They love us. They love us not.

The perplexing public sentiment about Higher Education

This past week, two of the most recognizable information brands, the New York Times and Gallup gave us seemingly countering outlooks about the public opinion of Higher Education in these United States. On September 14th, Gallup provided us with a sunny outlook citing that despite the cost of Higher Education, the majority (over 80%) of Gen Z folks polled indicate that Higher Education is “very” or “fairly” important. Don’t get too comfortable. Six days later, the “Daily” podcast from the Times, would dig into the continuous decline in public sentiment regarding the value of Higher Education. They love us. They love us not.

The Daily’s report identifies several conclusions. One is - notably and not entirely surprisingly - related to cost and how it contributes to a growing wealth gap, regardless of the impact of a college degree on the wage gap. Reporting also indicated that parents of red state children were more likely to consider colleges and universities as being bastions of liberal ideology and a threat to the beliefs that were embedded in their children’s homes and hometowns. Parents and some students, specifically those who didn’t complete their degrees, felt that conservative ideology was not respected on campus, and there was not a place within the ivory tower for not only maintaining an appreciation for conservative thought, but also strong emotional ties to home. In other words, a college education is expensive and it changes people.