College access vs. college success

College access vs. college success

What exactly is college success? For many, the question is, will my son or daughter able to get into the college s/he wants to attend? That's college access.

College success is attending the most appropriate school for the career of your choice, graduating in the least amount of time (a four-year degree in four years), graduating with the fewest loans and out-of-pocket expenses, and being "successful and happy in your career."

Choosing the proper school is paramount since the wrong fit leads to high attrition. The freshman attrition at four-year colleges is 25 percent nationwide. Only 35 percent of students actually graduate in four years; most take five to six years to obtain a degree. Factors contributing to this trend include changing majors, changing schools, and selecting a school simply because that's where your friends are going. The current freshman attrition rate at two-year schools is 50 percent.
Then there are the rapidly rising costs. Between 1990 and 2005, college costs went up 5.9 percent, while average income in the U.S. went up less than 2 percent annually. Fewer than 4 percent of families have more than $5,000 set aside for their child's college costs. "Perceived financial means denied almost 500,000 students a college education last year,"

Brad Asbury is a consultant with the non-profit organization, the Access College Foundation.
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