College Success Blog

I believe strongly in education. I believe education can open your mind to new ideas (although sometimes the opposite happens). College can also prepare you for jobs you could not get without a college degree, but is this a good thing?

College is a door to opportunity when it teaches people new skills, makes them more productive and gives them a greater understanding of the world around them. College is a barrier to entry when it takes people away from practicing what they are already proficient at or prevents them from becoming proficient in a new area with greater possibilities.

What is a barrier to entry? In economic terms, a barrier to entry arises when people or businesses are barred from entering into a market such as a lack of “credentials” or education. A barrier to entry can be a good thing: it can raise wages and provide job stability, but it can also be used to keep working class people out of certain professions.

Abraham Lincoln became a lawyer not by going to law school, but through an apprenticeship. And we all know he went on to become one of the greatest presidents in United States history. Today, only a few states would recognize Lincoln as a lawyer. This is a shame when arguably one of the greatest presidents could not practice law because he did not worship at the ivory tower.

The line between a college education and a person’s ability to do a job competently and rise to the level of encountering a barrier to further success is well illustrated with the profession of Physical Therapy.

In 1980 a bachelor’s degree was a standard requirement for an entry-level position; currently you need a master’s and soon you will need to be educated at the doctoral level. I think it is obvious that fewer people will have the time and means to complete a doctoral program than a bachelor’s level program. While it is argued that the public will be better served if all Physical Therapists are educated at the higher level, I believe the opposite will happen.

In the 1980s a person could choose the best Physical Therapist among those with an education level greater than BSN; soon they will only be able to choose from a smaller group of doctoral level Physical Therapists.

There are many attributes that will make a person excel at his or her chosen profession, Physical Therapist or other: Dedication, work ethic, moral standards, natural skill, and experience, but all these get trumped when education is used as a barrier. The caring person who would have excelled at her/his profession but decided that education beyond a bachelor’s degree took too much time away from her children is now out of consideration. Ironically, the higher the education level needed, the fewer the people who will be able to find or afford treatment from a doctorally prepared Physical Therapist. This will lead to the population being served by Physical Therapist “assistants” with less education. Think of the last time you saw the dentist. Did you spent more time with the dentist or the dental assistant?

What is the solution? We need multiple paths to entering in every profession regardless of level of education. This would require both a written board exam and a practical examination to demonstrate proficiency. Things such as years of experience, level of skills and knowledge would then be as valuable as being good at school and having the means to support yourself (or having someone support) you through college.

The Dumb Kid

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008 at 2:27 pm and is filed under education economics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.