By Bill Quain
Okay, summer is over. Just like last year, I’m going to primarily switch from “feel-good” stories to timelier six-word stories. Hey, it’s going to be a long winter, and I want to give you some food for thought. So, let’s start breaking down this week’s six words on a Boardwalk bench.
Running the iPhone math for 2028
The iPhone 1 was first launched in 2007. (Of course, nobody knew it was going to be the iPhone 1. Where are we now, the iPhone 15?) 2007 was 17 years ago. The students that will graduate from college in 2028 are entering school this fall. Most of them are 18 years old, meaning they were born in 2006 – one year before the iPhone. This makes them the last pre-iPhone babies to enter college. Next year, in fall 2025 and beyond, almost every college freshman will be a “post-iPhone” college student.
Now, you might not think this is significant. After all, what does it matter that a kid was born before the iPhone was introduced? By the time those kids were able to hold an iPhone, we were already looking at the iPhone 4. These kids grew up with iPhones and lots of other devices. They don’t remember what the world was like before we all walked around with “mini-computers” in our hands. No more searching through encyclopedias or pouring through books for answers. Just look it up on Google. And now we have artificial intelligence. A world of knowledge is at your fingertips.
I’ve been a college professor for my entire adult life. And here’s what I’ve observed. Despite the changes brought about by the iPhone and other technology, colleges are still teaching students the same way they did back in 2006. Most people aren’t saying, “Wait a minute. In just the past 17 years, we’ve seen the invention of the iPhone, the Great Recession, and a global pandemic. Maybe it is time to revise the curriculum so these new students will have a fighting chance to make it in this quickly changing world of ours.”
That’s what I will be discussing in this series of columns. I’ll give you an “insider’s view” of how colleges work (or don’t work). Much of what I’ll be sharing comes from my soon-to-be-released book, “Bankrupt U – Students, Parents and Alumni are Going Broke, & Colleges Don’t Give a C.R.A.P.” I co-authored this book with Dr. Joe Corabi, a fellow college professor. Together we founded “The Professors Who Pay You Back,” as we want to “give back” by sharing our insider’s knowledge.
Let’s start the discussion by talking about the time required to get an undergraduate college degree.
Why does it take four years?
That’s a great question. In almost every U.S. college, students are required to take 120 credit hours of classes to graduate. That’s 30 credits per year, or 15 credits per semester. The first two years are usually dedicated to “general education,” such as English, social studies, math, science, etc. It sounds like high school, doesn’t it? These courses take up two years of a student’s time and half of the tuition money they spend (or borrow) to pay for college.
The reason colleges have this two-year requirement for basically a high school-plus education is a bit complicated. You see, since colleges are businesses, they need money to keep going. And to accept Federal Student Loan money, (where much of the money comes from), colleges must be “accredited.”
The accrediting bodies set very specific standards for the curriculum – especially in those first two years. And, the accrediting bodies are mostly made up of professors who teach those first two-year courses. Is it likely that one of those professors (for example, a history professor) is going to say “Hey, it’s time for us to rethink requiring a history course”? Well… I’ll let you supply your own answer to that question!
How does this involve the iPhone?
As we discussed before, it takes just a few seconds to get answers to questions today. Want to know how to solve a math problem? Click, click — you are a math genius! Not sure how to add complicated punctuation to a formal letter? Click, click — you’re editing that letter like an English professor.
So why does it still take 16 weeks and thousands of dollars to learn basic sociology? The answer is simple. The colleges want to get paid, the professors who teach those courses want to get paid, and the accrediting boards want to support those colleges and professors.
“Honk” if you like this subject
OK, have you ever seen one of those bumper stickers that say, “Honk if you…”? Well, we have a new way to “honk.” Send me an email and let me know what you think about this topic. From time to time, I’ll be sharing those comments in this column. And, if you want me to periodically go to the lighter side and add in a few “we love the Shore” columns, let me know that as well. Shoot me an email to bill@quain.com.
As I say each week, I’ll see ya in the papers!
Bill is a Professor in Stockton University’s Hospitality Management Program. He is the author of 27 books, and a highly-respected speaker. Even though he is almost totally blind, Bill is a long-distance runner and runs the Ocean City Half Marathon each year. He lives in Ocean City with his wife Jeanne, and his Guide Dog Trudy. Visit www.billquain.com or email him at bill@quain.com.
