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Reading RoomStopping the Dropout CrisisA new book by Marcia Cantarella ’68 guides students to college success. Interviewed by Maria Jacketti  A 2010 report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development revealed that among the 18 countries it tracked, the United States finished last (46 percent) for the percentage of students who completed college once they started it—behind Japan (89 percent), Slovakia (63 percent), and Poland (61 percent). After stints as associate dean at Hunter College, dean at Princeton University, and part of the dean’s staff at New York University’s College of Arts and Science, Marcia Cantarella ’68 knows firsthand how many students become at risk for not finishing college. As president of Cantarella Consulting in New York, she works with educational institutions, programs, and organizations to ensure students stay on pathways to success. Here she talks about her new book, I CAN Finish College: The Overcome Any Obstacle and Get Your Degree Guide, which provides information and strategies targeted to first-generation and low-income students, and students of color, who struggle to complete college degrees.
What is the primary reason that students leave college? Cantarella: Silence. Silence?
Cantarella: Students are afraid to speak up in class or go to their advisors for help. They are afraid of looking “dumb.” This leads to isolation. Then, if there is a bump, they dig in deeper, into the silence.  Why should students stay in college during such uncertain times?
Cantarella: The more education you have, the more likely it is that you are going to be employed. The more low-income you are, the less likely it is that you are going to be employed because you are lacking cultural literacy, and you are lacking networks. That is why I think it’s so important to use the college years to build networks and cultural capital. What perennial piece of advice do you offer struggling students? Cantarella: Tap every resource that is available. Typically, the students in college writing centers have B to B+ averages, and they are shooting for the A. The smart puppies are in the Career Office. I tell students, your tuition is paying for this. How smart is it to leave that money on the table? They understand school as a vehicle to a better life. But they don’t exactly know how and why they have to do certain important things, like developing strong reading skills. It is a matter of helping them to connect the dots. How does family influence college graduation rates? Cantarella: There are two extremes—those who are over-engaged: Helicopter parents hover, and Velcro parents won’t let go. Students need this time to learn how to stand on their own two feet. Sometimes, the best parents are those who don’t bother kids. They are never going to learn unless they have a chance to make mistakes. College is an incredibly forgiving place for this. On the other hand there are parents who do not know enough about college to be able to usefully advise their students. They are more likely to direct their children to specific majors or discourage extracurriculars, which is not helpful, or they might not be able to offer advice at all. Are you optimistic about the future of higher education? Cantarella: Higher education is going through a lot of changes. But colleges are hardy institutions. They have been through many different types of economies. There is institutional will to survive; we can’t abandon higher learning. Work today is about brains, not brawn Directory: sites -> default -> files -> documents documents -> North Mankato Taylor Library documents -> In the Red and Brown Water documents -> - documents -> Cbp and Trade Automated Interface Requirements Appendix: pga december 22, 2015 documents -> Ace abi catair customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements documents -> Ace abi catair customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements documents -> Mobile audio/video recording systems documents -> The south australian government gazette documents -> All public acts appearing in this gazette are to be considered official, and obeyed as such documents -> Union interparlementaire inter-parliamentary union Download 1.18 Mb. Share with your friends:
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