Evaluating the College Experience

The Pew Research Center conducted two surveys this spring on the value of a college education. One was a telephone survey to adults 18 years and older; the other was an online survey to college presidents of four-year, two-year, public, and private institutions. Respondents were asked their views on the cost and value of college, the monetary payoff, the mission of college, and other questions. The report is worth a look: http://pewsocialtrends.org/2011/05/15/is-college-worth-it/1/.

Although I take most surveys lightly, they usually make for interesting discussion. Glancing over the report, I can broadly deduce that the adult respondents think it is important that young people get a college education, that college is too expensive for the end result, and that a larger percentage of higher education should be paid for by federal or state governments. Some specific findings were more interesting: Adult respondents who hold a college degree believe they make about $20,000 per year than those without. Adult respondents who hold only a high school degree said they believe they make about $20,000 less than their counterparts with college degrees. Pew reports: “According to 2010 Census Bureau data, the gap in median annual earnings between a worker with a high school diploma and one with a college degree is $19,550. According to a Pew Research analysis of census data, over the course of a 40-year working life, the typical college graduate earns an estimated $550,000 more than the typical high school graduate, even after factoring in the costs and foregone earnings associated with going to college.”

Another interesting point was that while the adult respondents said a college education is important, character traits such as a good work ethic and knowing how to get along with people is actually more important for success in life than a college education.

I would go a step further and say that having a good work ethic and knowing how to get along with people is important to being successful in college or in any aspect of life beyond high school. My book, Toward College Success: Is Your Teenager, Ready, Willing, and Able?, focuses on the importance of just such character traits and many others. A student can be an academic wonder, but if he can’t manage his time, follow-through, take responsibility, self advocate, resolve conflict peacefully, as well as a myriad of other skills, then he is probably more likely to fail at college than succeed.

As college becomes more expensive with each year, it is important to discuss how to improve the value of a college education. Part of that discussion must include the important message that the value and success of a college experience depends on much more than just academic strengths.