Ready or Not, Welcome to College

Many high school graduates aren’t prepared to tackle college-level work, but George Leef believes a proposed solution by two academics writing in The Chronicle of Higher Education wouldn’t solve the problem. Charles Reed and Kristin Conklin suggested that states should impose a set of readiness standards. “Count me as a skeptic,” Leef wrote in a response published by the Foundation for Economic Education. That approach will only lead to thick documents and political gamesmanship. Leef also noted that complaints of inadequate preparation usually apply to kids who attend government-run schools, not those educated at home or private institutions. This week, Leef’s perspective on higher education was also published in The Weekly Standard. In a letter to the editor, he commented on how to combat leftist dominance on campuses. “Schools that offer a reasonably priced product without the unwanted distraction of leftist ideology would have a strong attraction compared with the costly, politicized education offered at many institutions.” On Friday, Leef continued his media work during an interview with Mal Kline’s Campus Report Online, during which he discussed issues covered by speakers at the recent Pope Center conference.