What Will They Learn?

What Will They Learn?
Editor Michael Poliakoff
Categories Higher education
Frequency Annual
Publisher American Council of Trustees and Alumni
First issue 2009
Country United States
Language English
Website www.whatwilltheylearn.com

What Will They Learn? is the annual rating system of American colleges and universities published by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, a Washington, D.C.-based higher education non-profit. The report, which evaluates the core academic requirements at over 1,100 public and private universities, has been published annually since 2009.[1]

Overview

What Will They Learn? was first published in 2009.[2][3] The report assigns a letter grade to over 1,100 universities based on how many of the following seven core subjects are required: composition, literature, foreign language, American history, economics, mathematics and science.[4] ACTA concludes that most of the country’s leading universities do not have rigorous general education requirements.[5]

Editions

2009-2010

The first edition of the study looked at 100 schools across the nation. Only 5 institutions garnered an "A" rating, whereas 25 earned an "F." Among the "F" institutions were several schools traditionally considered elite, including Yale University.[6]

2010-2011

In the 2010-2011 edition, ACTA expanded What Will They Learn? to include 718 institutions. The grades broke down to 17 "A's" (2%), 252 "B's" (35%), 209 "C's" (29%), 136 "D's" (19%) and 104 "F's" (14%).[7]

2011-2012

The 2011-2012 edition of What Will They Learn? was released on August 30, 2011. The study evaluated the general education requirements of 1,012 colleges and universities. The grade breakdown percentages remained similar to previous years, with 19 schools earning an "A" grade.[8]

2012-2013

The 2012-2013 edition of What Will They Learn? was released in October 2012. The study evaluated 1,070 colleges and universities, with 21 schools earning an "A" grade.[9][10] Regent University, which received an "A" grade from ACTA, was subsequently awarded $400,000 by the Beazley Foundation in recognition of the school's strong core curriculum.[11]

2013-2014

The 2013-2014 edition of What Will They Learn? was released in October 2013. The study evaluated 1,091 colleges and universities, with 22 schools earning an "A" grade.[12] The 2013-2014 edition included the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education's campus free speech "Spotlight" rating alongside the What Will They Learn? grades.[13]

2014-2015

The 2014-2015 edition of the study, which analyzed 1,098 institutions of higher learning, issued 23 "A" grades.[14]

2015-2016

The 2015-2016 edition of the study, which analyzed 1,108 institutions of higher learning, issued 24 "A" grades.[15][16]

2016-2017

The 2016-2017 edition of the study, which analyzed over 1,100 institutions of higher learning, assigned 25 "A" grades.[17]

The A-list

The 25 schools on the What Will They Learn? "A-List" for 2016-2017 include Baylor University, Bluefield College, California Polytechnic State University–San Luis Obispo, Christopher Newport University, Clark Atlanta University, Colorado Christian University, Gardner-Webb University, Georgia Southern University, Kennesaw State University, Morehouse College, Pepperdine University, Regent University, St. Katherine College, Southwest Baptist University, St. John's College (Annapolis/Santa Fe), Thomas Aquinas College, Thomas More College of Liberal Arts, United States Air Force Academy, United States Coast Guard Academy, United States Merchant Marine Academy, United States Military Academy, University of Dallas, University of Georgia, and University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.[18]

Response

Nationally syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker wrote that What Will They Learn? is a guide that can "help parents and students determine where they might get the best bang for their buck." The study has been featured in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and newspapers across the United States.[5][8][19] Upon the report's release in 2009, the founder of US News and World Report, Mel Elfin, reassured ACTA that the anger of some of the higher education establishment "is probably a sign that you are on the right track [to reform]."[20]

In response to the strong performance of historically black colleges and universities, Michael Lomax, president of the United Negro College Fund, said "the ACTA review’s finding that historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) ‘demonstrate overall stronger general education requirements than other public and private institutions’ confirms the important role these universities continue to play in American higher education.[21]

In 2009, Debra Humphreys, vice president for communications and public affairs at the Association of American Colleges and Universities, said, "as is often the case with ACTA, they have posed some very good questions," but Humphreys criticized the study for being narrow in scope and called its methodology "inadequate."[3]

ACTA countered that claim by commissioning a Roper study in 2011. The study found that 70 percent of Americans agreed with ACTA that all students should be required to take core curriculum classes. That number jumped to 80 percent among 25- to 34-year-olds who, according to the survey, are those "just out of college who may find learnings from such classes are helpful in the job market."[22]

Murray Sperber of Indiana University said the report "documents higher education's dirty little secret: Schools are charging more each year and requiring many fewer traditional education courses. This results in a legion of students with spotty educations and meaningless degrees."[3]

References

  1. ↑ Aldridge, James (2013-10-29). "UTSA scores an 'A' on its undergraduate education". San Antonio Business Journal. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  2. ↑ "USAO Joins U.S. Elite 19 for 'A-grade' Curriculum". GTR Newspapers. January 18, 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Glenn, David (August 19, 2009). "Group Offers Alternative Rankings Based on Curricula". Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  4. ↑ "ACTA Gives College Highest Possible Academic Ranking". Thomas Aquinas College. September 1, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  5. 1 2 Parker, Kathleen (September 30, 2011). "Our unprepared graduates". Washington Post. Retrieved May 23, 2012.
  6. ↑ Williams, Walter E. (August 31, 2009). "What Will They Learn for your $50,000?". Investor's Business Daily. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  7. ↑ de Vise, Daniel (November 20, 2010). "College ratings ignites debate over core requirements". Washington Post. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  8. 1 2 McGurn, William (November 1, 2011). "What's Your Kid Getting From College?". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
  9. ↑ Czupor, Z.J. (October 11, 2012). "National study ranks Colorado Christian in top 2% of colleges". Denver Post. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  10. ↑ "History Literacy Failing Among American Students, Study Faults Colleges Lack Of Core Subject Requirements". Huffington Post. 2012-10-10. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  11. ↑ Hutchins, Sarah (October 11, 2012). "Regent's grade on curriculum lands school $400,000". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  12. ↑ "Report gives GWU 'A' grade for core subjects". Gaston Gazette. 2013-10-30. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  13. ↑ "About Us". What Will They Learn?. What Will They Learn?. Retrieved 4 November 2013.
  14. ↑ "Study: 'What Will They Learn' In College? Probably Not Much". Region's Business. October 15, 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  15. ↑ "What WIll They Learn 2015-16?". American Council of Trustees and Alumni. October 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  16. ↑ "Opinion Journal: Dumbing Down Colleges". Wall Street Journal. October 6, 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  17. ↑ ""A" List". American Council of Trustees and Alumni. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  18. ↑ ""A" List". What Will They Learn?. American Council of Trustees and Alumni. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  19. ↑ "In The News". American Council of Trustees and Alumni. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  20. ↑ "What Will They Learn?". Center for College Affordability and Productivity. August 19, 2009. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  21. ↑ "Reactions to What Will They Learn? Project" (PDF). American Council of Trustees and Alumni.
  22. ↑ "Roper Study Findings" (PDF). American Council of Trustees and Alumni.
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