Only 25 percent of Americans believe that higher education is “fine how it is,” according to a recent survey by the think tank New America.
The survey, which measured American’s perceptions on the status of higher education, revealed that many believe that universities are not delivering on their promises.
Of concern for colleges and universities, just one in four of the survey’s respondents feel higher education is functioning fine the way it is. … A contributor to the widespread belief that higher education too often does not deliver on its promise, the survey found, is that 58 percent of respondents believe colleges put their own long-term interests first instead of those of their students.
Negative attitudes towards higher education were especially present amongst younger people. Only 13 percent of millennials claimed that higher ed is “fine how it is.”
Millennials in particular felt this way, despite being on track to be the most educated generation yet and the most experienced with the system. Among this group, 64 percent said colleges put their own interests first and only 13 percent say higher education is fine as it is, compared to 42 percent and 39 percent, respectively, for the Silent Generation (age 72 and up).
Although the reason for such dissatisfaction is unclear, the increasing divide over what higher education should represent likely contributes to these attitudes.
Tom Ciccotta is a libertarian who writes about economics and higher education for Breitbart News. You can follow him on Twitter @tciccotta or email him at tciccotta@breitbart.com