New Documentary Looking at Second Chances for College Dropouts Screens in Detroit
There are various challenges for college dropouts, but it’s not impossible to get back to school. One documentary follows five people doing just that.
So many students start out in their journey of higher education with the hope and expectation that they will graduate with a degree.
However, financial obstacles, the unpredictability of life and unforeseen circumstances can quickly throw things off course. Some students do manage to get back on track though and that transition back to school is what Detroit Today’s Stephen Henderson explores in today’s episode.
Jaye Fenderson, half of the film making duo Three Frame Media, is the director of a new documentary called “Unlikely,” which investigates America’s college dropout crisis and the barriers students face in their pursuit of a college degree and career.
Fenderson talks with Henderson about the issues that have existed around higher education for years.
“For a long time we focused on getting students to college and when we look at the data,” says Fenderson. But, she adds that “if you’re first-generation or a student of color, your chances of finishing are dramatically lower.”
As far as the obstacles of going back to school, Fenderson says one of the big ones is the assumption that students can all sit and study in an uninterrupted environment. “For many people [studying in a classroom] is a luxury, the reality is that people need to have jobs and try to fit education into the equation. I think what institutions can do is help students by making education more flexible,” says Fenderson.
