A consequence of students entering college without the ability to do college-level work is the ever larger number of students who enroll but do not complete their degrees—a widespread and growing phenomenon that has substantial costs for the students who do so, in tuition, living expenses, and earnings foregone.10 High dropout rates seem to indicate that too many students are attempting college, not too few.11 And those who do obtain degrees find that a generic B.A. is of diminishing economic value, because it signals less and less to potential employers about real ability and achievement.12
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