleges are seen as businesses by around 99% of the students my foundation has assisted. Banks pay for access on campus to present and future customers, foreign investors are putting money into student housing, Barnes & Noble offsets the losses in its freestanding stores with profits from its college bookstores. However, notwithstanding these specifics (and the list of business connections could be readily expanded), the biggest tip-off is attitudinal, the softly arrogant manner in which colleges, each with a “unique” business product, treat students.

*Could college advisor whisper some – not advice per se, but raw, essential information – when the student is about to sign up for a semester abroad, it would be nice to know if the sequence of prerequisites for his or her major is affected, because not all courses are offered in both the fall and spring semesters, and certainly not in the summer and winter schedules.

*Do you want to give another still edge to those in the lucky sperm club – raise the importance of internships; for sure, well-employed mom or dad will have useful contacts. Not so for those born into disadvantage. P.S. even high school graduation rates are lower for kids in single-parent families.

*Financial cleverness, disguised as “helping the customer,” knows no bounds. Instead of having a volunteer tutor helping kids write resumes and get prepared for interviews, make it a course, yes with credits and full payment up-front.

*For the mathematically inclined collegian, their observation that the three-hour class they signed up and paid for is actually two and a half is … accurate.

*No, that particular class/major requirement was changed. Sorry that nobody told you.

*Freshman Seminar is a very important class – you pay for the opportunity to know what it means to be a freshman, as distinct, for example, from learning something which might be construed as academic.

*Yes, the door has clearly marked office hours. No, the professor is not there.

*Surprise, your class is on-line. I know … you, or somebody, paid for a dorm room thinking that physical presence was part of the deal; well, we overbooked or the tenured professor is too busy on his research project. And it will be a Teaching Assistant putting up the power point presentation which you can readily absorb lying prone in your bed.

*You expected the syllabus to be consistent with the material covered in class or on the test? Silly, did you forget the bromide that foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds.

*The diversity numbers fit the boxes of the EEOC and whoever else is collecting them. They bear little similarity to college classrooms.

*Which is more understandable by an employer: a credential from a known source (e.g. six weeks in a Microsoft training course) or the degree from 90% of all colleges.

*Beginning in high school, there are fewer American History classes these days: too many discredited dead white male authors. Trigger warnings are insufficient protection against their obsolete narratives.

*College professors fight hard for respectful hearings of diverse viewpoints – defined as those approved by a majority of the faculty.

*Everybody has an anecdotal success story, a poster child of the transformation that can happen when fourteen variables line up well. They are talked about at great length. They are also statistically unusual, hence the blah, blah, blah unrelated to systemic change.

*Let’s check the health aspect of college campuses (admittedly true of society in general): opiate consumption is up, as is depression, and the number of suicides. Not to worry: that thought leader called “Yale” now has a highly popular course called “Happiness.” Perhaps its humble colleagues in higher education will import the wisdom which undoubtedly will characterize this class.

*Could college administrative people answer a phone call or an e-mail! News flash to those individuals: not every piece of information is on the school’s website.

*It is hard to type this acronym with a straight face: the Prosper Act: Promoting Real Opportunity, Success, and Prosperity through Education Reform.  You’re kidding right.

*“All the above” is the default, and correct, answer to any listing of the shortcomings of American education, many of which (some would say most) begin well before the age of eighteen. In defense of higher education ( see how fair I am!), of the three million annual high school graduates, reportedly only 250,000 are considered academically ready for entry into the top 50 colleges of the country.

___________________________________________________________________________

Comment (OMG: the following flirts with being a significant suggested change):

If an outside funding entity really wanted to assist low-income students to attend college, it would put money directly in the hands of the student. This aspiring individual is typically working, is from a household whose sugar bowl is never adequate, and is trying to figure out why the school’s full-ride scholarship does not cover books, or transportation, or those outside meals so easily put on the calendar by his or her affluent classmates, or the quick recreational trip to clear one’s head of the fog induced by so many college classes.

Said entity should care less about the college’s rules regarding full disclosure of financial support. They are simply a ruse to keep as much control of money and decisions in the hands of college bureaucrats, the numbers and cost of which have grown exponentially, while the discretionary income of the student’s family has not grown for several decades.

Significant funds directly deposited in the hands of students facilitate their decision-making. If a well-constructed cohort comparison (versus funding according to the rules) was possible, it might well show that with direct funding, student stress was lessened and graduation rates were improved. Is not the latter the objective of everybody involved in education reform, specifically the goal of seeing more low income students graduating from four-year colleges.

____________________________________________________________________________

The New York City school system has over 1.1 million students.

The retiring chancellor is a 74 year-old self-described grandmother.

The mayor announced that the leader of the Miami school system was hired to be her successor. Compensation was negotiated, contract signed. The guy reneged.

The newly-appointed chancellor is, again self-described, a “mariachi masquerading as a superintendent.”

 

A series of complete jokes. Not to worry, only kids are negatively affected, you know, like Parkland and DACA.

 

 

WILL THIS TIME BE DIFFERENT?    MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL

I cried. I cursed.

No, not again!

Please, no more “our thoughts and prayers are with you” and “heartfelt condolences” and “trained grief counselors will be available for all those in need.”

Please, do not shift the focus away from gun control by ideas like, “let’s train everybody at the school in how to handle guns; let’s have nearby store personnel ready to stanch the flow of blood from wounded kids.”

Read the data, best brought together in the Max Fisher and Josh Keller article (New York Times),  “What explains U.S. Mass Shootings.” Spoiler alert: it is guns!

Below is what I wrote five years ago, after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre.

“Inevitably, no matter how horrible an event, one hears the phrase, ‘a return to normalcy.’ It is meant to represent a positive lift to one’s spirits, not for those directly affected – because their lives will never be normal – but for all the others, whatever their degree of separation.

It is as if ‘a return to normalcy is a desirable goal for all concerned. IT IS NOT.”

It cannot be accepted as normal to have school killings as a consistent front page story and then move on. It cannot be normal to be “able to buy a gun with less difficulty than getting a driver’s license.”

It cannot be normal to think that the “NRA is the last word on interpretation of the Constitution, with its members historically having more energy than the rest of the political population and thus able to fight off changes which might have saved some innocent kids.

” It cannot be normal to “lead the world in gun ownership and the number of children killed by guns.”

“To be in favor of a return to normalcy is insane!”

Maybe this time will be different.

The walk-out planned for March 14, the activism of students (#NeverAgain, #Enough), the decision by a wealthy Republican funder to close his wallet unless there is meaningful gun control – provide hope. (I will ignore the fact that many states have ceased requiring a permit to carry a hand gun.)

There are numerous rules pertaining to guns (and to the way mental health information is handled) which can be changed without infringing on the Constitution and without hindering, e.g., the ability of hunters to pursue their sport. Americans will not suddenly become more vulnerable to terrorists (in truth, we should be more scared of ourselves!).

Maybe we cannot close the gap to our more civilized neighboring countries, but I cannot countenance the image of more kids going down in a hail of bullets.

This cannot be normal.

This time must be different!

 

 

ON BEING COUNTERFACTUAL OR COUNTERINTUITIVE OR COMPLETELY CONFUSED        

Let’s see if I can draw a logic path concerning several items of interest, while striving to ignore inside baseball machinations, memos of mixed interest, and incessant noise emanating from the Oval Office.  Careful, unemotional readers (all three of you) will observe that the listing of topics deliberately excludes character analyses of the Big Tweeter.

First, as a premise, approximately 99% of all presidential candidates make promises relating to jobs. At present, the economy is recording its eighth year of gains and unemployment is at a ten-year low.

Second, a majority of everybody likes the combination of a strong military (if no other reason than its impact on local employment) and no wars (understanding the definition of our involvement in the Middle East is beyond my comprehension). I guess one could quibble about related details, but it does seem that this duality is the current condition, irrespective of aggressive verbiage.

Third, sexual predators of all political persuasions are getting their comeuppance. The environment is good for such revelations and punishments. Women are being incrementally empowered.

Fourth, there is a plane full of NY Times board members and Harvard professors, complete with their families, en route to s…thole countries. They are taking advantage of a one-year all-expenses paid offer  from George Soros. Conveniently, they will be able to stay in the houses being left empty by residents of those countries who are fleeing to the United States.  (Trigger warning after the fact: I made this one up. The rest are like, you know, accurate.)

Fifth, the stock market moving to record highs (even with a slight blip recently) has enriched (on paper) not only the 1%, but the vast numbers who have stocks in their pension and other retirement plans.

Sixth, some kids are getting a good education, some are not. Hello, nothing new there.

Seventh, healthcare is, uh, a mess, both before and now. Perhaps Warren, Jeff, and Jamie will be able to fix it. A much higher probability is that Warren and I will have punched our timecards before there can be a definitive judgement on the success of their endeavor.

Eighth, thousands of words could be written about immigration reform (I have contributed more than a few in previous posts), but not here. In my little scorecard at the close, this area has to be considered a negative in looking at the impact of the current administration.

**

So there you have it, a totally incomplete list of contemporary political situations: four positives, two neutrals, one negative, and one irrelevant but hopefully humorous bit of insightful cynicism.

Do not leaders get credit or blame for all kinds of things which happen while they are in charge, even if nothing they did was the true proximate reason for either the positives or the negatives. Historically, that has been the case, but apparently to give any credit to the most disapproved head man this country has ever seen is something the bicoastal media/intellectual elites cannot tolerate.

(P.S. Note that this collective group is populated with some of the “best and brightest” whose advice was so disastrous in the recent presidential  campaign. In truth, the election was lost, not won, a key reason for much of the emotional thrashing — which knows no limits or end, falling short in its contribution to the pervasive angst only when compared with the erratic antics, factual looseness, and offensive verbiage of the nation’s top office-holder.)

 

 

 

WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE ALL THE WHITE KIDS ARE RUNNING

WHILE I AM STILL AT THE STARTING LINE?!

 

My High School Profile:

*I was in the top 10% of my class and earned AP credits.

*my GPA was impressive; my SAT and ACT scores were better than average.

*for four years, I was a member of multiple school clubs, including one with a volunteer focus.

*as a Senior, I had a leadership position in student government.

*I played regularly on the school lacrosse team.

 

The Reactions of Others to My Profile:

*National Honor Society membership was only one of my many honors.

*I received pats on the back from everybody in my family.

*all my teachers loved me.

*I had many offers to write recommendations for my college applications.

*diversity-seeking selective private colleges sent me numerous information packages.

*some schools paid for me to take a trip to their campus; maybe they were attracted to my life  story of triumphing over adversity – it was the centerpiece of my college essay.

 

My College Situation:

*implicitly recognizing that my high school preparation was probably not top-flight, my college provided some on-campus classes in the Summer and “how to be a college student”                                    guidance right before freshman year began.

*my financial aid package includes GPA-dependent institutional scholarship support, plus FAFSA-related monies, plus an on-campus job. Yes, I am grateful to be at my college but that                                                 does not lessen the challenges and pressures.

*as a Latina, I am typically in a minority-minority position in my white and Asian male dominated STEM classes.

*it is nice to have an advisor; it would be even nicer if she spent sufficient time to get to know me in order to make good recommendations.

*the pressure to eventually secure an internship is off-putting; I do not have a network of contacts.

*classmates would not consider themselves racist, but some commit micro-aggressions without thinking about it.

*I liked the potential opportunity at college to be exposed to new ideas and opinions, but trigger warnings about possible uncomfortable information and ideas get in the way.

*Did I mention that I am floundering; my classmates know stuff that I have never heard of. The professors assume a level of academic preparation that is beyond anything relevant to                                               me. The AP and other academic successes of high school do not always translate at the college level.

*my participation in any activity except the First Generation Club is more a function of peer pressure than commitment by me.

 

My Reactions to My College Situation:

*I participate less in classroom discussions, focusing on taking good notes instead. My grades suffer as a result, either directly or indirectly.

*much as I like the theory of feeling slightly out of my comfort zone, I have to say that right now I am flat out uncomfortable.

*my confidence has been hurt.

*I had a professor comment on my accent, which reduced my desire to speak up in class.

*the “big” financial aid package does not provide any discretionary money so I cannot go out to eat or to a movie without thinking about the expense involved.

*there is nobody who understands my situation completely.

*other first generation students can be helpful emotionally, but not academically.

*my parents are confused about why I am not doing better.

*my high school teachers, when they are in touch, encourage me to seek out tutors.

*I wonder about my major.

*it feels like all the white kids are running while I am still at the starting line.

 

My To-do List … or Not:

                *with all due respect, I believe that I am working as hard as possible. The way I put it, I have to work harder than average to simply be average in my STEM classes.

                *it looks like I may move from a prospective Engineering major to Liberal Arts, a change not unique among my true peers; note that nobody ever changes their major into STEM.

*I try hard but cannot avoid being resentful toward “the system.”

*if I become politicized, I fear my academic performance will suffer even more.

                *I will speak with an on-campus counselor.

*would I recommend my school to the same student high school profile as mine; yes, but only if  I had a full understanding of the person, particularly her tolerance for discomfort.

*at some point, it would be nice to vent about the educational system which let me think my high school preparation was sufficient to mean a smooth path in college.

*I know that some people would like me to go public and proclaim my membership in the category of those who have been underserved, those who have been victims of unfair                                               practices by those in power. What would that mean I wonder as a college student embarked on a strenuous route to a diploma? Do I demand retribution by society for its                                   past sins and receive a large mea culpa? Or, to use Gandhi’s famous dictum, should I “be the change?”

*according to Georgetown University CEW data, median earnings for an Hispanic with a Bachelor’s degree are $57,000, 60% higher than the overall median for Hispanics.                                          Should that not drive me! Yes, I want to be happy in my job and have some semblance of work-life balance, but helping my family, an important goal of mine, requires money!

*at least for now, I want to think like a typical college student: what do my actions and time management mean in terms of my studies, my prospective career, my ability to make                                                 friends and prepare for the networking that is not readily possible back in my community or within my family and its circle of acquaintances.

 

Author’s Comments

 

The Latina “voice” in the paragraphs above technically should be considered a composite. However, the match-up of the various points with the thoughts of individual students of my acquaintance is quite high. Note too that with minor changes in verbiage, this essay is applicable to numerous college newcomers of different ethnicity and gender.

If said students had the time to contemplate some possible reasons for the academic discrepancy which feeds their negative emotions, they might come up with this incomplete list:

*adults who should have known better never indicated that I was getting exceptional grades in courses which were not high in academic rigor.

*well-meaning colleges put a higher priority on their diversity goals than on an analysis of my high school’s inadequate academic rigor.

*adults have committed the ultimate sin: letting young people believe the world is different than it really is.

*teachers colleges do not adequately train teachers for the type of high school I attended.

*my parents did not push as hard as they should have.

*the education field is unique in that the concept of Best Practices is only lightly relevant.

*specifically, teachers unions often fight changes which dilute their power, even when said changes can frequently produce documentable benefits to the students.

*too little money is spent on K-12 education.

*there is insufficient emphasis on what majoring in a STEM discipline entails.

Overall, in my view, the collective “we’ can encourage, support, assist, etc. a student but we cannot replace inadequate high school academic preparation.  And the aggregate of educational stuff available on the Internet, from multiple study aids to the Khan Academy, cannot either.

In the past, the idea of using five and six-year timetables to measure college graduation rates has been anathema to many, including myself. The implication was that the overall system would simply accept K-12 mediocrity and charge the students for the dereliction of the adults running the behemoth.

Now, having seen too many students from urban high schools struggling, trying to figure out whether their GPA or their cumulative credits or their stress levels should drive their energies and decision-making, maybe a rethink is in order.

When the students fall behind on their GPA, their scholarships may be at risk, as noted above. When they fall behind on credits, which is a function of either a failed course or a withdrawn course, they tend to look to summer or winter break opportunities to catch up. In some ways, this seems like asking for  stress that is continuous instead of “only” in the school year itself.

An additional factor, ironic as it may be, is that the definition of full-time (12 credits per semester) is such that a student attending “full-time” does not graduate on-time, when the latter means four years.

So …. deep breath, perhaps it would be advantageous at the outset to think of attending a four-year college as a five-year, 12 credits per semester proposition, producing the 120 credits typically necessary for graduation. (An alternative idea is to insist on only 12 credits in the first semester and then make a plan that reflects success, or lack thereof, in cultural and academic adaptation to the brave new, and often cold and unfeeling, world of higher education.) An added plus in this five-year approach would be the absence of summer or winter courses, enhancing the student’s ability to both relax and work, and hopefully save some money, because …. this approach is significantly more expensive, and all involved would have to contort themselves to fit FAFSA and individual college scholarship rules.

While the added cost is a real problem, that scenario, like any investment, must measure cost versus prospective income. Would that equation be more off-putting than the current situation? In 2015, only 62% of Hispanic college students returned to their initial school and 28% did not return to any college, according to recent data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. The cost to society of lost aspirations and economic mobility dwarfs the additional outlay needed for the five-year plan.

BobHowittBooks.com; link to Bob’s Latino College Assistance Guide Blog wkbj@att.net; 973-537-1814

 

 

Some Stuff to Think About and Maybe Use

Below is material on various educational subjects. Note that some of it   might be more relevant to high schoolers whom you are trying to help.

• Just what you always wanted – more questions!

Not to worry, the purpose is simply to give yourself feedback that helps you better understand where you are on your higher education path.

*How would you describe the assistance received from your college academic advisor?

*Has your self-confidence increased or decreased since you entered college? Why?

*Is the level of classroom diversity higher/same/lower compared with your expectation?

*Are you happy/neutral/sad about your GPA? Why?

*What is the most important lesson you have learned about life as a college student?

*Have your parents and siblings adjusted to the reality of “The New You?”

 

• Eight suggestions for success at college (NY Times: 5-24-07)

*Find or form a group of students to study with, so you can master the material.

*Whenever the opportunity arises, sign up to be a tutor.

*Try not to be disturbed if people are surprised by your academic success.

*For those pursuing STEM degrees, start with the introductory courses, even if the college is telling you to skip those courses based on your AP performance in high school.

*Go to the tutorial center and to professors’ office hours often – before you need help.

*Get to the class before the professor, sit in the front row with other students in your study group and ask plenty of questions.

*Look for opportunities to work as teaching assistants in the classroom.

*Just because you don’t get an A doesn’t mean you’re doomed.

 

• Would you believe only 41% of students at 4-year colleges graduate in 4 years.

The six biggest reasons for problems in graduating on time:

*Working too many hours: 40% are at a job for 30 hours or more per week.

*Only taking 12 credits per semester instead of 15.

*Transferring (done by 1/3 of students) results in a significant loss of credits.

*Not having the best sequence of courses for the major.

*Not being involved in an activity brings social isolation, which hurts academic progress.

*High school is 80% class time, 20% homework. College is reversed, a challenge both academically and with respect to time management.

 

Additional reasons, as suggested by a current college student:

 

*Having a baby

*Financial aid not accessible

*Lack of clarity about their path

 

• A quick help list of websites

Collegescorecard.ed.gov                    Compares schools: cost, graduation rates, salary outcomes

FAFSA.ed.gov                                    Pell Grant, Federal Direct Loans

Finaid.org                                            All kinds of financial aid information

Fiskeguide.com                                   Highly respected guide to colleges

Cappex.com                                        Find colleges and scholarships

Glassdoor.com                                    Jobs and salaries

Studentclearinghouse.org                   Verify educational attainment, student outcome research

 

As always, having a trusted person with whom to discuss your search is valuable. The combination of website information, your desired characteristics in a college, and multiple thorough discussions with experienced people should produce a positive situation.

 

• Some more websites

 

College Measures                               general

Payscale                                              as name implies

College Reality Check                         return on investment

Edvisors                                               private student loans

College Scorecard.ed.gov/data           analytical data supposedly; website is messy

Students Matter                                  litigation

NJTransfer                                        credit transferring

Glassdoor.com                                pay levels and other information

HiSet                                               new test comparable to the GED

CEW.Georgetown.edu/whatsitworth             return on investment

First Five Years Fund                     early childhood development

Verizon Family Base                      usage controls

Common Sense Media                  analysis of media usage

 

• The proactive student

 

(I am not sure where the thoughts below came from exactly – and they are not in any particular order: probably the answer is that there were multiple sources, including the writer thankfully.)

 

The high school student who is on a path to success is one who is proactive. The people with whom they interact – guidance counselors, parents, mentors, siblings, friends –  are assistants or coaches or supporters, but —  they cannot do what you must do for you.

 

Therefore, High School students (and others as well), here are some must-dos:

 

*Practice self-discipline: distinguish between needs and wants.

 

*Regard real reading as central to gaining knowledge.

 

*Recognize that parties can happen anytime, unlike required school papers.

.

*Take initiative: do research on college requirements, talk with everybody who can contribute    to your understanding of the higher education or job world path.

 

*Learn the basics of personal finance and begin to gain an understanding of college debt.

 

*When you are meeting somebody during a college tour or applying for a scholarship or interviewing for a job, arrive early and have some questions for the other person.  You     gain more from a conversation than from a monologue.

 

*Get involved on a consistent basis with a school activity or outside volunteering commitment.

 

*Take responsibility: tell your parents if they are doing too much for you.

.

*Avoid being addicted to social media.

 

*Understand that everybody is nervous about college: time management, becoming         independent, roommates, money, homesickness, academics (!), networking.

 

*Realize that these same students are like you: eager for new experiences, new friends, new      environments, new levels of independence, new subjects of interest, new activities, new        academic accomplishments.

 

Being proactive helps you in two fundamental ways.

First, it means you are taking ownership of decisions which are yours to make.

Second, it makes you better prepared for those times when you need to talk

 about important issues with those in your support group.

 

BobHowittbooks.com/?page_id=22

I WOULD BE REALLY HAPPY IF:

• All DACA young people received ten-year green cards
• An increased number of professors liked teaching more than doing research or writing
• Aaron Judge led the Yankees to a World Series championship
• All the families and WKBJ alumni who have welcomed me into their homes and hearts knew how much I value being part of their lives
• Amazon and pornography were not so readily accessible
• Acceptance of alternative lifestyles did not seem to require actually liking them
• A Universal Basic Income policy received more attention as an alternative/modification of our current welfare system
• Angela, Juan, and Camilo find happiness in Houston
• Babies were born to two equally committed, loving parents
• Barnes & Noble is serious about having more books and fewer toys and games in its stores
• Colleges reworked their model to sharply lower their cost of attendance
• Capital punishment was abolished, replaced by a mandatory life sentence and a requirement to listen for 10 hours every day to Christmas carols and WFAN sports legend, Mike Franscesa
• Christian Pulisic becomes the leading goal scorer for Borussia Dortmund
• Claudia and Patricia never lose their smiles
• David Wright retires from active status and reappears as a major league manager
• Daylight Savings Time was abolished
• Dealing with the country’s systemic poverty would be the task of all of us
• Distinctions could be drawn between accidental situations and malfeasance
• Damaris finds joy in her new job
• English remains the official language of government at each level above that of county
• Every student being helped by the WKBJ Foundation accomplishes his or her goal
• Former United States Congressmen were barred from being lobbyists or deriving financial benefit by associating with lobbyists for ten years
• Faith is always Faith, the most unique young girl I have ever met
• Fewer people found solace in both legal and illegal drugs
• Fundamentalist religion stations were not disproportionately represented among the nation’s high powered radio outlets
• Facts mattered and the “New York Times” labeled more of its “news” stories as op ed pieces
• Grace was not reserved for special occasions
• Hillary’s geography advisors had identified middle America and contacted people there
• Isms were never used as word endings in describing complex philosophies
• Immigrant advocacy organizations publicly supported the deportation of undocumented individuals who have been convicted of felonies
• It was as difficult to get a gun permit as it is to get past the security desk at JP Morgan
• In the next presidential election, there was somebody I could vote for
• JJ, MZ, and KM get their books published
• Jay is successful in beating back the GEICO advertising onslaught
• Kindness was a habit, not an occasion for a photo op
• Katie’s extended stay in South America is as rewarding as hoped
• La Sierra, which sells coffee for $1.45, would expand and Starbucks would contract
• Local job-creating entrepreneurs received as much attention as lottery winners
• Lionel Messi comes to the MLS to finish his career
• Mariana is able to put Mindfulness into Action in Ecuador
• More than 1/3 of full-time employees were engaged in their jobs
• My family, whom I love completely, forgives me for my past transgressions and realizes they had nothing to do with parental love
• Marijuana was freely available to everybody suffering from cancer
• My small town newsstand had so much demand for the “Wall Street Journal” that it had to stock more than one copy
• My adherence to MyFitnessPal does not wane
• More social value decisions were made at a level of government below that of Washington
• My basketball assist to turnover ratio does not dip below 2.5 and my shooting below 45%
• Non-profit foundations had automatic closure dates 33 years from inception
• Nora gets accepted at a college of her choice
• One day per week, chosen by the individual, was dedicated to not buying anything
• President Trump selects which of his residencies he would like to occupy long term as a private citizen, beginning immediately
• People regarded their iDevices as means to various ends, not ends in and of themselves
• PW, CG, and DO learn enough English to pursue their careers
• Pete Rose is inducted into the newly-named “Scoundrel” wing of the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, where he is joined retroactively by Ty Cobb et al
• Parents put their phones away when eating with their children
• Queries elicited answers
• Religious/media/entertainment/political hypocrites were publicly stoned
• Somebody had a plan for confronting the country’s numerous financial and social challenges
• Soda beverages were seriously taxed
• Some inspirational topic besides jobs would be a co-centerpiece of a political platform
• Schools had no governance labels, there was universal transparency and complete school choice
• Somebody would devise a healthcare plan with valid accounting principles
• Tax reform would (a) treat all types of income the same, (b) institute a wealth tax, (c) increase the number of estates subject to tax, (d) mandate a minimum cash rate for corporate taxes, and (e) ease the way through a three-way split among company, IRS, and stockholders for the repatriation of American corporate cash currently held abroad
• There were fewer lawyers, especially in Congress
• Tweeting was restricted to birds and emergencies
• True environmentalists began their proselytizing by selling their second homes
• The word “like” could not be used by teenagers
• The Door offered even more value-added programs to its young people
• The “f” word was treated as a valued component of dialogue and therefore reserved for situations involving exceptionally strong emotions
• Those I love – heck, even those I do not love — have a healthy 2018
• The United States could not enter a war without each supporting Congressman having an extended family member in the military or National Guard
• Tom Brady, Roger Federer, and LeBron James could play forever
• Uncommon Schools finds and trains enough teachers to continue delivering a high quality education to its students
• Vanity was restricted to those who have accomplished something; actually, it should be avoided
• We judged people on the “content of their character,” not their pigmentation
• We ceased adding car lanes when the whole approach to transportation is changing
• XYZ gets more work done on “An Outlier Individual”
• Youthfulness was recognized as not being exclusive to the chronologically young
• Zzzzzzz: sleepy at last; enough 6am creativity

 

 

 

But first, a brief “you gotta be kidding” observation.

In Washington, D.C., on Pennsylvania Avenue, not far from a famous government structure, there are two great buildings inscribed with the words of their rich occupants: the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Across the street, there is a small park. At dinner time, a van pulls up to distribute hot meals to the homeless people who make it their business to get there for some nutritious, free food, maybe their only real meal of the day. With a single camera shot, the optics of wealth disparity are in your face.  Yeah, I know it is complicated, and I am glossing over some details, but come on, is not the big picture completely unsettling!

*Anyway, here are some thoughts from “How to be a Stoic.”

Separate what is and what is not within your power. This approach assists tranquility.

Contemplate the broader picture. It keeps things in perspective

Think in advance about the challenges you may face during the day. Avoids being upset by stuff.

Be mindful of the here and now. Let go of the past and do not worry about the future.

Write in a personal philosophical diary. This helps you learn from experiences and to forgive mistakes.

*Good advice from “The Vanishing American Adult.”

Embrace the pain of work. Manual jobs are cathartic and good for your health.

Become truly literate, which means comprehending what you read.

Travel meaningfully, which means to experience the unfamiliar.

Connect across generations. A recent survey revealed that in the last six months, only 25% of people over 60 years-old have discussed an important subject with somebody under the age of 36.

Resist consumption: separate needs from wants.

*Why visit campuses before deciding to apply

Get a feel for the physical layout

Talk with current students

Sit in on a class

Gain your own take on diversity

*Why be early to a meeting with a professor, mentor, prospective employer, club you are trying to join:

Shows intentionality

Demonstrates respect for the agenda of things to be done

If the other party decides to interact with you ahead of schedule, you have that much more time to impress. One of the key ways to do so is by asking questions, especially those of the “why” variety (you should already have the basic factual stuff from reading a website).

*Why consistently see your college advisor

You care more about your schedule and your desire to graduate on-time than the advisor does; you must make doubly sure that the advice is credible.  As one observer put it, there is a “soft arrogance” of people who have protected jobs and their willingness to think through your situation is not guaranteed.

 

 

At a given point in time, demographic projections have a greater degree of usability than the data derived from most other crystal ball gazing. For example, calculating historical returns in the stock market is heavily influenced by the starting point; it is possible to go for twenty years with a subpar compound return, even when the much longer pattern shows attractive results.  Weather forecasters have become much better in telling us of near-term conditions, but demographers still have them beat from a long-term standpoint. The reason is fairly simple: a person of a certain age has a high probability of becoming a year older in the next 365 days, and thirty years older in three decades, and so forth.

The data below, compiled from information reported by the Pew Hispanic Research Center, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times, thus tell a story that is not connected to future immigration policy nor likely to be altered by any sudden seismic shifts in birth or mortality rates, even with some interesting changes happening therein.

As the population numbers unfold, within the next quarter century, the United States will in all probability not have any ethnic majority. The multiple minority description will become accurate nationally as it already is in certain age categories in certain geographies.

Considering the relationship of population composition to political power, the “only” question of importance then is whether power will transfer peacefully. Most historians would have a fair amount of skepticism. And for sure, some will point to the election of Donald Trump as a sign that this country is in for a series of difficult confrontations. Extremists might say that a curtain hiding an American myth (superiority gained ethically) will be pulled back and our warts will be evident for all to see. Our best days could be thought to be behind us, without even considering our relative standing globally.

Against this gloomy picture, the dollar remains the strongest currency extant and people around the world want to come here for jobs, freedom of speech, and a greater sense of personal security. Hence those predicting a decline in America’s position have to be looking at an important change from the present condition. But that is what they pay experts for, to tell us the future will be different from the past. Hopefully (for their jobs) they will be more accurate than the pollsters who erred big-time on Brexit, Santos, and Trump.

In this regard, a naïve person might think that demographic data would be supportive, or at least suggestive, of specific policy recommendations. However, in the current anti-intellectual cauldron which exists in many strata of the American population, beginning with an odd duality — the very top of our political structure and our college campuses in many cases — data-free pontification is the norm, often accompanied by more virulent threats than simply “you do not understand.”

Anyway, maybe it would help to begin with a series of demographic observations, loosely lumped under the headings of Population, Societal, and Economics.  And leaving aside interesting conversations about metrics of success – some combination of peace, economic enhancement, and happiness would seem apropos – just for kicks, let’s categorize these data points as negative (N), positive (P), no real change (NRC), or simply different (SD), recognizing there would be much debate over the word “simply.”

POPULATION

• Of people at least 85 years of age, 82% are white, 18% non-white. For each five-year age bracket downward, the former number declines and the latter rises. At the 0-5 year-old age level, the split is basically 50%-50%. SD
• Growth in population is the lowest since that of the Great Depression. N
• More whites are dying than are being born in 1/3 of states. SD
• There is a decline in the number of white women in child-bearing age and they are having fewer babies per woman. SD
• Some 65% of immigrants are 25-64 years of age, compared with 52% of the native born population; a mere 5% are over 65 years old, one-third of the rate for the native-born sector. SD

• In the next two decades, the number of people > 70 years of age will double to 60 million. N
• At age 65, men live 19 years more; women 21 years. NRC
• According to Pew, the foreign born portion of the population will be 18% in 2065, up from 14% in 2015. The second generation category will be 18%, up from 12%. The white population will be 46%, down from 62% in 2015. SD
• Over 40% of American births are to unmarried U.S.-born women. N
• Millennials are 31% of the white population, 44% of the Hispanic population. (The largest single age cohort overall is that of 26 year-olds, 4.8 million.) SD

SOCIETAL

• One-fifth of 25-32 year-olds have no father figure in their lives and one-quarter of young adults lack an active relationship with more than one parent. N
• While there is a rising percentage of individuals who have never married or who are divorced or separated, still in their first marriage are 69% of college graduates. However, this is nearly double the 38% rate for those who did not finish high school. N
• In the 1950s, 20% of households moved within a year; this level was true as recently as 1985. Now the number is 10%, a reflection of both economics and cultural balkanization. SD

• For the first time in 130 years, 18-34 year-olds are slightly more likely to live with their parents than with a spouse or partner in their own house. SD
• In 1972, 46% of those surveyed believed that “most people could be trusted.” In 2016: 31%. N
• In 1967, 3% of newlyweds were intermarried; now, it is 17%. SD

ECONOMICS

• Compensation levels for half of 30 year-olds are the same as those of their parents; in 1970, 90% were above. Offspring overall no longer believe they will out-earn their parents. N
• People 65-75 years of age have five times the debt of twenty years ago. N
• The net worth of 55-64 year-olds (middle quintile) in 2013 was $168,900, barely above the inflation-adjusted $175,300 of 1989. Some 44% had debt, versus 30% in 1998. N
• Home ownership rate is at a 50-year low; there is an increasing percentage of home rentals, now at 37%, up from 31% in 2006. In 1965, it was 37% also. (Much of the increase represents a lifestyle decision, as rent can be greater than the cost of a mortgage.) SD
• One-quarter of millennials reportedly have delayed buying a house because of student debt. N

• Affluent parents are pouring money into the away-from-school category of education. Not unrelated, some 70% of kids at the top 200 colleges are from the top income quartile. NRC
• Of 18-64 year-olds, 55% have full-time jobs. One-fifth of men of this age are on Medicaid. N
• Half of American jobs pay $37,000 or less per year, including 25% with compensation under $23,000. (For comparison, a family of four at $32,000 qualifies for SNAP benefits. In contrast, the top 20% of income recipients earn $200,000 per year on average.) N
• Mothers are the primary breadwinners in 25% of households. SD
• Some 46% of households with mother and father in the house have both employed full-time. N
• In 1973, median income, inflation adjusted, of men working full-time was $54,030. In 2016, that figure is only $51,640. N

Dear Editor: I realize that individual essays could be written about all of the data points listed above, another time perhaps. Similarly, to try to envision say, the year 2050, and work backwards based on demographic inputs to arrive at cogent comments about “what then shall we do today” is beyond my capability. My bet is that most people do not have in their heads the bullet point information above, so this essay may be considered a public service (just joking).

 

 

It’s simple.

Get yourself to JFK Airport in New York City. Board a Qatar Airlines A-350 and fly 11 hours to Doha, the capital of Qatar and site of one of the world’s finest airports. After a couple of hours attempting to avoid  the high-priced shops and restaurants in the terminal, take your seat on another Qatar jet and fly four hours to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, one of the poorest countries on the planet.

Set your watch nine hours ahead. Yes, for those keeping score, it has taken you a day to arrive at this tiny, landlocked nation. You disembark somewhat heavier as the result of three stupendous meals served in courteous fashion by Qatar’s exemplary staff.

Then, take a Buddha Airlines wing-over-fuselage plane — without uttering a prayer (the Man himself was born in Nepal, but his birthplace was flooded last month, so no tourist visits are currently feasible.) Some 45 minutes later, you arrive at the Chandragadi Airport.  Along the way, you cannot believe your good fortune: there in the distance is the legendary Mt. Everest, rising far above the level of your airplane.

Next: hop in a Range Rover type vehicle driven by a Nepali, who could probably take people up any mountain around given his skills in navigating the pitfalls of a road marked by more potholes than the total in New Jersey. Three hours later, your insides trying to remember what it felt like to be in the same position for more than a few seconds, you arrive in Ilam, the famous tea-growing region of Nepal. Its more illustrious cousin, Darjeeling (50 miles away across the border with India), got hit by the same flood as the Man and is likewise off limits at the moment.

Your hotel is nicely situated in the middle of town. It has a good bed, the strongest door locking mechanism in the world, an erratic Internet system, somewhat sketchy food – great tea though – and, at checkout, accepts only rupees, each of which is worth roughly a penny.

Now, camera at the ready, you take a walk, and at a certain random point veer off the main tourist path, where you erroneously believe you might be mistaken for a dollar sign. Instead, you call on sturdy leg muscles to take you down a hair pin turn/concrete “road” and then off on dirt paths that lead to, among other things, a school. In the space next to an existing classroom, an older lady is busy mixing cement for a presumed expansion.

Then some added fun begins: you have to walk up that steep road to get back to civilization, in this case sitting in on a World Bank presentation involving local business people. The legs strain, sweat pours off your brow and you wonder about the number of beats your heart is being asked to pump. Maybe two-thirds of the way up, the thought of rest and water takes hold of your entire mind and body.

There it is, one of those little shops situated where you wonder how they do enough business to survive. You go to it, with a great show of being desperate for water. The owner returns with a glass full of delightful cool liquid as you ignore the pre-trip warning to not drink water from the tap in Nepal.

How do you turn down such a gracious offer, especially when the proprietor’s t-shirt says what everyone   should want to witness and be part of  ………….. “A World without Strangers.”