Monday numbers: The cost of higher education and economic value of community colleges
In The News Piece in North Carolina Policy Watch
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Dec. 12, 2022
Our survey "One Year Later: COVID-19s Impact on Current and Future College Students" by Rachel Fishman and Sophie Nguyen in collaboration with Third Way was featured in an article by NC Policy Watch about the perceived value of Higher Education.
Worried about the economy and rattled by a global pandemic that upended the traditional university experience, a growing percentage of university students worry higher education is no longer worth the cost.
That anxiety is one factor in falling admissions at some UNC campuses, leading system leaders to scramble for solutions: Raising the cap on admissions from out-of-state students, simplifying the transfer of credits between institutions, launching new investments in online education, and renewing an emphasis on the value of the state’s community college system.
Tuition at community colleges is less expensive, and these institutions offer greater flexibility and accessibility.
But how well do community colleges really do on that buzzy business metric increasingly making its way into higher education discussions: “return on investment”?
A new report commissioned by the American Association of Community Colleges suggests the schools are among the best values in higher education today.
Read the full article here.