Is college was worth the cost? A new survey asked 30,000 graduates
No matter where they went to school, what they majored in or how their school was ranked, college grads were much more likely to say their school was worth the cost of tuition if they had professors who believed in them, according to a new poll.
The Gallup-Purdue Index, which was published Tuesday, asked more than 30,000 graduates nationwide to answer questions about how their experiences as students impacted their success and well-being after graduation.
Despite the warm, fuzzy feelings that supportive professors could bring, the survey showed that half of all college graduates “strongly agreed’’ that their colleges educations were worth the cost. That number dropped to 38 percent among “recent graduates,’’ defined by Gallup as those who completed their degrees during or after 2006. Because the survey asks respondents to rank their feelings from “strongly agree’’ to “strongly disagree,’’ it should also be noted that only 4 percent of graduates strongly disagreed that their educations were worth the cost.
The Gallup-Purdue Index was developed last year to add more context to college rankings like those released by the U.S. News and World Report, which only address “academic excellence’’ and factors that impact students while they’re on campus.
Gallup said schools should consider these findings because positive feelings about the college experience could dim the negative effects that loans bring to students.
“Higher education leaders and other stakeholders have opportunities to increase their university’s value to undergraduates … by focusing on factors that help students make the most of their college years,’’ Gallup said. “Key among these factors are relationships with people who can help students stay fully engaged in their education and focused on the future it will help them achieve. In particular, faculty and other mentors can foster these student goals.’’
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