The findings of a Northeastern-sponsored survey, released today, show that 70 percent of Americans believe higher education is “extremely” or “very important” to achieving the American Dream.
A business advisory firm, FTI Consulting, conducted the poll for Northeastern. The study was conducted Oct. 13 to 18, according to results released by the university. About 1,000 adults were surveyed by landline or cell phone, and 250 additional people between the ages of 18 and 30 were polled online from Oct. 16 to 19.
Poll results include the findings that 86 percent of respondents said paying for college is a big obstacle to getting a degree, and 75 percent believe college is important to finding a good job.
Though the survey found 75 percent of people in the United States believe higher education in the country is among the best in the world, 83 percent believe the system must change to stay competitive internationally.
“These results show that while Americans are very proud of our higher education system, they’re also concerned about the future,” Northeastern President Joseph E. Aoun said in a statement. “In overwhelming numbers, they’re telling us that the system of today will not meet the challenges of tomorrow. These findings are a wake-up call for those of us in higher education to renew the social compact we have always had with Americans by innovating across multiple dimensions.”
Look for a full story on the findings in the newspaper on Thursday.
-News Staff
