THOUGHTS from the President

Is college worth the price?*

In their book, Academically Adrift, sociologists Richard Arum of New York University and Josipa Roksa of the University of Virginia amplify an ongoing discussion regarding whether freshmen and sophomores make any academic progress in their first two years of college. In an era of economic uncertainty and international competition, I believe it’s time we briefly pause on the question of price and take a fresh look at the value of a college education.

When we look at tuition, we first need to consider value—an appropriate stance, judging by national studies. In an American Council on Education survey, alumni overwhelmingly gave their colleges high marks, with 92 percent believing their college education was worth the time and money invested!

A college education is still an important foundation for a student’s future. But college is not just about building a mental library. It’s also about developing character, transformational values, life principles and career skills. It’s about making lifelong connections with professors and fellow classmates. It’s learning how to think critically about the world we live in and becoming the kind of individual who can contribute to that world productively and effectively.

Beyond helping students choose a major and find a career path, we have a much higher purpose: to equip students to value the whole purpose of their education. As stewards of higher learning, we have a duty to ensure that students receive true value for the tuition they pay. Students and parents are looking to us for leadership to ensure that the students we serve are educated at the highest level of quality. But quality is still expensive.

And so we approach the bottom line: is college worth the cost? My answer is unequivocally, “yes.”

But the contagious quest to learn about our world doesn’t end at graduation. Learning should become a lifetime pursuit, feeding the body, mind and spirit, providing an understanding of life’s obligations that stretch beyond careers. A college education that develops the whole person is priceless.

This President's Report provides a snapshot of our academic and fiscal year 2010–11 and offers an exciting look at how Northwestern provides education that “develops the whole person” for students of all ages.

Alan S. Cureton, Ph.D.
President
Northwestern College and Northwestern Media

*Excerpts from President Alan Cureton’s response to the book Academically Adrift, Feb. 16, 2011, in the Roseville Review.