Prospective students and their parents need more and far better information–particularly about outcomes–in order to help them decide the best school to attend and the federal government should take the lead to distribute this information and mandate new data requirements, reports U.S. News & World Report. This conclusion is from a just released report, “Grading Higher Education Giving Consumers the Information They Need,” by Harvard University professor Bridget Terry Long.
The report’s key conclusion is:
“for the federal government to expand the types of information that are available and allow users to compare indicators like cost, financial aid, student debt, employment outcomes, and average salaries following graduation, across peer institutions. An important part of the proposal is dissemination. To make sure the information is available to all who could benefit, additional effort must be taken to translate and circulate this information to an audience that may understand little about higher education offerings, pricing, aid, or quality. The federal government should actively reach out to potential students where they live, study and work. This should be done not only through an online interface but also partnerships with educational, social services, and employment organizations along with other government agencies.”…Read More