A state law pending in Maine could require high school seniors to complete at least one college application in order to receive a high school diploma.
Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives Glenn Cummings derived the idea from Poland Regional High School in Maine, which has made applying to college part of its graduation requirements.
Maine officials hope more students pursue higher education, as only 50 percent of high school seniors in the state currently attend college during the fall after graduation. Some individual high schools in Texas, Pennsylvania and other states have an application requirement, but no state law mandates college applications.
Newark High School Principal Curtis Bedford said he sees Maine's policy in a positive light.
"If the purpose is to get students motivated to look into lifelong education experiences, then it's a good one," Bedford said.
He said he would like to see how the policy works in Maine before pursuing a similar law in Delaware. He said he agrees high school administrators should encourage students to meet their potential and look into opportunities, such as two or four- year colleges or trade schools. He said not every student who applies would necessarily be accepted, and there would be a capacity issue at the university-admissions level.
Michael Scott, assistant principal of the 10th grade at Newark High School, said he sees the policy differently.
"It's a Catch-22 because you'd like to see more students apply and have that option open, but not everyone's college material," Scott said.
He said after high school, some students pursue different paths to trade schools or military jobs. Scott said he would like to see different measures taken in the college application process, such as waiving application fees for students in need.
If the policy is enacted in Maine, he said he does not believe more students will end up attending college.
"Students who don't want to go shouldn't apply," Scott said.
He said he feels university admissions offices would be flooded with applications and would be forced to become more restrictive.
Louis Hirsh, director of admissions at the university, stated in an e-mail message that the policy is "a fairly silly idea." He said he thinks if students do not want to further their education, they should not have to apply and some people are not ready for college when they are 18.
"The problem is getting a workforce that has the education to serve them and our society through the rest of the 21st century," Hirsh said. "Simply making everyone apply to college won't address any of these issues."
The reasons high school students are not applying to college should be examined on a deeper level, he said.
"The solutions are likely to involve a close look at how teachers are trained, how they are compensated and how school districts might pay for the faculty members and the facilities they need to inspire their students," Hirsh said.
He said the solution politicians have generated does not deal with these issues and will only create extra work for admissions officers. He said he hopes this resolution does not make its way to Delaware.
"It won't have much of any effect other than to create a lot of unnecessary applications from students who have no interest in going to college," he said.
Newark High School senior Rob Lundgren said he thinks although college is not for everyone, the policy would benefit him personally. He said while he plans on applying to Delaware Technical and Community College, he admits he would take a more timely approach to the college search if he had to abide by such a policy.
He said he is not sure the policy is the best way to encourage more students to attend college.
"Visiting a college is a better way than just filling out a form," Lundgren said.
Keely Hill, a Newark High School senior who plans on attending college, said she disagrees with the policy. She said while she understands what lawmakers are attempting to achieve, politicians see the issue in terms of statistics and not individuals.
Hill said college is not for everyone and officials often dismiss alternate options such as entering the workforce directly after graduation or joining the military.
"It's possible to not go to college and have a good life and do fairly well by joining the military," she said.
Hill said she thinks such a law might negatively affect education in high schools by creating resentful, non-college bound students.
"The policy would only result in more college dropouts, not graduates," she said.
Hill said visiting a college class and gaining exposure to the college lifestyle are more realistic options in encouraging higher-level education.
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