What Americans Really Think of Higher Ed: Insights from New America's Varying Degrees 2024
Article/Op-Ed in Changing Higher Ed
Nov. 19, 2024
Episode available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast hosting sites.
The Change Leader, INC's Changing Higher Ed featured Kevin Carey and Sophie Nguyen on an episode discussing the findings from New America's 2024 Varying Degrees survey. Carey and Nguyen talked about how many Americans have not actually lost faith in the value of higher education. They also examined factors behind the decline in higher education enrollment, the partisan divide on perspectives about higher education, and offered practical advice for college leaders to address these challenges.
Despite media narratives of declining confidence in higher education, new survey data reveals 80% of Americans view college costs – not value – as the primary barrier to enrollment. While only 36% think higher education is “fine how it is,” bipartisan support remains strong, with a majority of both Democrats and Republicans favoring increased government funding for affordability.
On this episode of Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Kevin Carey, Vice President for Education and Work at New America, and Sophie Nguyen, Senior Policy Manager with the Higher Education team at New America, a nonpartisan think tank focused on social and technological issues, including education. The discussion centers around New America’s annual Varying Degrees 2024 survey, which examines how Americans perceive higher education.
Americans have not actually lost faith in the value of higher education. Our guests attribute the higher education enrollment decline not to a loss of confidence but rather to demographic shifts, the economic recession, and the unique nature of the pandemic.
They also highlight the partisan divide in perspectives on higher education, noting that Republicans have become more skeptical of higher education than Democrats, likely due to a changing composition of the two parties’ constituencies in terms of educational attainment.
The conversation concludes with practical advice for college leaders on navigating these challenges, emphasizing the need for clear communication about the value of higher education, acknowledging student and parental concerns about affordability and career pathways, and continuing to advocate for higher education in the face of political and social shifts.
Listen to the full episode here.