Graduation rates can affect parental college picks

Some parents may be more likely to choose a college for their child if they know the school's graduation rate, according to a new report. The study, which was released by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), found that providing information on graduation rates to parents positively affects their decision on where to send their teen to college.

According to a press release announcing the report, the study's authors "used an experimental survey to test whether providing graduation-rate information affects the way parents choose between two public, four-year colleges in their state. The study found that providing graduation-rate information for two similar colleges increased the probability that parents would choose the institution with the higher graduation rate by 15 percentage points."

These findings were especially prevalent for parents who had little education, income or experience with the college application process. The study's author's did not find a similar correlation between documented graduation rates and a parent choosing the school for their child when said guardian was better informed and had more economic means. The researchers say their findings prove that the Department of Education should require that colleges and universities provide their six-year graduation rates in all financial and admissions paraphernalia. At the K-12 level, guidance counselors should be expected to play an integral role in educating students and parents about a school's successes and pitfalls, according to one of the study's authors.

"It is critical that guidance counselors pass on basic information about college quality and costs to prospective students and parents so that they can make informed comparisons across schools," one of the study's authors, AEI research fellow Andrew P. Kelly, told Education Week. "Counselors should also take note of how popular colleges in their state compare to one another in terms of retention and graduation rates, and then help guide students to those colleges that have a track record of success."

For more information, read the full report entitled "Filling in the Blanks: How Information Can Affect Choice in Education."