We don't agree with the observation that Ball State students aren't really earning those A's and B's in entry-level classes.
Nevertheless, it raises the question of what our Ball State education is really worth.
The study raised eyebrows around the state, and it echoes the sentiment that educational standards across the country have lowered.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said last year that K-12 students aren't being prepared for what comes next, and there's wide speculation that the same is true at the college level.
Undergraduates are failing to grasp the broad-based skills and knowledge they're expected to master, according to the authors of "Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses."
College isn't cheap. We'd like to know we're getting our money's worth. The Indiana Commission for Higher Education reports tuition has doubled in the last two years while wages have increased just 1 percent.
We'd like to get the most out of college. This isn't a criticism to Ball State — who was noted by the Chronicle of Higher Education for being sixth in the nation for improved graduation rates among other merits. We're just saying that the effectiveness of higher education needs to be reconsidered.
In the last 10 years, education has taken more of an emphasis on critical thinking and creativity. Retention of facts isn't such a big part of the equation anymore.
The Ball State study might be misleading because it doesn't point to a conclusion or a solution. But it does raise yet another alarm bell about the value of education.
While the question lingers about the legitimacy of our grades, the bigger issue is how far we will push ourselves to become well-rounded students.
Faculty and university officials banter about grade inflation. Maybe they'll come up with a solution — and we hope they do.
The sheet isn't being thrown over our eyes. We know when teachers are being tough and when they aren't, and we'd rather have the harder one. The ones that makes us think, and don't send us on a scavenger hunt for facts or a mission to copy a template.
We hope that our Ball State education is worth it — and teachers, we challenge you to keep throwing your curveballs. Make us marketable, keep us on our toes, and make us proud to graduate with a degree that was earned.
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