

Obama proposes college-rating system that could increase affordability - pdxtech
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-to-propose-college-ranking-system-that-could-increase-affordability/2013/08/22/73e674c0-0b17-11e3-b87c-476db8ac34cd_story.html

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lutusp
A quote: "First, the ratings would reward colleges that offer 'value.'"

"Value?" Who doesn't see the flaw in this suggestion? How is a government
agency qualified to judge the value of different educational choices? What
metrics will they use?

This is a good idea in principle, but it has a huge potential chasm between
intent and realization.

I hope this works -- there are any number of colleges that offer seemingly
prestigious but worthless degrees, and they should be called out. The problem
is that there's no assurance that a government agency can be expected to
distinguish between wheat and chaff.

There's another problem. On reviewing my own education, I realize that 90% of
what I was taught in the 1950s is now recognized as either flat wrong (all
life depends on photosynthesis), or taught a skill that's now obsolete
(penmanship, long division). My point? Instead of delivering specific
subjects, colleges should teach self-education skills for the long future.
Some do, some don't, but that aspect of education is neither recognized nor
tested for.

