Budget Cuts Affecting Programs, Essay Example

Budget cuts affecting programs across the nation have put a strain on our educational system.

Schools from preschool to high school, and universities, have witnessed the elimination of necessary funding that once elevated students in achieving their goals of higher learning.

Schools are forced to change or refocus their programs based on test scores, essays, and grade point averages.  They have essentially ‘raised the bar’ in education, giving more weight to educational achievement.  This is not a bad thing. Neither is mandatory computer skills required for graduation in junior high, high school, and college in all programs.

Our present economy and socioeconomic environment demands it. Schools should demand a standard of excellence. Many universities have a required grade point average or GPA in undergraduate coursework as well as graduate course work.

Saint Louis University’s undergraduate programs for example, require a 2.5 cumulative gpa, which is about a B minus grade for admission. A student’s cumulative gpa is also used for the distribution of scholarships and other financial sources. http://wwww.slu.edu/x10831.xml

Are C grades acceptable anymore? A student’s performance in school, whether it’s high or low can spill over into his or her curriculum vitae. This alone could adversely affect his or her ability to secure a position with a higher echelon of pay in today’s unstable job market.