What will they learn?
That is the simple question the American Council of Trustees and Alumni asks on this website. We do so by exploring the state of general education, those courses designed to give college students a firm grounding in the areas of knowledge they will use for a lifetime. Specifically, we evaluate whether major colleges and universities require seven key subjects: English composition, literature, foreign language, U.S. government or history, economics, mathematics, and science.
What we found is alarming. Even as our students need broad-based skills and knowledge to succeed in the global marketplace, our colleges are failing to deliver. Topics like U.S. government or history, literature, mathematics, and economics have become mere options on far too many campuses. Not surprisingly, students are graduating with great gaps in their knowledge—and employers are noticing. If not remedied, this will have significant consequences for U.S. competiveness and innovation.
ACTA has launched this free, online college guide to cut through the verbiage in college catalogs and show what really matters: what students will be expected to learn. Especially in this era of rising tuition and uncertain economic prospects, we hope our findings will help students and parents vote with their wallets—and motivate trustees and alumni to demand more of their institutions.
ACTA is an independent, non-profit organization committed to academic freedom, excellence, and accountability at America's colleges and universities. Launched in 1995, we are the only organization that works with alumni, donors, trustees, and education leaders across the United States to support liberal arts education, uphold high academic standards, safeguard the free exchange of ideas on campus, and ensure that the next generation receives a philosophically rich, high-quality college education at an affordable price. Our national network includes alumni and trustees from more than 700 colleges and universities, including 9,000 current board members. For more information, visit our website.