The real story is what has changed to increase the stakes of grades. I suspect freshmen are taking out historic debt to contend with food, housing, and tuition costs meanwhile the entry-level job market is extraordinarily competitive.
Money is the easy excuse.
The root of the problem is that many of them simply are not ready for college for a variety of reasons from parent coddling to defunded primary schools to the reduced ability to think abstractly and with foresight due to the lack of long-form reading.
I know on HN, every reflex is to blame money in one form or another. But there's plenty of blame to go around.
To me, "defunded primary schools" and "lack of long form reading" sound like the same problem. And yes, money would solve it. Whatever. Another $5B to Israel!
Money is the easy excuse.
The root of the problem is that many of them simply are not ready for college for a variety of reasons from parent coddling to defunded primary schools to the reduced ability to think abstractly and with foresight due to the lack of long-form reading.
I know on HN, every reflex is to blame money in one form or another. But there's plenty of blame to go around.