Young alumni: College is worth the hassle
Even though the high costs of tuition at U.S. colleges and universities continues to be a topic at the forefront of conversations surrounding education reform, a new report found that young alumni still think the college experience is worth it. A survey commissioned by the American Council on Education (ACE), and fulfilled by the Winston Group, found that some 89 percent of the young alumni polled considered pursing their education time, and money, well spent.
Education experts say the positive feedback gained by this report provides educators with important information about the students they serve. "In light of numerous efforts to increase the number of college graduates and recent scrutiny of the value of post-secondary credentials, the alumni voice is an important component in the assessment of our institutions,” said ACE President Molly Corbett Broad via press release. “We are delighted to learn that they have a positive view of their experiences. But they are not without concerns, and we take those concerns very seriously."
Recent graduates of two- and four-year institutions between the ages of 25 and 39 were polled for the study. Close to 80 percent of respondents said they would attend the same school if they had the chance to do it all over again; this sentiment was slightly more prevalent amongst graduates of four-year educational institutions. Students seemed to have more faith in their own schools than in others, according to the study's findings. Eighty-one percent of the subjects polled felt their school prepared them for the work force as well as future societal challenges; and 85 percent felt their college experience prepped them for their current job. But when it comes to colleges and universities in general, only 62 percent of the polled alumni believe that institutions of higher education are adequately preparing students for the work force.
Nonetheless, industry experts say the findings offer a promising ray of light during a trying time. “These numbers speak to the excellence of American higher education—not only the overall academic quality of our institutions, but also the value of institutional diversity: that among our many different types of colleges and universities, there will be a good fit that allows almost everyone to advance his or her education successfully," said Chair of ACE’s board and President of New York University John Sexton. "Even in a time when there is a lot of national dissatisfaction, there is still confidence in our institutions of higher education. For college leaders, that should be a source of pride, but never complacency, because without sustained effort—to improve teaching and learning, to carry out research, and to restrain costs—faith in our colleges can slip away from us as it has from other civic institutions.”
Read more information on the survey's results.
