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Forbes
5 days ago
- Politics
- Forbes
Most Parents Still Want Their Children To Attend College: Gallup
Most American parents want their children to attend college after high school, although substantial political differences affect their views. getty Even in the face of lingering public doubts about the value of a college degree, the majority of American parents still want their children to attend college according to a new survey conducted by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation. Among U.S. parents with a child younger than 18, 59% say they would prefer their child attend college right after high school, with 40% indicating their first option is for their child to enroll in a four-year college or university and 19% opting for them to go to a two-year or community college. Smaller percentages envision some other choice besides a two-year or four-year education. About one in six (16%) prefer their child enter a job training or certification program, 5% want their child to join the military, and 6% want him or her to enter the workforce. Most of the rest, 13%, believe their child should take time off before deciding the next step. The results are based on a web survey that Gallup conducted June 2-15, 2025 with a sample of 2,017 U.S. adults aged 18 and older. The sample included 554 parents with children under 18. Parents with more than one child younger than 18 were asked to answer questions about their oldest child who had not yet graduated from high school. As is typically the case with public attitudes about higher education, political affiliation affected parental preferences for different types of post-high school experiences. Democrats (73%) were most likely to favor a college path, followed by a majority of independents (57%). Less than half of Republicans (48%) said the same. The majority of Democrats (53%), compared with 40% of independents and only 27% of Republicans, would most like to see their child attend a four-year college. There were no meaningful differences associated with political affiliation regarding whether parents wanted their child to attend a two-year or community college: 21% of Republicans, 20% of Democrats and 17% of independents chose this option. Republicans and independents were more likely than Democrats to think their child should enroll in a job training or certification program or go right into the workforce. Parents who had completed a bachelor's degree or higher (75%) were much more likely than those without a four-year degree (50%) to want their child to enroll in a two- or four-year college. Parental preferences for different pathways were consistent by race/ethnicity and gender, but parents with a bachelor's degree or higher (58%) were nearly twice as likely as those without a college degree (30%) to prefer that their child go to a four-year school. The survey also asked adults without a child under age 18 the same questions regarding other relatives or children in their lives that they knew, such as a nephew, niece, grandchild or family friend who had not yet graduated from high school. Similar to the parents, most non-parents prefer that the children they know pursue a college pathway. The majority (55%) say they would prefer the child enroll in either a four-year (32%) or two-year (23%) college immediately after graduation. Enrolling in a job training or certification program was the next most popular option among non-parents (23%). Relatively few non-parents preferred that the child take time off (12%), join the military (6%) or enter the workforce directly (3%). Also, like the views held by parents, non-parents' preferences was associated with their political affiliation and educational attainment. Democrats (60%) and college graduates (63%) were the most likely to favor a college pathway, particularly for four-year degrees. Many Republicans and those without a college degree favored two-year colleges or job training programs. Nonetheless, across all groups, a college education, whether a two- or four-year degree, was the most favored pathway following high school. The survey's results suggest that the employment advantages and economic benefits associated with earning a bachelor's degree may help explain why attending a four-year college remains the preferred post-high school pathway for many families and U.S. adults. And the results are consistent with an uptick in American's confidence about higher education in general. Recently, 42% of those surveyed by Gallup said they had 'a great deal' or 'quite a lot' of confidence in higher education, a six percentage-point gain over the past two years. Similarly, those saying they had little or no confidence declined from 32% a year ago to 23% today. That gain in confidence represents the first time the Gallup survey has seen an increase in a decade, even though confidence in higher education remains substantially below where it was in 2015, when a majority of Americans (57%) were confident about it.
Forbes
05-08-2025
- Business
- Forbes
From Gatekeeper To Gateway: A New Approach To College Admissions
For too long, college admissions has been a high-stakes, high-stress process that many college hopefuls dread. Despite years of good intentions and isolated reforms, the current system still places too much of the burden on students to navigate a complex maze of applications, deadlines and financial aid—while offering too little clarity on the value higher education can provide. And for first-generation college-goers and those from low-income families, the barriers can feel particularly insurmountable. That's why a growing group of innovators is no longer trying to fix admissions around the edges—they're reimagining the process entirely. As part of the Great Admissions Redesign, a challenge launched by Lumina Foundation in 2023, colleges and systems from across the country are testing bold changes aimed at expanding opportunity and reducing friction for students. The effort couldn't come at a more critical moment. The long-predicted 'demographic cliff' is on colleges' doorsteps, meaning they will need to be savvier about reaching and recruiting a smaller cohort of high school-aged students. At the same time, questions continue to grow about higher education's value and the return students can expect from their investment, so colleges need to get more sophisticated about how they're marketing themselves with a greater eye toward the long-term outcomes they offer their graduates. The current admissions system isn't working for students or for colleges; and it's ripe for innovation. Here are three of the most promising strategies emerging from the challenge. Flip The Process: Start With A Yes One of the most powerful ideas gaining momentum is a process often called 'direct' or 'guaranteed' admissions—a model that removes the application as the starting point and instead makes the college an active participant in recruiting qualified students. In a traditional model, the onus is entirely on the student to seek out, apply to and wait for decisions from colleges. Direct admissions flips that dynamic; instead colleges use existing data (like students' GPA and course-taking) to proactively identify potential students and make conditional offers of admission. In some cases, students receive multiple offers at once—without ever filling out an application. For students who might otherwise assume college isn't for them, a letter that says 'You're in' can be life-changing. The approach is also a game-changer for colleges themselves. The California State University (CSU) Direct Admissions program offers a compelling case study via its initial pilot with the Riverside County Office of Education. In the spring of 2025, more than 12,000 students in Riverside County were proactively offered conditional admission to CSU. As a result, CSU-Riverside is predicting a 30% increase in first-year enrollment this fall—an unheard-of increase in an environment where many colleges continue to see enrollment declines. Addressing Questions Of Value As higher education's value continues to be called into question, convincing students that college is a worthy investment is a crucial piece of solving the enrollment puzzle—and new approaches to the admissions process could help. The Great Admissions Redesign highlights how connecting the admissions process with other critical processes—like financial aid and academic advising—can help address concerns about affordability and student success. When admissions teams collaborate seamlessly with financial aid, students receive clearer, more predictable cost information upfront, reducing uncertainty and increasing the likelihood of their enrollment. Washington state, for example, plans to notify students that are eligible for SNAP benefits as early as 10th grade that they are eligible for the state's WA Grant and affording college is within their reach. This notification will eventually be paired with admissions offers for the state's Guaranteed Admissions Program for eligible 12th graders as part of a comprehensive statewide communications strategy. Similarly, connecting admissions data with academic support and career services allows institutions to better understand student needs and proactively guide them toward programs that align with their aspirations and labor market demands. This integrated approach ensures that the value proposition extends far beyond the acceptance letter, encompassing a student's entire educational and professional trajectory. Leverage Technology As An Accelerant Technology has long promised to streamline admissions—but too often, it has added layers of complexity. Now, a new wave of tools is helping institutions use technology as an accelerant for equity and efficiency. Some states and colleges are improving how they use data to personalize outreach, predict match and fit, or simplify financial aid processes. Others are leveraging artificial intelligence to ensure that students receive timely, actionable information tailored to their profiles. The most promising efforts are not simply digitizing old systems; they're reimagining them entirely to reduce paperwork, increase transparency and meet students where they are. One of the most transformative technologies in this space is the use of centralized application portals, such as the Common App or state- or system-specific platforms like Apply Texas and Cal State Apply. These systems allow students to access applications to multiple institutions in a single place and simplify data management. Other states and colleges are working to develop digital transcript and data sharing systems to increase automation, ultimately resulting in reduced administrative burdens, minimized errors and accelerated admissions decisions. Technology can also help ensure that students find and are admitted to schools that are a good fit for them and will deliver the value they seek. California's official college and career planning platform, is the only statewide college and career readiness platform in the country that links to K-12 student records. It includes tools for students to assess their interests, develop their college and career plans, access information on financial aid, launch college applications and monitor progress toward enrollment. Counselors also have access to online lessons and dashboards to track student progress to tailor their support. By using technology to better connect advising and admissions, states can help smooth the road to career success. These advances require both states and colleges to get serious about data integration, interoperability and privacy. That's why the leaders in this work are not just investing in new tools—they're rethinking their infrastructure to support them. Innovation For Impact The Lumina Great Admissions Redesign challenge isn't just about fixing a broken system; it's about reimagining college access for the 21st century. By simplifying admissions, linking processes and leveraging technology, higher education leaders can move beyond simply defending their value. They can proactively demonstrate it, ensuring that more students find their path to a meaningful education and a successful future. The future of higher education depends not just on who gets in, but on how they get in—and whether the journey starts with a barrier or a bridge.
Forbes
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
New Surveys Contain Good & Bad News About How Americans View Higher Ed
Two new surveys highlight where Americans agree and disagree about higher education. Two recent surveys about how Americans view higher education contain some unexpected good news for the nation's colleges and universities combined with reasons for continuing concerns. The surveys — one conducted by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation and the other by the progressive think tank New America — show that Americans' overall confidence in higher education has increased recently, but that Republicans and Democrats continue to hold sharply divided opinions about some key matters even as they largely agree on others. The Lumina Foundation-Gallup survey was conducted by telephone June 2-26 with a sample of 1,402 U.S. adults, including an oversampling of Black and Hispanic Americans. New America's ninth annual Varying Degrees survey about Americans' perceptions of higher education, was conducted in March, with more than 1,600 adults polled. Here are ten take-aways from the two polls, starting with the good news. This year, 42% of those surveyed by Gallup said they had 'a great deal' or 'quite a lot' of confidence in higher education, a six percentage-point gain over the past two years. Similarly, those saying they had little or no confidence declined from 32% a year ago to 23% today. This gain in confidence represents the first time the Gallup survey has seen an increase in a decade, but confidence in higher education remains substantially below where it was in 2015, when a majority of Americans (57%) were confident about it. Confidence among college graduates was up six percentage points to 48% in the new Gallup poll; while for those without a four-year college degree, confidence increased by seven points to 40%. Confidence among Democrats gained five points (to 61%), and for independents and Republicans it was up six points each — to 41% and 26%, respectively. According to Gallup-Lumina, more Americans are confident today than a year ago in both four-year colleges (up 11 points, to 44%) and two-year colleges (up eight points, to 56%). However, partisan gaps are substantial on this matter; 66% of Democrats, 40% of independents and only 26% of Republicans are confident in four-year colleges. Political party gaps in confidence in two-year colleges are smaller than for four-year institutions because Republicans and independents are significantly more confident in two-year than four-year colleges, while Democrats now have similar confidence in each type of institution. Compared to last year, more people — 12%, compared to 5% — who are confident in higher education cited the innovations that flow from it as a reason. Among the Gallup-Lumina respondents, 14% agreed that 'U.S. colleges are some of the best in world,' double the percentage of a year ago, and 24% pointed to the fact that U.S. institutions provide good training, up from 19% a year ago. About three-quarters of U.S. adults agreed that higher education led to greater innovation and discovery in the Gallup-Lumina survey; 69% said it results in better jobs and career advancement; and 66% agreed that it promotes higher household incomes. More than half of these respondents also believed that higher education makes the population more knowledgeable, gives the U.S. a competitive edge over other countries, and results in greater entrepreneurship and business creation. New America's survey found similar results when it comes to the vision that Americans have for their colleges and universities. Nine in 10 Americans think that it's important for post-secondary education to train students for the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in their chosen fields and help them become informed citizens. Similar percentages endorsed the importance of colleges improving students' ability to write and communicate well and to think critically There were only small differences between Republicans and Democrats on the importance of college cultivating these abilities. Three in four Americans believe that education after high school offers a good return on investment for students, and 72% would recommend their children or close family members pursue at least some post-secondary education for a financially secure life. Republicans and Democrats showed minor differences in how they answered these two items. Now, for some of the findings that should cause concern for higher education leaders. In 2025, according to New America's survey, only about 40% of Americans think that higher education is fine as it is. Although that number has varied slightly the past few years, it did improve over last year, in line with the Gallup/Lumina findings. Still, most citizens, regardless of political party affiliation, perceive the need for higher education to make major changes in the way it operates. In addition, only about half believe colleges and universities are having a positive effect on the country. While a majority of Democrats (74%) believe that institutions are having a positive impact on the nation, only a minority of Republicans (39%) feel that way. Only about half of Americans think they can get an affordable high-quality college education, according to the New America survey. And here there is bipartisan concurrence, with 49% of Democrats and 53% of Republicans agreeing. The major reason cited for students not enrolling in college or completing their degrees was the cost of attendance, endorsed by 66% of Democrats and 56% of Republicans. Americans may agree that the cost of education is a problem, but New America found that they remain divided — as they have for some time — over who bears the larger responsibility for paying for it. About half of the public believes federal and state governments should be mainly responsible for funding post-secondary education, while 45% think students and their families should fund education. There is a big partisan gap on this question, however. Among Democrats, 71% believe the government should assume the main responsibility for college funding, while 64% of Republicans believe that students and their families should bear the bigger burden. When forced to choose who should fund higher education—government or students—the share of Americans choosing government has fallen from 67% in 2018 to 54% in 2025, a discouraging result for higher education officials seeking to build public support for larger government appropriations for their work. Nonetheless, 75% of Americans overall (91% of Democrats and 58% of Republicans) believe the federal government should spend more money to make college more affordable. According to the New America survey, more than half of Americans (57%) believe that colleges are more welcoming toward politically liberal views; a third think colleges equally welcome liberal and conservative views, and a mere 9% believe they are welcoming towards conservative views. Two-thirds of Republicans say colleges are more welcoming towards liberal views, while half of Democrats do so. Americans are also divided about whether they think that when exposing students to different ideas, colleges push their own viewpoints on students versus encouraging openness to diverse ideas. While 25% of Democrats believe colleges push their own views on students, 68% of Republicans think so. The modestly encouraging findings from the two surveys are noteworthy because they come at a time when colleges and universities have faced months of criticisms and attacks from the Trump administration. From federal cutbacks in research funding to criticisms of the curriculum, allegations of antisemitism, challenges to international students, and claims that they are indoctrinating students with 'wokeness,' institutions have faced a steady campaign of negative rhetoric and financial pressure from the administration. Although some of those critiques appear to resonate with portions of the public, the campaign may also be having something of a paradoxical effect. As Americans watch their colleges come under political attack, they may be beginning to rally to their support, discovering some common ground in recognizing the vital roles they play for individual well-being and the prosperity of the nation.
CBS News
15-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Keller: Why Harvard is an attractive political target for President Trump
The opinions expressed below are Jon Keller's, not those of WBZ, CBS News or Paramount Global. Harvard University is pushing back hard against Trump administration demands for major changes in the way it operates. But while the new federal policies are surely questionable, there's no question Harvard makes an attractive political target. The Crimson face an escalating war with Trump. Freezing $2 billion worth of federal grants was just the opening salvo, with the president Tuesday posting online: "Perhaps Harvard should lose its tax exempt status and be taxed as a political entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting "sickness?" Remember, tax exempt status is totally contingent on acting in the public interest." It's too much even for critics of Harvard's handling of anti-Israel sentiment on campus like former President Larry Summers. "Universities are in need of a great deal of reform and it's come too slowly, but that's not a reason why the government can entirely suspend the law," he says. But good luck generating broad public sympathy for Harvard and other elite schools the administration is going after. According to a 2024 Gallup/Lumina Foundation poll , only about 10% had no confidence in higher ed a decade ago. Now, about a third of people have no confidence in higher education. And the survey found the percent of people with high confidence in higher ed had plunged by 21 points over less than a decade, with almost a third expressing no confidence at all. For Harvard, this moment has been brewing for a long time. "I would rather be governed by the first 2,000 people in the Boston telephone directory than by the 2,000 people on the faculty of Harvard University," conservative commentator William F. Buckley Jr. famously said more than 60 years ago. And the contempt it reflects has spread beyond just political conservatives. "So many Americans see them as out of touch, overpriced, exclusionary, not a place for them," said Courtney Brown of the Lumina Foundation. "That's why when they get targeted, the general public isn't as concerned." After all, the core philosophy of the MAGA movement is that elites have abused their power and neglected working-class Americans. Harvard and other elite schools have seen their brands tarnished by campus protest and other hot-button issues. What a perfect way for the White House to change the subject from its economic struggles to a war on a central-casting villain
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Higher education degree still valuable, NEPA higher education leaders say
Robotic arms moved around as Lackawanna College student Karim Vaquero and his classmate Luke Kotcho entered commands on remote controls. As they entered prompts, the robotic arms drew squares with a highlighter on a large sheet of paper. Vaquero, who resides in Carbondale, is hopeful the skills he's learning in the college's Robotics and Automation program will land him a job working with robots. 'That's kind of the future,' he said. 'Robotics and automation is basically going to be the primary choice for major corporations.' As colleges grapple with declining enrollment, mounting student debt, high tuition and political debates over how they teach race and other topics, Americans are questioning the value and cost of a higher education degree. Only 36% of adults say they have a 'great deal' or 'quite a lot' of confidence in higher education, a decline from 57% in 2015, according to a report released last year by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation. A similar survey conducted by the Pew Research Center last year found 35% of adults say a college degree is somewhat important, while 40% say it's not too or not at all important. Roughly half, or 49%, of respondents said it is less important to have a four-year college degree today in order to get a well-paying job than it was 20 years ago. Leaders of higher education institutions in Northeast Pennsylvania say earning a college degree leads to opportunities in today's workplace. Those with a degree earn $1 million more than those without one, are less likely to be unemployed and more likely to have health insurance, they said. Attending a higher education institution teaches students skills like the ones Vaquero and Kotcho are learning that can be transferred to the workforce. Lynn Pasquerella, president of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, pointed to a survey the association conducted in 2023 showing eight in 10 employers agree a higher education prepares graduates to succeed in the workforce. Credentials, which are usually short-term programs that lead to a certificate, are also increasingly being valued by employers. 'There's a strong correlation between the knowledge, skills, mindsets and dispositions that employers are seeking, which they think are essential for success at the entry level and for advancement in their companies, and the liberal education that students receive,' she said. The leaders say some professions, like health care, require that employees have a degree or certification. 'A lot of the programs that we offer require some sort of formal training,' T.J. Eltringham, Lackawanna College's chief operating officer, said. 'There's still that need for post-secondary training.' Some of the college's programs, including nursing, cybersecurity and robotics, were launched with the intention of filling local employers' need for people with those skills. Students enrolled at the college, many of whom live in Northeast Pennsylvania, can fill those positions, he said. 'We're training students that are going to stay here and are working,' Eltringham said. * First-year students Karim Vaquero and Luke Kotcho program robots to draw a shape at Lackawanna College in Scranton on Tues., March 11, 2025. * First-year student Luke Kotcho provides instructions to a robot at Lackawanna College in Scranton on Tues., March 11, 2025. * Robots that Robotics and Integrated Technology Program Director Rob Crane and his students utilize in a classrom at Lackawanna College in Scranton on Tues., March 11, 2025. * Robotics and Integrated Technology Program Director Rob Crane talks about one of the machines in a classroom at Lackawanna College in Scranton on Tues., March 11, 2025. * First-year student Karim Vaquero gives a robot instructions to draw a shape at Lackawanna College in Scranton on Tues., March 11, 2025. * First-year student Luke Kotcho programs a robot at Lackawanna College in Scranton on Tues., March 11, 2025. * First-year student Luke Kotcho maneuvers a robot at Lackawanna College in Scranton on Tues., March 11, 2025. Show Caption 1 of 7 First-year students Karim Vaquero and Luke Kotcho program robots to draw a shape at Lackawanna College in Scranton on Tues., March 11, 2025. Expand Robotics and Automation Program Director Rob Crane takes a hands-on approach to teaching his students different aspects of the fields. 'I think it prepares them in that they can hit the ground running from day one,' he said. Students also learn more that prepares them for the workforce than just the classes in their major. Eltringham said college teaches students skills like communication and how to work with a team. At the University of Scranton, students are required to take English, philosophy, theology and history in addition to the classes in their major. The Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., the university's president, says these core curriculum classes teach students to be critical thinkers. 'We equip them to be ethical leaders, great communicators,' he said. 'They know how to problem solve at the workplace.' Local higher education institutions are adapting to meet the needs of today's workplace. With technology evolving, students and faculty are learning to use tools like AI to support their work and learning, Marina said. The university has also evolved to accept students of all faiths and celebrates diversity. Technology has also allowed the University of Scranton to expand its degree programs, offering many graduate degrees, most recently psychiatric nursing, online. The construction of the Robert S. and Marilyn A. Weiss Hall on Madison Avenue on the University of Scranton campus will help develop the local workforce, Marina said. Eltringham said the certificate programs offered at Lackawanna College allow students to obtain a certificate, enter the workforce and return for either an associate or bachelor's degree. Pasquerella said colleges need to improve on aligning what students are learning with what they could do for a career. She said e-portfolios and other mechanisms, as well as internships, show students how the skills they're learning connect to careers. 'Just being mindful of the ways in which we can help through the curriculum make those explicit connections between curriculum and career will help them identify not only a job that's going to be high paying, but a job that will help fulfill them throughout their lives,' she said.
