The Erosion of Educational Ideals

The commercialization of higher education has eroded the core educational ideals that colleges should uphold. Instead of fostering intellectual curiosity and critical thinking, colleges now focus on providing amenities and ensuring high graduation rates to maintain their rankings. Deresiewicz states, 'Colleges now sell themselves to kids in terms of what they can give them, not what they plan to expect of them.' This shift has led to grade inflation and a lack of rigorous academic standards, as institutions fear losing students who view themselves as paying customers entitled to high grades and easy graduation.