（带文稿）0318VOA 美高校教育界正努力让肄业学生重返校园【文末小测】

张老邪叨哔叨：

想到了2010清退300多名研究生（多为镀金的壕社会人士）以及2019将18名本科生降为专科生的华科...... 不过呢，这则新闻里肄业的头号原因可并不是因为他们是弃疗的学渣，而是其他原因~ 或许将大学教育当作糊口的敲门砖有点功利，但不代表自己养活自己就是什么很Low的事。在自立不啃老的这个必要非充分条件下，你的大学当然可以有更多意义。像三体作者大刘、明朝那些事的当年明月，以及爱因斯坦那样找个清闲工作，闲暇副业再写点旷世奇作也是可以的（雾）

Students in the engineering department carry toy hammers as they arrive to receive their degrees at Columbia University's commencement, Wednesday, May 22, 2019 in New York.

Transcript

        Completing a degree program at a college or university can be one of the best things you do to improve your chances of success in life. Higher education is a necessity for many of the best paying jobs in the United States and other countries.

        But earning a degree can also be in one of the most difficult things you will ever attempt.

       In 2019, a non-profit group noted that 36 million Americans had started on a path towards a degree, but stopped before completing their studies. That number came from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

        In 2016, the European Union found that 3 million young people throughout its member nations had suspended their university education.

In 2017, the World Bank reported that across South America, nearly half of all 25 to 29-year-olds had stopped attending higher education without earning a degree. And, South African officials have reported similar levels in their country.

Students in the School of International and Public Affairs wave flags at Columbia University's commencement, Wednesday, May 22, 2019 in New York. More than 14,000 undergraduate and graduate students at the university have completed their studies. (AP Photo)

       Nichole Torpey-Saboe says there are many reasons why people leave U.S. higher education without earning a degree. And the difficulty of college degree programs is not the top reason people give for leaving, she adds.

      Torpey-Saboe is director of research for the Strada Education Network. In December, her group, working with the research company Gallup, released a report on why over 42,000 Americans left school without a degree.

        Researchers found the most common reason people gave for leaving was the difficulty of balancing work with their college or university studies. Other reasons were the high cost of higher education and the fact that many students failed to see how their studies related to a career, Torpey-Saboe says.

        As for why so few consider returning to complete their education, she told VOA many Americans feel there is little chance of them succeeding if they do.

        “They are afraid that they’ve been away from the classroom too long or they’re just worried that the same situations that caused them to drop out before might still be there and make it difficult to be successful if they try again,” she said.

        Torpey-Saboe suggests the problem in the United States is not just that these individuals have less of a chance of finding good-paying jobs. These men and women still have to repay loans they took out to pay for their education. And since they will likely have less access to better positions, they will struggle to repay that debt.

        This makes an already difficult situation for people who are poor or come from an underrepresented group in higher education that much harder, notes Justin Ortagus.

        Ortagus is an assistant professor of higher education policy at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He believes that students like these are often the most likely to drop out.

        “If you’re a low income, first generation student, you don’t necessarily have a parent to say, ‘This is what you need to do to enroll’ … or ‘These are the types of courses you need to take to ensure you’re up to date in your individual major.’ You kind of have to learn on the fly and really rely on under-resourced institutions to provide the support and services that you need,” he said.

In this May 24, 2010 file photo, future graduates wait for the procession to begin for the graduation ceremony at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

     Yet Ortagus thinks there is hope. Last month he and two other University of Florida researchers released a study on efforts to re-admit students at two-year community colleges across the state.

        Community colleges largely serve poor and minority students, many who are working in full-time positions and supporting families. Federal studies show that only about 30 percent of individuals who start their education at such schools earn a degree.

        However, the study showed that community colleges were able to help students return in two ways. First, the schools started sending text messages to over 27,000 former students on their mobile phones. The messages provided links so they could immediately enroll in classes or get advice about the next best steps in their education.

        The community colleges also offered to pay students for their first class once they decided to return to school. The text messages alone had little effect. But the two efforts together made the individuals in the study 21 percent more likely to re-enroll.

       Ortagus argues that this demonstrates how a little financial aid, in this case about $300, can do a lot for those in need. And eventually the cost to the school is covered when the students are in a better position to pay for the rest of their education.

      Nichole Torpey-Saboe says these efforts are a good start. But she argues there are still greater changes that need to be made to the entire structure of U.S. higher education.

     Torpey-Saboe says one can see evidence of this in the growing popularity of internet-based degree programs. She thinks colleges and universities need to consider offering more classes outside of normal business hours. And, she says lawmakers need to consider giving more money to schools that serve needy students so they can improve their guidance services.

        I’m Dorothy Gundy.
        And I’m Pete Musto.

QUIZ【答案见下方词汇表后】

What does South Africa have in common with all of South America?

A. Half of a their college students drop out

B. Every single college student complete

C. Almost all of their college students drop out

D. Very few college students complete

What does Torpey-Sayboe say is the most common reason college students give for dropping out?

A. The high cost of college

B. A lack of connection to jobs

C.The difficulty of the program

D. A shortage of time for studies

How is dropping out of college harmful to students?

A. They look like failures to employers.

B. They will struggle to repay any loans.

C. They will earn less and less money.

D. They forget what they have learned.

What did Justin Ortagus find to be the most effective way of re-enrolling students?

A. Text messages offering help

B. Help covering program costs

C. Texts and financial assistance

D. Informational emails and letters

Words in This Story

degree – n. an official document and title that is given to someone who has successfully completed a series of classes at a college or university

drop out – p.v. to stop attending a school or university before you have completed your studies

access – n. a way of being able to use or get something

enroll – v. to enter someone as a member of or participant in something

course(s) – n. a group of classes that lead to a degree

major – n. the main subject studied by a college or university student

on the fly – n. quickly and often without preparation

rely on – p.v. to need someone or something for support or help

institution(s) – n. an established organization

mobile – adj. able to move from one place to another

【ADBC】