The idea that a university education is for everyone is a destructive myth. An instructor at a “college of last resort” explains why.

The bursting of our collective bubble comes quickly. A few weeks into the semester, the students must start actually writing papers, and I must start grading them. Despite my enthusiasm, despite their thoughtful nods of agreement and what I have interpreted as moments of clarity, it turns out that in many cases it has all come to naught.

Remarkably few of my students can do well in these classes. Students routinely fail; some fail multiple times, and some will never pass, because they cannot write a coherent sentence.

As explained earlier, equality is a terrible idea for all parts involved. Obviously some people will always lack the intellectual abilities to pass basic university courses, and most people are not going to become skilled, innovative scholars. Who are we trying to fool?