Pros and Cons of a College-preparatory Curriculum

The subject of diversity has long been evident in an American society that is driven by social, economic, and academic equality among the masses. Thus, it is astonishing, that American parochial schools offer such a lack of social and ethical diversity in their student population. While many of these schools offer financial assistance through various forms of scholarships and grants, as these schools are privately funded and received little to no federal aid, it is understandable that the amount of aid is limited. According to the United States Department of Education, less than 2% of parochial schools nationwide offer special education programs, and there is a growing amount of disparity between the social and economic classes within these schools. The typical student that attends such an academy (depending on the region, other races may be more prevalent), is a Caucasian male, whose family is a member of the upper-middle class. How does such demographic disparity among the groups prepare these students for real-world experiences, in which these students will be in a diverse society where it is necessary to be able to function with people of other ethical, social-economic, religious, and educational backgrounds on a daily basis? Quite simply, these children are not adequately prepared for the diversity that awaits them, and thus aren’t able to assimilate into such a culture as well as public school students may be able to.

The faculty and administration at renowned college-preparatory institutions often make the assertion that the introduction of trade and “life” classes, would deter from their students’ overall core academic curriculum. However, this doesn’t necessarily need to happen. In the United States parochial schools are not typically mandated by the state or federal governments to meet a minimum threshold of education hours. The U.S. Department of Education reports that while the typically public school “educates” for an average of seven and a half hours daily (school days), private schools hold classes for a similar (or fewer) amount of school days annually, with an average school-day length of six and a half hours daily. This leaves private schools (particularly college-preparatory schools) with a one hour void daily, in which they could incorporate trade and career related classes into their curriculum, without detracting from their current curriculum.

When college-bound students think of trade classes, they often associate such classes with two-year and vocational schools, and see such courses as an alternative to a college-education, rather than a supplement to it. A variety of trade classes could be offered, including (but certainly not limited to): C.P.R. and First Aid certification for those wishing to pursue a career in the medical field, auto-shop or mechanics for students aspiring to work in engineering, and business/entrepreneurial seminars for students who desire to work in a business profession. Such courses certainly would not detract from a student’s core curriculum, but would instead be a beneficial supplement to it, allowing students to actively get a “head-start” on a field of interest.