College Reading Crisis: Professors Alarmed as Students Struggle with Full-Length Books
Staff Editor College Professors Raise Alarm Over Students’ Declining Book-Reading Skills
A growing number of university professors are voicing concerns about incoming college students’ inability to read full-length books, a trend observed at prestigious institutions including Columbia, Georgetown, and Stanford.
Nicholas Dames, a humanities professor at Columbia University, recounted an encounter with a student who admitted to never having been required to read an entire book in high school. This anecdote highlights a broader issue that educators are grappling with across the country.
The problem appears to stem from curriculum changes in secondary education, with many schools reportedly scaling back their reading requirements. Daniel Shore, chair of Georgetown’s English department, noted that students struggle even with shorter texts like sonnets.
A recent EdWeek Research Center survey revealed that only 17% of educators primarily teach whole texts, with many shifting focus away from complete books. This trend is particularly pronounced in public schools, where standardized test preparation often takes precedence over comprehensive reading assignments.
Private schools, which produce many elite college students, have been slower to adopt this shift, resulting in a noticeable gap in reading skills among incoming freshmen.
In response to these challenges, some colleges have adjusted their curricula, reducing reading loads while simultaneously incorporating more diverse authors. Columbia University, for instance, has trimmed its Literature Humanities reading list, which had been expanding despite student difficulties.
Psychologists point to the influence of social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube as potential factors impacting students’ recreational reading habits. Additionally, economic concerns and job prospects are leading students to prioritize career-focused activities over reading for pleasure.
Experts argue that the decline in book reading reflects a shift in cultural values rather than a lack of ability. Nevertheless, many educators express concern over the loss of cultural enrichment and empathy development that comes from engaging with full-length texts.
Victoria Kahn, an English professor at UC Berkeley, emphasized the unique benefits of reading entire books, stating, “There’s a complexity to reading a whole book that you don’t get from reading excerpts.”
As colleges continue to adapt to these changing trends, the debate over the importance of comprehensive reading in higher education is likely to persist, with potential long-term implications for academic and cultural development.
