我们的大学是否白上了?

　　We could probably increase the number of high school seniors who are ready to go to college and likely to make it to graduation. But let's face it: college isn't for everyone, especially if it takes the form of four years of going to classes on a campus.

　　我们可能会增加愿意读大学的高中生人数，他们也很可能成功读到大学毕业。但我们必须直面一个问题：大学不是为所有人开设的，尤其是以在校园里上4年课这样一种形式。

　　To talk about college this way may sound elitist. It may even sound philistine, since the purpose of a liberal-arts education is to produce well-rounded citizens rather than productive workers.

　　如此谈论大学也许听上去有点精英主义的味道。它甚至显得庸俗不堪，因为文科教育的目的是造就全面发展的公民，而不是生产性的工人。

　　But perhaps it is more foolishly elitist to think that going to school until age 22 is necessary to being well-rounded, or to tell millions of kids that their future depends on performing a task that only a minority of them can actually accomplish.

　　但是，也许更加愚蠢的经营论调是，认为在学校读书读到22岁是全面发展所必需，或者告诉无数孩子，他们的未来取决于完成一项事实上只有少数人才能完成的任务。

　　The good news is that there have never been more alternatives to the traditional college. Online learning is more flexible and affordable than the brick-and-mortar model of higher education. Certification tests could be developed so that in many occupations employers could get more useful knowledge about a job applicant than whether he has a degree.

　　令人欣慰的是，传统大学之外的选择现在前所未有之多。网络教育比传统的高等教育模式更灵活，更负担得起。可以发展多种证书考试，这样在许多行业中，雇主们就能了解与求职者有关的更多有用信息，而不只是看他是否有一纸文凭。