Redefining Value in Higher Education: Prioritizing Equitable Access and Economic Mobility Over Selectivity

While most public opinion research shows Americans believe postsecondary education provides value, public trust in higher ed is waning. This decline in confidence is fueled in part by concerns about affordability, student debt and college-to-career alignment, plus a series of other social and political factors.

Amidst these challenges, it is crucial for institutions to improve how they articulate their successes and shift how they define their value -- moving away from a definition that prioritizes selectivity and toward another that foregrounds equitable access, economic mobility and student success.

Join us as we explore current higher ed perceptions and trends, and the innovative ways key stakeholders are working to ensure postsecondary education remains a powerful driver of both economic and non-economic value. 

The webcast will cover:

• Factors deterring prospective students from pursuing a college education and how they can be addressed
• Students' perspectives on the value and affordability of their education
• The effectiveness of colleges in preparing students for their expected career-related outcomes
• The American Council on Education's plan to categorize colleges based in part on their effectiveness in providing students with a "springboard to a better life"
• Attempts at solving higher education’s failure rate problem in key gateway courses
• Growing connections between community colleges and historically Black colleges and universities

To get the most out of the webcast, download and explore the accompanying booklet.