Southern University of New Orleans has an 8% graduation rate

[Dan Druff]

... and that's up from the year before, when it was only 5%.

http://www.nola.com/education/index....of_8_perc.html

76% of the students are receiving Pell Grants.

So let's look at the facts here:

Government grants money to 76% of SUNO students.

92% of that money goes to waste (assuming that the Pell Grant students are graduating at the same rate as non-Pell-Grant students, which may or may not be true. It could be even worse.)

Are you happy about your tax dollars going to fund students who have an 8% chance to graduate?

This is why public colleges can't just be free.

And this also exposes a big flaw in the Pell Grant program.

Pell Grants should be changed to suspended loans.

If the student graduates, the loan will be forgiven and written off as if it never existed.

If the student fails to graduate within 6 years, it will turn into a loan that starts accruing interest.

There should also be some tougher requirements to get a Pell Grant in the first place, based upon performance in high school and SAT scores.

[408Mike]

I had a pulse, I got a pell grant, each and every single semester I went to college (true story)

Agree with Druff, and stop allowing athletic prowess earn a degree. What a joke!

[Mad Dad]

School is same as welfare and cheaper than prison - gotta do something with people so they don't get too cranky and organized. Gov't ponzi scheme - keep printing money ... Now the fed is buying $40B / mth of mortgage backed securities indefinitely to re-inflate the housing bubble. US is playing musical chairs except there is only 1% chairs. If / when the music stops, 99% are gonna have no chair. Romney has a chair, Obama has a chair - you don't have a chair. Keep dancing around those chairs ...

[DRK Star]

Druff,

You failed to mention (and appreciate) the fact that the article states that their graduation rate went up from 5% to 8%.

Give credit where credit is due.

[DRK Star]

also, the only public university that has a lower graduation rate is Oklahoma State University

#rumdick

[SrslySirius]

Druff,

You failed to mention (and appreciate) the fact that the article states that their graduation rate went up from 5% to 8%.

Give credit where credit is due.

He mentioned that in his first sentence.

That graduation rate seems really bizaare. If they're that unmotivated, why would they attend in the first place? Are they receiving additional benefits other than tuition?

[DRK Star]

Druff,

You failed to mention (and appreciate) the fact that the article states that their graduation rate went up from 5% to 8%.

Give credit where credit is due.

He mentioned that in his first sentence.

I didnt see it.

Also, I graduated from Oklahoma State U.

[SrslySirius]

Nevertheless, Southern University System President Ronald Mason Jr. put a positive spin on the rise: "It's all part of the real story of SUNO, which is that, despite tremendous odds, it continues to move in a positive direction."

[Vwls]

... and that's up from the year before, when it was only 5%.

http://www.nola.com/education/index....of_8_perc.html

76% of the students are receiving Pell Grants.

So let's look at the facts here:

Government grants money to 76% of SUNO students.

92% of that money goes to waste (assuming that the Pell Grant students are graduating at the same rate as non-Pell-Grant students, which may or may not be true. It could be even worse.)

Are you happy about your tax dollars going to fund students who have an 8% chance to graduate?

This is why public colleges can't just be free.

And this also exposes a big flaw in the Pell Grant program.

Pell Grants should be changed to suspended loans.

If the student graduates, the loan will be forgiven and written off as if it never existed.

If the student fails to graduate within 6 years, it will turn into a loan that starts accruing interest.

There should also be some tougher requirements to get a Pell Grant in the first place, based upon performance in high school and SAT scores.

The problem comes before the college level - it's a matter of matriculating high school grads into college when they aren't college prepared. The public high schools are so shitty - everyone should be fired and a complete re-working of the system has to take place for this problem to be solved. To get serious about it, you really have to start teaching them correctly in grade school. The other issue is that not everyone, even if given the proper grade school and high school education, has what it takes to graduate college. We need more job opportunities for non grads, such as bringing manufacturing back to the US. It's foolish to assume that the entire American population has an IQ high enough or the gumption and self discipline to earn a college degree. Sadly, the dearth of labor opportunities in the US isn't going to get fixed because it costs less to outsource. Cliff's notes = this country is fucked.

[RobbieBensonFan]

... and that's up from the year before, when it was only 5%.

http://www.nola.com/education/index....of_8_perc.html

76% of the students are receiving Pell Grants.

So let's look at the facts here:

Government grants money to 76% of SUNO students.

92% of that money goes to waste (assuming that the Pell Grant students are graduating at the same rate as non-Pell-Grant students, which may or may not be true. It could be even worse.)

Are you happy about your tax dollars going to fund students who have an 8% chance to graduate?

This is why public colleges can't just be free.

And this also exposes a big flaw in the Pell Grant program.

Pell Grants should be changed to suspended loans.

If the student graduates, the loan will be forgiven and written off as if it never existed.

If the student fails to graduate within 6 years, it will turn into a loan that starts accruing interest.

There should also be some tougher requirements to get a Pell Grant in the first place, based upon performance in high school and SAT scores.

The problem comes before the college level - it's a matter of matriculating high school grads into college when they aren't college prepared. The public high schools are so shitty - everyone should be fired and a complete re-working of the system has to take place for this problem to be solved. To get serious about it, you really have to start teaching them correctly in grade school. The other issue is that not everyone, even if given the proper grade school and high school education, has what it takes to graduate college. We need more job opportunities for non grads, such as bringing manufacturing back to the US. It's foolish to assume that the entire American population has an IQ high enough or the gumption and self discipline to earn a college degree. Sadly, the dearth of labor opportunities in the US isn't going to get fixed because it costs less to outsource. Cliff's notes = this country is fucked.

Yes, Obama has really fucked up this country. Glad to see you have made the decision to vote for Romney. Romney was hugely successful in business, fixing the Olympics and successful as a Govenor. Obama basically spent his entire life running for the next office in line. His resume was running for office and community organizing. This is what you get from a guy that never received a paycheck from the private sector.

[mulva]

never heard of the school. i wonder if a smart 9th grader could excel there.

[shortbuspoker]

There is no need to blame this on Obama because it isn't his fault. It was there before him and it'll be there after him. If anything blame it on Bill Cosby for wearing all of those damned college sweatshirts on his show back in the day.

The idea of the propped up "Historically Black University" is the problem. Schools such as this are not held to the same standards as others are. I cannot begin to tell you how many "students" at Talladega College would come into the store I used to run to buy electronics and car audio systems the day that grant check s came out.

[Wiganer]

University isn't easy for someone from a poor background. I nearly didn't graduate myself. Part of the problem is if grant funding is paid in a block. You're asking a teenager who has probably grown up in a fractured household that has never had that much money in one go to manage it wisely. Possibly trickier than for a kid from say a stable middle class jewish background.

[Crowe Diddly]

This is why public colleges can't just be free.

Right. Of all the thousands of colleges and universities in the US, this single worst possible example is the reason we can't have free education.

The place that has almost no entrance standards so they accept almost everyone (kindly categorized as 'less selective'), in one of the most beat down areas in the country, including a few years where the school had a fraction of its current enrollment and its campus was closed and moved because of that whole Katrina deal. Let's use them as an example for the entire country's public higher education system. Lets use the last 6 years, when its only been back at full enrollment since fall 2008 since the devastating national disaster that probably ended most of the previous student body's college careers in this place, as a measure of their success, and by proxy, the entire US educational system's success.

Terrible, terrible premise for an argument.

I just looked at the wiki for this school for about a minute, and while its not likely this place is a shining beacon of all that higher education should be, it seems really, really obvious that the circumstances of Katrina and its aftermath would directly correlate with the terrible 6 year grad rate. But really, who cares about context when you have a point to make?

[anonamoose]

Lol at people thinking this is a horrid stat. when you break it up it's really not that bad.

this is 6 years, which means part timers probably won't make it. sometimes some schools have a lot of part timers. also if a student started at this school and transfers to another school, which some schools are known for, it counts against them.

yeah 8% is low, but i don't think this is cause to go lolpellgrantsanyonecangetthemhurrdurr.

[gut]

This is why public colleges can't just be free.

Right. Of all the thousands of colleges and universities in the US, this single worst possible example is the reason we can't have free education.

The place that has almost no entrance standards so they accept almost everyone (kindly categorized as 'less selective'), in one of the most beat down areas in the country, including a few years where the school had a fraction of its current enrollment and its campus was closed and moved because of that whole Katrina deal. Let's use them as an example for the entire country's public higher education system. Lets use the last 6 years, when its only been back at full enrollment since fall 2008 since the devastating national disaster that probably ended most of the previous student body's college careers in this place, as a measure of their success, and by proxy, the entire US educational system's success.

Terrible, terrible premise for an argument.

I just looked at the wiki for this school for about a minute, and while its not likely this place is a shining beacon of all that higher education should be, it seems really, really obvious that the circumstances of Katrina and its aftermath would directly correlate with the terrible 6 year grad rate. But really, who cares about context when you have a point to make?

[gut]

... and that's up from the year before, when it was only 5%.

http://www.nola.com/education/index....of_8_perc.html

76% of the students are receiving Pell Grants.

So let's look at the facts here:

Government grants money to 76% of SUNO students.

92% of that money goes to waste (assuming that the Pell Grant students are graduating at the same rate as non-Pell-Grant students, which may or may not be true. It could be even worse.)

Are you happy about your tax dollars going to fund students who have an 8% chance to graduate?

This is why public colleges can't just be free.

And this also exposes a big flaw in the Pell Grant program.

Pell Grants should be changed to suspended loans.

If the student graduates, the loan will be forgiven and written off as if it never existed.

If the student fails to graduate within 6 years, it will turn into a loan that starts accruing interest.

There should also be some tougher requirements to get a Pell Grant in the first place, based upon performance in high school and SAT scores.

I'm sure the millions of people who haven't finished college/took longer than 6 years to graduate because of family illnesses and caretaker situations, pregnancies, and other "life happens" reasons would LOVE this idea.

"Shit happens, so here's some more shit to deal with on top of it!"

What a horrible idea.

[snaxbox]

If the student fails to graduate within 6 years, it will turn into a loan that starts accruing interest.

I somewhat agree to some of your idea but on this I think they should have some consideration about this matter. There are other reasons why one can't finish school after 6 year since we don't really know what happens to our life the next minute.
_____________________________
http://www.studies-portal.com/most-affordable-colleges/

[Corrigan]

This is why public colleges can't just be free.

Right. Of all the thousands of colleges and universities in the US, this single worst possible example is the reason we can't have free education.

The place that has almost no entrance standards so they accept almost everyone (kindly categorized as 'less selective'), in one of the most beat down areas in the country, including a few years where the school had a fraction of its current enrollment and its campus was closed and moved because of that whole Katrina deal. Let's use them as an example for the entire country's public higher education system. Lets use the last 6 years, when its only been back at full enrollment since fall 2008 since the devastating national disaster that probably ended most of the previous student body's college careers in this place, as a measure of their success, and by proxy, the entire US educational system's success.

Terrible, terrible premise for an argument.

I just looked at the wiki for this school for about a minute, and while its not likely this place is a shining beacon of all that higher education should be, it seems really, really obvious that the circumstances of Katrina and its aftermath would directly correlate with the terrible 6 year grad rate. But really, who cares about context when you have a point to make?

It's usually after a post like this that Druff takes a nice long permanent nap from whatever discussion he was having

[donkdowndonedied]

Right. Of all the thousands of colleges and universities in the US, this single worst possible example is the reason we can't have free education.

The place that has almost no entrance standards so they accept almost everyone (kindly categorized as 'less selective'), in one of the most beat down areas in the country, including a few years where the school had a fraction of its current enrollment and its campus was closed and moved because of that whole Katrina deal. Let's use them as an example for the entire country's public higher education system. Lets use the last 6 years, when its only been back at full enrollment since fall 2008 since the devastating national disaster that probably ended most of the previous student body's college careers in this place, as a measure of their success, and by proxy, the entire US educational system's success.

Terrible, terrible premise for an argument.

I just looked at the wiki for this school for about a minute, and while its not likely this place is a shining beacon of all that higher education should be, it seems really, really obvious that the circumstances of Katrina and its aftermath would directly correlate with the terrible 6 year grad rate. But really, who cares about context when you have a point to make?

It's usually after a post like this that Druff takes a nice long permanent nap from whatever discussion he was having

Lets not forget the point that Druff sees schools as degree mills where the education doesn't matter. It is a simple binary matter as witnessed by his beliefs on pell grants. Yes, the world is that black and white to a lot of people.