Limited access to higher ed
Too few students get into college; that limits opportunities for young people and hurts our state's economy.

Published: Friday, September 15, 2006 - 6:00 am (www.greenvillenews.com)

South Carolina is failing to open the doors of higher education to its young people. That failure will mar South Carolina's future economic competitiveness. For many young people, meanwhile, it means limited job opportunities and a low standard of living.

That's the overall message of a recent National Report Card on Higher Education. The report card cited a few strengths but also troubling weaknesses: specifically, the state received an "F" on "affordability" of higher education and a "D+" for "participation" -- a ranking of how many students actually attend college.

Rising tuition may be putting higher education out of the reach of South Carolina students from low-income families. The study by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education points out that the state makes a very low investment in need-based financial aid compared with top-performing states, and the state offers no low-tuition college opportunities.

In addition, the report suggests that higher education is a huge burden for families of modest means. Costs for low- and middle-income students to attend community colleges represent 41 percent of their annual family income, according to the study. That figure is based on tuition, room and board after financial aid. For students at four-year colleges and universities, the college costs represent 54 percent of their annual family income.

The state received a poor rating on "participation" because too few young South Carolinians ever make it to college. The state was among the worst in the nation, especially for helping students from low-income families attend college. Young adults (ages18-24) from high-income families are about three times as likely as those from low-income families to attend college, according to the report. It also notes "this is among the widest gaps in the nation."

This clearly is a huge concern. A state higher education system that is only for the elite makes a mockery of the American Dream of economic mobility.

Another reason for the poor "participation" rating is that too many students don't complete high school. In fact, the percentage of high school students graduating in this state is among the smallest in the country.

The number of adults, ages 25 to 65, with a bachelor's degree or more is 23 percent, compared to 37 percent in the top states. That poor ranking "substantially weakens the state economy," according to the report.

The state earned high marks in a few areas. For instance, the state can boast a strong completion rate by the students who actually make it to college here.

But the problems disclosed by the report are troubling. True, they are not necessarily new: South Carolinians know that tuition here is unreasonably high and that high school graduations are disturbingly low. But the study places the obstacles to educational and economic opportunity here in sharp relief.

Solutions are clear: Lawmakers have to provide more support for higher education. State leaders and educators have to offer help for high school students in danger of dropping out. Teachers and counselors need to steer more students toward higher education -- for the good of both the students and the state.

We know what's wrong. Can we fix it?