Will Attending Highly-Selective Colleges Lead to Superior Learning, Increased Job Satisfaction, and Much Higher Economic Opportunity? Here Is What Research Shows

#084 – The perceived complexity of the college admission process makes it easier for students and parents to believe misinformation, as they attempt to gather as much information to do it right.

On the previous episode, we debunked the idea that Best-College Rankings are true indicators of the quality of education offered by a college or university.

On this episode, we will visit another common misconception, one that has to do with what many expect enjoy as a result of attending a highly-selective college or university.

This episode is based on a white paper produced by CollegeSuccess, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Stanford University Graduate School of Education.

Following the order in which the white paper is written, I will uncover what research shows is the link between attending a highly-selective college and the overall level of preparation a student receives (learning), job satisfaction & general well-being after graduation, and economic opportunity (a salary comparison of graduates of highly-selective colleges and graduates of colleges with open admission policies.

Resources used and mentioned on this episode:

ChallengeSuccess White Paper: A “FIT” OVER RANKINGS: Why College Engagement Matters More Than Selectivity

Challenge Success: A non-profit affiliated with the Stanford University Graduate School of Education. We provide schools and families with proven strategies that promote well-being and engagement with learning in order to transform the student experience into one where all kids can create their own paths to success.

Arum, R., & Roksa, J. (2011). Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Gallup Inc. (2014). Gallup-Purdue Index Report 2014.

Mayhew, M. J., Rockenbach, A. N., Bowman, N. A., Seifert, T. A. D., Wolniak, G. C., Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (2016). How College Affects Students: 21st Century Evidence that Higher Education Works (1 edition). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Zhang, L. (2008). The way to wealth and the way to leisure: The impact of college education on graduates’ earnings and hours of work. Research in Higher Education, v49(3), 199–213.

Zhang, L. (2012). Does quality pay? Routledge.

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