Most Adults Think College Teaches Valuable Life Lessons
Seventy-three percent of recently surveyed U.S. adults believe “college educates you about adult life beyond coursework and the classroom,” and 44% said they say are thinking about either returning to college or attending for the first time. The top reasons for wanting to go to college are to learn new life skills (40%), learn new “skill sets” (42%), and change career trajectories (39%). According to the survey, which was conducted on behalf of Texas Tech University, examples of non-academic life skills developed in college include learning to be independent, to be responsible, and to interact with others appropriately. While 85% of those who attended college believe it prepared them for adult life, 80% would change certain aspects of their college experience if they were to return. “Classes or seminars that teach about life beyond the classroom (41%) and positive testimonials from current or previous students (41%) would encourage respondents to choose a certain school.”
Source: Texas Tech Today
Are Degree Requirements for Entry-Level Jobs Causing the “Talent Crunch?”
Perhaps it’s not surprising that 65% of employers are struggling to hire workers — and perhaps it’s their own fault. A recent survey of 1,000 U.S. hiring managers revealed that 62% require college degrees for entry-level jobs, even though 43% “admit that skills training credentials are more important than a degree when considering a candidate.” Equal numbers (26%) said they require degrees because they want to narrow down their applicant pools and because they have always required degrees. “By requiring a degree and not focusing on a candidate’s skills or experience, employers are substantially shrinking their potential talent pool; only 38% of U.S. adults have a four-year degree.”
Source: Cengage Group
Almost 40% of College Students Have Considered Quitting
Nearly two in five college students have thought about dropping out during the past year, and more than two thirds (68%) say they know someone who did. Cost, affordability, mental health concerns, and academic challenges are among the top reasons why. “The good news for institutions of higher education in this report of 2,000 students, parents, and other family members is that the overwhelming majority of those attending college (83%) believe that ‘they will earn enough money to make the cost of college worth it.’ More than 93% are at least somewhat confident they will get the right job after graduation.” Among two-year students, however, nearly half (47%) have thought about quitting, and only 53% said they see the value of a college education. Sixty-five percent of parents reported that they lack confidence in their ability to finance a four-year degree.
Source: University Business
Most First-Year Students Don’t Earn Enough Credits to Graduate on Time
Just 28% of recently surveyed full-time, first-year college students earned at least 30 credits, which is widely considered the number required annually to graduate on time. As a result, many may not even graduate within five years if they continue to earn credits at the same pace. On average, students signed up for just under 27 credits worth of classes but completed fewer than 22. Researchers analyzed data from more than 900,000 students at 342 post-secondary institutions to arrive at their conclusions. “Among first-time, first-year students, the [credit completion] rate was highest for students who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals, at 84.1%, followed by Asian students at 83.5% and White students at 79.8%. Hispanic students posted a rate of 73.6%, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander students were at 72.8%, American Indian and Alaska Native students came in at 67.8%, and Black and African American students were at 66.8%. Women completed more of the credits they attempted than men, 78% versus 73.4%.”
Source: Higher Ed Dive