Why It's Unfair and Not Useful to Rank Montana Colleges [Opinion]

You could say Billings is having a tough week. First, Billings is called the ugly town in this guy's opinion. Then Montana State University-Billings (MSUB) was named the Worst College For Your Money in Montana by Moneywise.

It's pretty easy to criticize Billings and our city is constantly making cheap footage, but the Moneywise report really disappointed me. I am a former part-time faculty member at MSUB and I really enjoyed my time there. I would like to believe I have some insight into the problems identified with the school. While this is not scientific, it is based on my observations of the student body while teaching at the school for five years.

The MSUB has a low graduation rate as it has a high non-traditional student rate.

If you had three part-time jobs, two kids, and a full-time school, what would the likelihood be that you would have graduated from college? I speak for myself - I couldn't. At one point in my career, I fully embraced the gig economy and had six part-time jobs. I almost lost my mind trying to keep everything right.

Non-traditional students miss classes because their boss changed his schedule at the last minute or the child's babysitter has the flu - but they rarely complain. I'm not saying it's impossible to graduate as a nontraditional student - I've had a lot of successful nontraditional students. What I am trying to say is that the MSUB provides students with access to education in many situations, not all of which are ideal for just focusing on learning, and this can result in low graduation rates. In my opinion, we need schools that cater to non-traditional students.

MSUB has a high average student loan debt. Which student doesn't?

In my observation, the students who attend the MSUB were not often supported by family members when they went to school. This assumption would support the observation that many students are non-traditional and have been employed during their school years. Many students fortunate enough to graduate with no or little debt receive family support or significant scholarships and grants. According to my observations, this was not the reality for many MSUB students. While Moneywise stated that the average student debt for an MSUB graduate is $ 27,436, Nerdwallet says, "The average debt for a bachelor's degree in the 2019 class was $ 28,950." Not so different, and MSUB is still below par.

What I knew about the students at MSUB was that despite their challenges, they were willing to work hard and that they were conscientious and realistic about life after college. As a professor of composition and creative writing who mainly teaches entry-level courses, I've rarely had a major in English in my classes, and even more rarely have I had students who didn't understand the importance of developing the basic skills that higher education offers : including the ability to think critically, to write clearly and to read and understand complex and varied materials. Fundamental skills that are valuable even if you don't graduate and skills that will help secure a job to pay off college debts.

Why should we support the college model at all?

The popular discussion now is one that supports a departure from the college model, and I am not entirely against these ideas. But it's no secret that living in Montana often means we're “behind” or lacking access to resources that are readily available in other parts of the country. Not to mention, there are still a multitude of jobs that will automatically pass you by if you don't have a bachelor's degree, and they could be inherited by you too. That is why we should make it as easy as possible for students who want to attend university. We should also make it easier for people to attend vocational schools.

Ranking Montana colleges doesn't make sense to some degree because our focus should be on helping our populations reach their highest potential, however it is best for them, rather than our schools' cost and graduation rates too sensational to make.

If you are disappointed with MSUB, do something. Offer to be a visiting professor in a class that corresponds to your area of ​​expertise. Attend a sporting event. Donate. If we are proud to be Montaner, we should also be proud of the way we train our Montaner, regardless of where they go to school.

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