Well, yesterday both Louise and Diane told me about this New York Times article:

Can't Complete High School? Go Right to College

You'll have to log in to read it . . . Basically, the number of students not completing high school has doubled in the last few years, and there are many colleges that will accept students who don't have a high school diploma (including the one I teach at, btw). One controversy is whether such students should be eligible for financial aid - but everyone pretty much accepts that they should be allowed to go, at least to community colleges and not-very-competitive schools.

And then today, Inside Higher Ed ran this article:

What Really Counts in Getting In

. . . that explains that the Number One factor that correlates with children getting into highly selective schools is whether or not their parents visit art museums. Not the kids - the parents. (Various explanations were offered, of course - but it all adds up, in my view, to a dismal comment on the state of art in America, where enjoyment of arts of all kinds is a yuppie affectation. When we were visiting the Rijksmuseum in the Netherlands several years ago, I was struck by the variety of people there - very ordinary people, including biker chicks, as I recall. Made me think that in Holland, unlike here, people generally consider art a national treasure and valuable for everyone to enjoy. This is consistent with the view that my mother, an Austrian, held about cultural activities.)

Ah, well. Back to the study. So, as far as college goes, my kids are all set!! They can spend a few years at a community college and then transfer to the Ivy League! :)