New Report on youth perceptions of college completion

Posted by on December 21, 2009

A juggling act few can maintain

In the first in a series of reports about young Americans’ views on college and higher education, Public Agenda has released a paper based on a survey of over 600 young adults aged 22 to 30 that looks at four “myths” about why students fail to finish college, and outlines four corresponding “realities.” Rather than leaving because they were bored or unwilling to work hard, students cited the need to work full-time and family commitments as overriding factors for more than half of those surveyed. Over one third of non-completing students who wanted to return also said they couldn’t, even if tuition and books were fully covered. For students who don’t graduate, the college selection process often seems limited and uninformed, and many don’t fully grasp the impact that dropping out will have on their future. “Most are working and go[ing] to school at the same time, and most are not getting financial help from their families or the system itself,” says Jean Johnson of Public Agenda. “It’s the stress of this juggling act that forces many of them to abandon pursuit of a college degree.”

See the report: http://www.publicagenda.org/theirwholelivesaheadofthem