The requirements to get into college back then were way different than they are now! Back then, in some schools, a high school diploma was all it took to get accepted and others required students to take a test to get in. High schools got bigger which resulted in having to offer more classes like science, psychology, and sociology and other classes.
The first medical schools and the first law schools were developed around this time. People were setting up colleges that were meant for farming and engineering that were known as "land grant colleges." Also, something called the GI Bill came around and it allowed college education to become possible to war veterans without them having to pay for tuition and what not.
During the 1940s and 1950s around 40% of people had graduated from high school and 10% completed 4 years of college.
I think it's amazing how far colleges have come and how the importance of education really set in. It's crazy to me that back then all you needed was a high school diploma to get into some colleges. Times have changed so much since then.
http://lakeviewhs.enschool.org/ourpages/auto/2010/1/5/57075954/Ch%2016_2%20Expanding%20Public%20Education.pdf
http://nces.ed.gov/naal/lit_history.asp
Comments