| |
 |
Strongly agree |
|
Agree |
|
Disagree |
|
Strongly disagree |
|
Don't know |
|
| Colleges and universities are among the most valuable
resources to the U.S. |
37% |
56% |
6% |
0% |
1% |
|
| Many college students have incurred too much debt for
their college education |
33% |
50% |
12% |
1% |
4% |
|
| Four-year colleges and universities place too much emphasis
on intercollegiate athletics |
26% |
50% |
20% |
2% |
2% |
|
| Congress should increase the grants that enable students
to attend college and that do not need to be paid back |
25% |
40% |
28% |
5% |
3% |
|
| Congress should increase the amount of loans that students
can borrow for their college education |
23% |
51% |
19% |
2% |
6% |
|
| Colleges and universities could reduce their costs without
hurting the quality of the institutions |
19% |
49% |
22% |
4% |
6% |
|
| |
Strongly agree |
Agree |
Disagree |
Strongly disagree |
Don't know |
|
| Colleges and universities improperly introduce a liberal
bias in what they teach |
14% |
37% |
31% |
8% |
11% |
|
| Some preference should be given in college admissions
to minority candidates in order to ensure equal opportunity for a higher
education in the U.S. |
13% |
40% |
34% |
11% |
2% |
|
| Tenure for faculty members is essential to preserving
an atmosphere of academic freedom at colleges and universities |
13% |
48% |
26% |
7% |
7% |
|
| Standardized aptitude tests like the SAT or the ACT are
a fair way to judge the academic ability of college-bound students |
11% |
47% |
32% |
7% |
2% |
|
| College graduates today are well prepared for the work
force |
6% |
54% |
32% |
4% |
4% |
|
| Applicants to a college whose close relatives attended
the same college should be given extra consideration for admission |
4% |
19% |
56% |
19% |
2% |
|
| View 2003
results to similar questions |
|
| Important roles for a college
to perform: |
| |
|
Very important |
|
Important |
|
Somewhat important |
|
Not important |
|
No answer |
|
| Prepare its undergraduate students for a career |
70% |
22% |
7% |
1% |
0% |
|
| Prepare students to be responsible citizens |
67% |
18% |
11% |
3% |
0% |
|
| Prepare future leaders of society |
66% |
21% |
11% |
2% |
0% |
|
| Provide education to adults so they qualify for better
jobs |
62% |
26% |
11% |
1% |
0% |
|
| Help elementary and high schools do a better job teaching
children |
61% |
19% |
13% |
6% |
1% |
|
| Offer a broad-based general education to undergraduate
students |
58% |
29% |
12% |
2% |
0% |
|
| Help students develop good values and ethical positions |
58% |
23% |
15% |
5% |
0% |
|
| Teach students to get along with people from different
backgrounds |
55% |
24% |
16% |
5% |
1% |
|
| Prepare undergraduate students for graduate or professional
school |
53% |
31% |
14% |
1% |
0% |
|
| Discover more about the world through research |
49% |
30% |
18% |
2% |
0% |
|
| |
Very important |
Important |
Somewhat important |
Not important |
No answer |
|
| Prepare students from minority groups to become successful |
47% |
29% |
17% |
7% |
1% |
|
| Conduct research that will make American businesses more
competitive |
39% |
29% |
25% |
6% |
1% |
|
| Help attract new business to local region |
38% |
26% |
27% |
8% |
1% |
|
| Enroll students from all parts of the country |
37% |
29% |
25% |
9% |
0% |
|
| Provide useful information to the public on issues affecting
people's daily lives |
34% |
27% |
28% |
11% |
1% |
|
| Improve the image of the state in which it is located |
32% |
25% |
30% |
14% |
0% |
|
| Promote international understanding by encouraging students
to study in other countries |
28% |
29% |
31% |
11% |
0% |
|
| Provide cultural events for the community |
27% |
29% |
33% |
11% |
0% |
|
| Play athletics for the entertainment of the community |
14% |
19% |
40% |
26% |
0% |
|
| View 2003
results to this question |
|
| Financing a child's education: |
| |
Parents whose
children have attended college used this source* |
Parents of
non-college-age children expectations of using this source to finance college |
|
| Source of funds |
|
Yes |
|
No |
|
Very high |
|
High |
|
Expect to use |
|
Don't expect to use |
|
Don't know |
|
| Assistance from you, the parent |
85% |
14% |
49% |
19% |
24% |
5% |
3% |
|
| Off-campus job |
60% |
38% |
14% |
19% |
35% |
27% |
5% |
|
| Academic-based merit scholarship |
34% |
65% |
14% |
21% |
38% |
20% |
8% |
|
| Stafford loan in your child's name |
32% |
65% |
5% |
9% |
25% |
42% |
19% |
|
| On-campus job |
32% |
67% |
12% |
19% |
35% |
26% |
8% |
|
| Alternative loan in your child's name |
25% |
73% |
7% |
9% |
27% |
50% |
8% |
|
| Pell grant from the federal government |
25% |
72% |
10% |
10% |
27% |
40% |
13% |
|
| State grant |
22% |
75% |
10% |
15% |
31% |
37% |
7% |
|
| PLUS or parent loan |
22% |
76% |
7% |
12% |
27% |
44% |
11% |
|
| Money from a college-savings plan from a bank |
20% |
77% |
28% |
18% |
27% |
23% |
5% |
|
| Need-based scholarship or grant from the college |
19% |
78% |
10% |
9% |
28% |
43% |
10% |
|
| Assistance from grandparents |
15% |
84% |
7% |
5% |
16% |
67% |
5% |
|
| Scholarship based on a special talent |
12% |
85% |
11% |
13% |
27% |
40% |
9% |
|
| Athletics scholarship |
6% |
91% |
6% |
8% |
19% |
56% |
11% |
|
| Money from a tax-deferred 529 College Savings Plan |
4% |
94% |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
| * Responses of "uncertain" are omitted. |
|
