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U.S. College Graduation Rates Lack, Continue Slipping
Andrew Porter
Issue date: 9/21/06 Section: News
The United States is lacking in higher education, according to a report released by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.
The report finds the U.S. is currently second in the world behind Canada in terms of people age 35 to 64 having a college degree, with 39 percent of the population having earned one. But the U.S. drops to seventh when people from age 25 to 34 are measured.
When people age 18 to 24 are compared, the U.S. ranks fifth internationally in terms of college enrollment, with 35 percent of people attending an institution of higher learning. The U.S. falls dramatically when college completion numbers are compared. The U.S. only earns 17 degrees for every 100 students enrolled, which places it 16th internationally and in the lower half of the 27 countries. Japan, the leader in terms of completion has more than a 50 percent advantage over the U.S., earning 26 degrees for every 100 enrollees.
According to the report, the future ability of America to maintain its global economic and educational leadership is at serious risk, "if the nation's younger population does not keep pace with the educational attainment levels of earlier generations and with the accelerating pace of education around the globe."
In a New York Times article, Patrick M. Callan, the president of the center responsible for the report, commented on the fact that younger Americans are falling behind in education.
"The strength of America is in the population that's closest to retirement, while the strength of many countries against whom we compare ourselves is in their younger population," Callan said. "Perhaps for the first time in our history, the next generation will be less educated."
Despite the slipping graduation rates in the United States, graduation and retention rates at UConn have been rising over the past decade.
UConn was recognized with the 2006 Outstanding Retention Program award from the Educational Policy Institute (EPI). UConn was recognized for their work since founding a retention and graduation task force five years ago, according to a press release from the EPI.
The report finds the U.S. is currently second in the world behind Canada in terms of people age 35 to 64 having a college degree, with 39 percent of the population having earned one. But the U.S. drops to seventh when people from age 25 to 34 are measured.
When people age 18 to 24 are compared, the U.S. ranks fifth internationally in terms of college enrollment, with 35 percent of people attending an institution of higher learning. The U.S. falls dramatically when college completion numbers are compared. The U.S. only earns 17 degrees for every 100 students enrolled, which places it 16th internationally and in the lower half of the 27 countries. Japan, the leader in terms of completion has more than a 50 percent advantage over the U.S., earning 26 degrees for every 100 enrollees.
According to the report, the future ability of America to maintain its global economic and educational leadership is at serious risk, "if the nation's younger population does not keep pace with the educational attainment levels of earlier generations and with the accelerating pace of education around the globe."
In a New York Times article, Patrick M. Callan, the president of the center responsible for the report, commented on the fact that younger Americans are falling behind in education.
"The strength of America is in the population that's closest to retirement, while the strength of many countries against whom we compare ourselves is in their younger population," Callan said. "Perhaps for the first time in our history, the next generation will be less educated."
Despite the slipping graduation rates in the United States, graduation and retention rates at UConn have been rising over the past decade.
UConn was recognized with the 2006 Outstanding Retention Program award from the Educational Policy Institute (EPI). UConn was recognized for their work since founding a retention and graduation task force five years ago, according to a press release from the EPI.
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