That was one of the key recommendations made on Capitol Hill last week during a panel discussion titled “The New Forgotten Half: Those Who Pursue College But Never Earn a Degree.”
Barbara Veazey, president at West Kentucky Community and Technical College, said she often gets pushback back from counselors on the merits of providing students with practical advice about whether they have the academic skills it takes to get into a particular career.
Veazey said advisers should caution a struggling nursing student, for instance, that “nursing won’t fit into your pathway right now. Let’s look at something else,” such as a nursing assistant.
“Counselors say, ‘I don’t see that as my job,’” Veazey said. “Yes, it is your job,” she said, citing the example of a nursing student who is dropping out of the college without a degree because of her inability to complete the math requirement.
Veazey was one of several speakers at the discussion — hosted by the American Youth Policy Forum — who suggested the role of college counselors is critical in stemming the tide of dropouts and advising more students to pursue certificates and other credentials short of a two-year or four-year degree.
Even though it may be hard to tell a low-income student with poor grades to aim for a sub-baccalaureate instead of a bachelor’s degree, it’s better than ignoring research that shows they will likely not complete their degree programs, said James Rosenbaum, a professor at Northwestern University and lead author of “The New Forgotten Half and Research Directions to Support Them.”
