THE FOUR-YEAR PLAN

There is no doubt but that the American colleges of today are overcrowded, with evil effects for all concerned, but the restriction proposed at Yale seems to be of questionable value. After correlating secondary school and college records, the Yale Board of Admissions has found that those who finish their preparation in four years are more successful in college than those who require an extra period. On the basis of this fact the Board recommends that admission be limited to those who finish preparatory school in schedule time.

Admitting the truth of the basic fact, there nevertheless seem to be several weaknesses in the recommendation. There are great differences in the rate that persons intellectually mature. Some mature early, finish secondary school in four years without difficulty, and are admitted to college, where they do good work. There are others who never attain the intellectual development of the first, and who find difficulty in finishing their preparation. In college they are misfits, and should be weeded out as soon as possible. But there is also a third group of those who mature slowly, but when they once finish preparatory school are perfectly ready for college. These would be deprived of a college education if the proposed restriction went into effect. There is also the question of those who transfer from high school to preparatory school. A year is inevitably lost in the process, making the preparation at least five years in length. To bar them from college would work hardships on those who cannot afford four years at preparatory school, and yet wish to amplify their high school training.

In addition the restriction would add to the already heavy burden of the preparatory school. Already forced to cram their students for the College Entrance Examinations, the restriction would force them to go even faster in order to finish within the time limit. It would seem that some selective method might be found which did not have these disadvantages.