Should High School Graduates Be Required To Apply To College And Take Entrance Exam

The recent proposal by D.C. Council Chairman Kwame R. Brown that would require all students to take a college entrance exam and apply to at least one post-secondary institution in order to get a high school diploma is not without merit, write the editors of The Washington Post. However, “the way [it was] developed — without consultation with those who manage the schools or any regard to the impact — is a troubling sign of a council that seems more interested in sound bites than in providing thoughtful oversight.” The editors pose a host of questions as yet unanswered: Does the system have in place supports needed for successful outcomes, or would it be setting up students for failure? Is the city prepared to pick up the costs of applications for students who can’t afford fees? What about exam fees? Will there be counselors to provide effective advice on what college to pick or how to write an essay? And is it really a good idea to deny a diploma to someone who met all the requirements of a high school education save for filling out a college application? “It would be better for the council not to ricochet from issue to issue, coming up with half-baked legislation that takes up time that [D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya] Henderson could better spend on other issues,” opines The Post.
Read more: http://tinyurl.com/6wmf8q7

Source: PEN Newsblast