Is elite university worth the money? Ten truths

Are elite universities worth the money? Top Ten Truths (Alberta Times) During the Harvard University graduation ceremony,...

(Alberta Times)

Chinese students are often seen at the Harvard University graduation ceremony

Since 1982, college tuition in the United States has increased at twice the inflation rate. Many college students have to bear heavy student loan debts just after graduation. Parents and students have begun to question the value of college education. New York Times reporter Claudia Dreifus and Queens College political science professor Andrew Hacker spent nearly three years interviewing university faculty, administrators, and graduates. After analyzing relevant statistics, they concluded that most American universities, especially elite universities, are not worth the money. They suggest that parents should recognize the following ten truths when helping their children apply for college. 1. Don’t let your children go to college in debt. In 2010, nearly two-thirds of college students took out loans to pay for high tuition. The College Board estimated that the average loan for college students upon graduation was $24,000. In fact, including interest, penalties, and other charges, college students may have debts of more than $100,000 after completing their studies. Once they default on their federal student loans, their employment, tax refunds, and even professional license applications will be affected, and they will lose their qualifications to apply for government jobs and receive social security benefits. Dreifus said parents should not put their children out for loans because of low interest rates. 2. Avoid attending research universities. Professors at large research universities are under pressure to publish books and articles. They invest more in scientific research and supervising graduate students, and they have almost no regard for undergraduates. Well-known professors usually give large lectures to undergraduates, and other supervision tasks are delegated to teaching assistants. Dreifus analyzed that in some well-known private schools at Harvard University, the relationship between college students and professors is relatively weak, while small liberal arts colleges attach great importance to teaching and limit class sizes to 15 to 20 people, which is more conducive to students' academic development. 3. University administration is overstaffed. The ratio of administrators to students at universities across the United States doubled between 1976 and 2007, resulting in overstaffing but with costs shared among students. Therefore, when choosing a school, consider not only the student-to-teacher ratio, but also the student-to-administration ratio. 4. Famous professors rarely teach in person. Universities increasingly rely on part-time teachers to teach undergraduate courses. Substitute teachers, including part-time professors, currently account for 70% of teachers, a significant increase from 43% in 1975. Elite universities are no exception. 70% of undergraduate courses at Yale University are taught by part-time professors. Many part-time professors do not have fixed offices, making it difficult to answer questions and solve problems for students in a timely manner. 5. It is difficult for students to contact professors directly. Most universities encourage tenured professors to take sabbaticals, and with winter and summer vacations, undergraduate students may not have the chance to meet with famous professors. Senior professors at Harvard University can take a sabbatical every three years. In the 2010-2011 academic year, 10 of the 48 professors in the Department of History took a sabbatical to do research, and one-third of the professors in the Department of Religion at Williams College took a sabbatical every year. 6. First-class equipment and discounted teaching quality. Some universities have luxurious dining halls and gyms, but these costs will be passed on to students. Parents should check carefully to avoid such universities putting the cart before the horse and neglecting teaching. 7. The principal’s high salary is a waste of resources. Some university presidents pursue high salaries, but a few have real educational vision. Their performance is related to the development prospects of the university. Universities are public service institutions, and the president’s salary should not exceed that of the president. 8. College teams are spending machines. Only a few university sports teams are self-sufficient. Most rely on student fees to hire outstanding players, coaches and purchase team facilities. For example, the History Department of Birmingham-Southern College in Alabama has seven football coaches and only four professors. 9. Non-vocational insurance for elite universities. According to a survey of more than 900 Princeton University graduates, only a few people are successful in their careers. For most Americans, as long as they can use their talents to their full potential, by the age of 35 or 36, the career success of most Americans has basically nothing to do with whether the university they attend is a prestigious one. 10. The teaching standards of public universities are not bad. The well-known honors colleges of the City University of New York, the University of Arizona, the University of Mississippi, etc. provide low tuition for in-state students, but their teaching standards are comparable to those of the Ivy League schools.