The United States was once Number One in higher education statistics, but has now fallen to Number Twelve among 36 developed nations! 🙁
The percentage of young people going to colleges, and finishing a college degree has dropped dramatically, and that is a crisis not only for the people involved, but also for American society!
If America is to compete in the future international economy and remain a superpower, the nation must promote students staying in school and working at a degree, but it seems as if many young people have become alienated from higher education, and tend to think only in the moment, rather than the long term!
Currently, there are about 16.7 million people 25-34 with a college degree, but another 11 million are needed over the next ten years to compete with other nations, and only about 3 million are believed likely to graduate in the next decade!
About 70 percent of young people enroll within two years of high school graduation, but only 57 percent finish a degree within six years. These figures are simply not good enough for the long term economic growth of America!
President Obama will speak today in Austin, Texas, at The University of Texas, to emphasize the priority of higher education in the future, making it one of his major unmet goals that he now wishes to promote, and Education Secretary Arne Duncan is also active in this campaign!