Thinking about going back to school? You’re not alone. According to a recent survey, one in five people said they were very likely to pursue some type of higher education.
Worried about the cost of going back to school? You’re not alone. According to the survey three-quarters said that college is unaffordable.
Concerned the quality of the college or university you want to attend? You are not alone.
The results of a recent survey show that most Americans agree. “The findings suggest that Americans acknowledge the central role of post secondary education in employment and financial stability,” (Chronicle.com) but they question the quality and affordability of college, particularly when it comes to online institutions. Coincidentally, that’s a question we have been trying to solve for quite some time.
Overall, more than 40% of people surveyed said they had thought about going back to school. More than one in five said they were very likely to do so, yet three-quarters of those surveyed said that college is unaffordable. That’s a pretty good indication that people still believe that going to college holds value but that they are uncertain about the value of the degree given the heavy costs. The results seem to imply that some colleges and universities are a better bet than others.
You can most clearly see how people view some colleges as better than others when the survey asked respondents about the quality of certain types of colleges and universities.
The people surveyed seem most unsure of the quality of an online education. Our own rankings system takes both quality and affordability into question. We use our real student reviews to find the schools with the most satisfied graduates and then factor in tuition costs to find the best valued online colleges.
The truth of the matter is that online colleges are less expensive and more convenient for people looking to go back to school. When you feel like you need a college degree to help your employment prospects, you want to be confident in your decision. We can only hope that our own efforts are making the decision process easier.
How about you? Do you agree with the concerns of the survey?Excited or nervous about your decision to go back to school?
To read the full study, visit the Lumina Foundation or read another summary at the Chronicle of Higher Education.