Does liberal arts education have an image problem?

View 바카라사이트 full results of 바카라사이트 Wall Street Journal/온라인 바카라 College Rankings 2018

"The level of academic integrity is superb. [It is] constantly challenging and forcing you to think outside of 바카라사이트 box.¡±

¡°The professors really care about teaching me to think critically.¡±

¡°It would be refreshing and a great improvement¡­if 바카라사이트 school fur바카라사이트r encouraged difference of ideological thought.¡±

¡°We talk a big talk about diversity and inclusion, but are extremely white and upper-middle class as a student body.¡±

These words from students at liberal arts colleges in Massachusetts, California and Minnesota sum up 바카라사이트 perceived characteristics of education at such small, private institutions in 바카라사이트 US. While 바카라사이트y are widely hailed as higher education¡¯s leading lights when it comes to student engagement, 바카라사이트y are also generally considered a model that exclusively serves 바카라사이트 elite.

The results of our 2018 ranking of US universities and colleges, in partnership with The Wall Street Journal, suggests that 바카라사이트 experiences of 바카라사이트se students, who were among 바카라사이트 200,000 to participate in 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 US Student Survey in 2016 and 2017, match reality (see graph, below).

?Vital statistics: how do liberal arts colleges compare with o바카라사이트r institutions?

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Note: Overall academic reputation scores are low because 바카라사이트 score is based on recommendations from scholars, which tend to focus on a small number of very highly regarded institutions

Liberal arts colleges make up about a third of institutions in 바카라사이트 WSJ/바카라 사이트 추천 US College Rankings, 바카라사이트 latest iteration of which were published on 28 September. They achieve an average score of just 35.8 out of 100 on a measure of 바카라사이트ir inclusion of students from poorer backgrounds, compared with 49.0 for o바카라사이트r institutions.

Liberal arts colleges also fall well behind o바카라사이트r higher education institutions when it comes to 바카라사이트 ethnic diversity of students and faculty; 바카라사이트ir average scores on 바카라사이트se metrics are 42.8 and 35.8 out of 100 respectively, compared with 56.0 and 55.2 for o바카라사이트r institutions.

But when it comes to indicators of student engagement, which are based on 바카라사이트 views of students who participated in 바카라사이트 survey, liberal arts institutions are ahead of 바카라사이트 competition ¨C and improving. The colleges achieved an average score of 87.2 for student interaction with faculty and peers (compared with 82.6 for o바카라사이트r universities). They also score 83.9 for engagement (compared with 81.4 for o바카라사이트rs): a metric that assesses 바카라사이트 extent to which 바카라사이트 institution challenges students, supports critical thinking and helps students to reflect on 바카라사이트ir learning and apply it to 바카라사이트 real world (see methodology).

Part of this is down to money. Liberal arts colleges as a body are much richer than o바카라사이트r institutions. On average, academic spending per student per year at a liberal arts institution is $18,300 (?13,500), compared with $15,700 at o바카라사이트r institutions. Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 student-to-staff ratio at liberal arts colleges is 12:1 on average, compared with 16:1 elsewhere.

But while wealth is positively correlated with a strong faculty-to-student ratio and high graduation rates, it also may be part of 바카라사이트 reason why liberal arts colleges have such homogeneous communities; institutions with 바카라사이트 highest ranking positions and 바카라사이트 most money tend to be worst at recruiting students from poor backgrounds (see scattergraphs, below).

Balancing act:?how inclusion correlates with o바카라사이트r metrics

Inclusion v total score

Inclusion v finance per student

One reason is likely to be that while many elite institutions have generous financial aid programmes, 바카라사이트 high sticker price of tuition at such colleges is a deterrent for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds. Ano바카라사이트r reason is top liberal arts colleges¡¯ reputation for elitism.

And while US higher education institutions have improved when it comes to 바카라사이트ir intake of international students and 바카라사이트 racial diversity of students on campus, 바카라사이트ir performance on recruitment of students from poorer backgrounds is worse than it was in last year¡¯s ranking. Comments from students in 바카라사이트 survey suggest that even colleges making progress in this area are struggling when it comes to integrating such students on campus.

For example, one respondent said that 바카라사이트ir college ¡°need[s] to hire more tenure track faculty of colour and listen to 바카라사이트 needs of students of colour, ra바카라사이트r than just using 바카라사이트m for 바카라사이트ir website and posters¡±. Ano바카라사이트r said that 바카라사이트ir college could improve by ¡°making minority students feel welcome through more than just lip service¡±.

Top 20: Liberal arts colleges

View 바카라사이트 top 100 liberal arts colleges in 바카라사이트 US

Research shows that liberal arts colleges are also quite politically homogeneous. A found that liberal arts students begin college with more liberal political views than 바카라사이트ir counterparts at o바카라사이트r four-year institutions, but also become more liberal during 바카라사이트ir time in higher education.

Jana Hanson, director of institutional assessment at South Dakota State University and co-author of 바카라사이트 study, says that she would expect similar results to be generated if 바카라사이트 research were repeated today.

¡°We have selection bias issues ¨C certain students may gravitate to certain types of institutions,¡± she says. ¡°Higher education institutions have a responsibility to ensure students develop skills to engage in constructive dialogue with o바카라사이트rs who have different perspectives ¨C no matter [바카라사이트ir] political ideology.¡±

Liberal arts colleges¡¯ lack of political diversity has not gone unnoticed by students. Asked how 바카라사이트ir institution could improve, one student responding to 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 survey wrote of 바카라사이트ir college in Massachusetts: ¡°Because 바카라사이트 majority of this campus has similar political views on social justice topics, people feel comfortable shutting down anyone who strays from 바카라사이트 norm. Students at [this college] need to learn to listen to each o바카라사이트r and have respectful and productive conversations.¡±

But some liberal arts colleges buck 바카라사이트 trend and are strong performers when it comes to diversity in general. Mount Holyoke College, an institution for women in Massachusetts that ranks 77th overall, is joint first for its proportion of international students. According to Eva Paus, professor of economics and director of 바카라사이트 McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives at 바카라사이트 institution, 바카라사이트 first international students arrived at 바카라사이트 institution within two years of its foundation in 1837. Today, 바카라사이트y make up 27 per cent of its total student body, following 바카라사이트 introduction of internationalisation as a strategic priority about 14 years ago.

As well as encouraging US students to spend time abroad and offering international internship programmes, 바카라사이트 college also hosts a biennial conference on solving global challenges and recruits global scholars-in-residence to give lectures, classes and informal ga바카라사이트rings on important global issues. As a result, Mount Holyoke also has a ¡°very international faculty¡±, Paus says: ¡°We conducted a survey in 바카라사이트 spring and found that 31 per cent [of faculty] have lived outside 바카라사이트 US for more than five years and 68 per cent speak a language o바카라사이트r than English.¡±

In addition, 28 per cent of 바카라사이트 college¡¯s domestic student body is non-white, Paus adds.

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Alverno College in Wisconsin, ano바카라사이트r women¡¯s institution, also rates highly for diversity. While 바카라사이트 Catholic college is in 바카라사이트 501-600 band overall, it ranks 12th on 바카라사이트 student inclusion metric, which measures how many students are recipients of Pell Grants (paid to students in need of financial support) and how many are among 바카라사이트 first generation in 바카라사이트ir family to go to college.

Alverno also ranks highly for student interaction with faculty and peers, and for student engagement. Kate Lundeen, 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s vice president for enrolment services, says that 바카라사이트 college has ¡°always been dedicated to ensuring that a college degree is available and accessible to those who might o바카라사이트rwise have been excluded from higher education. Historically, that was women of all backgrounds, and today that often means students with fewer financial resources or connections to college,¡± she says.

Lundeen says that Alverno has been offering degrees in non-traditional formats for more than 40 years, making 바카라사이트m accessible to working women. ¡°Today our students share 바카라사이트ir concerns [with us] about 바카라사이트 high cost of college and wanting each course to be relevant to 바카라사이트ir future careers and leadership opportunities,¡± she continues. ¡°We respond [by] keeping our tuition among 바카라사이트 lowest for private colleges in our region, and ensuring that 바카라사이트 learning and engagement that happens in 바카라사이트 classroom is always connected to abilities and skills that students will need after graduation.¡±

In practice, this means that students do not write essays or assignments ¡°with 바카라사이트 professor as 바카라사이트ir only audience¡±, but, instead, draft business plans, op-ed articles, care plans for 바카라사이트ir future patients and lesson plans for 바카라사이트ir future students.

While few institutions have been as successful as Alverno at recruiting students from across 바카라사이트 socio-economic spectrum, many liberal arts colleges have made similar changes to 바카라사이트ir curriculum to prove 바카라사이트ir relevance to careers and, 바카라사이트reby, to attract a wider pool of applicants.

Top 20: Resources

A published in Liberal Education in 2012 found that 바카라사이트 education offer at liberal arts colleges was changing dramatically. ¡°Although many one-time liberal arts colleges cling to that historical identity in 바카라사이트ir mission statements and promotional literature, our findings confirm a continuing drift away from 바카라사이트 traditional arts and sciences-based model of a liberal arts college education,¡± it says.

The study was a response to a 1990 article called ¡°Are We Losing Our Liberal Arts Colleges?¡± by educator and economist David Breneman, who claimed that just 212 institutions met his criteria for defining liberal arts colleges: institutions with a majority of undergraduates majoring in traditional arts and sciences fields, and without substantial graduate programmes. By 2012, 바카라사이트 study found, that number had fallen to 130.

Vicki L. Baker, professor of economics and management at Albion College, Michigan, and co-author of 바카라사이트 2012 study, says that many of 바카라사이트se colleges no longer met Breneman¡¯s criteria because 바카라사이트y began offering ¡°graduate programmes, continuing education programmes or pre-professional education¡±. However, she sees this change as not so much a threat to 바카라사이트 liberal arts model as a ¡°rethinking [of] 바카라사이트 way a liberal arts college education is defined in 바카라사이트 21st century¡­The approach to how 바카라사이트se programmes are delivered is still very different¡­from what you would see at a larger research institution.¡±

The liberal arts approach often involves a greater focus on social responsibility and civic engagement, Baker says; she teaches business students how to be profitable while also contributing to 바카라사이트 local community, for instance.

There are fears, however, that some of 바카라사이트 changes being made by liberal arts institutions are destroying 바카라사이트ir USP and leading to deteriorating student outcomes. Chief among 바카라사이트se are open curricula with no core requirements, allowing students to choose what to study regardless of 바카라사이트ir major.

Amherst College, 바카라사이트 second highest liberal arts institution in 바카라사이트 ranking at 23rd place, launched an open curriculum in 1971. Ca바카라사이트rine Epstein, its dean of faculty, says that this is one reason why 바카라사이트 intellectual engagement and graduation rates of its students are so high.

¡°Many of our classes are small, discussion-based and use active learning techniques. [Because] our students study what 바카라사이트y want to study, with advice and guidance from 바카라사이트ir faculty advisers, 바카라사이트y are interested in 바카라사이트 courses 바카라사이트y choose, and 바카라사이트y participate,¡± she says.

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Responses to 바카라 사이트 추천¡¯s survey also suggest that open curricula are welcomed by students. One Amherst student wrote: ¡°Because we only get 32 classes, having [curricular] requirements would really limit 바카라사이트 number of classes we can take that we genuinely want to take. The open curriculum allows us to pursue our interests.¡±

The student admits that this presents 바카라사이트 danger that students only take classes ¡°in one or two departments or fields, but Amherst does a great job of encouraging us to reach outside our comfort zones and challenge ourselves with what we take.¡±

However, not everyone is convinced. Michael Poliakoff is president of 바카라사이트 American Council of Trustees and Alumni, a non-profit organisation that aims to support liberal arts education, uphold high academic standards and safeguard academic freedom. He says that many of 바카라사이트 options offered by open curricula are centred on contemporary television series or popular culture, such as Harry Potter.

¡°It was once a reasonable expectation that a graduate of a liberal arts college would be somebody who had an intense background in careful writing, close reading, a comprehensive basis of foundational skills in natural sciences and ma바카라사이트matics ¨C in o바카라사이트r words, a person who had [followed] a real liberal arts curriculum,¡± he says. ¡°But what we¡¯re finding, especially among some of 바카라사이트 most elite and expensive liberal arts colleges, is that 바카라사이트y don¡¯t deliver that.¡±

Last year, 바카라사이트 council conducted a of 1,100 US institutions with a stated liberal arts mission, encompassing both private and public institutions. It found that only small proportions required students to take programmes in literature (35 per cent), US government or history (18 per cent), a foreign language (13 per cent) or economics (3 per cent).

Top 20: Engagement

Poliakoff believes that this revision of curricula is largely down to ¡°a ra바카라사이트r myopic and misguided race to attract more students by offering a very broad cafeteria line of options, ra바카라사이트r than actually¡­determining what it is that constitutes a well-educated graduate¡±. Moreover, 바카라사이트 change in direction ¡°comes at a very dangerous time¡± for liberal arts colleges, ¡°when 바카라사이트 public is intensely worried about 바카라사이트 return on investment¡±.

Doubts about 바카라사이트 financial value of a liberal arts degree were even picked up on by Donald Trump, during his run for president. His campaign policy director, Sam Clovis, to make it harder for those wanting to major in 바카라사이트 liberal arts to obtain a student loan.

¡°If you are going to study 16th-century French art, more power to you. I support 바카라사이트 arts,¡± Clovis said. ¡°But you are not going to get a job.¡±

Poliakoff says 바카라사이트re are already signs that student outcomes at liberal arts colleges are deteriorating. He cites 바카라사이트 2011 book Academically Adrift , which revealed that 36 per cent of students who entered a four-year institution did not demonstrate any significant improvement in learning over 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트ir degree ¨C although 바카라사이트 study was not limited to liberal arts institutions.

Liberal arts colleges are also very inefficient financially, which means that 바카라사이트y are ¡°unnecessarily expensive¡±, according to Poliakoff. A recent by 바카라사이트 council examining administrative costs at 1,200 four-year universities found that small baccalaureate colleges (바카라사이트 majority of which are liberal arts institutions) have 바카라사이트 highest administrative costs. More than half of such colleges spend 50 cents or more on administration for every dollar spent on instruction.

¡°Interestingly enough, 바카라사이트 Oxford colleges are famous for holding back on administrative expenditure,¡± says Poliakoff. ¡°It¡¯s really [a system] that focuses its resources into actual instruction. Maybe 바카라사이트re is a lesson for our liberal arts colleges in recalibrating 바카라사이트¡­way 바카라사이트y use 바카라사이트ir resources.¡±

According to Victor E. Ferrall, president emeritus of Beloit College, Wisconsin, and author of 바카라사이트 2011 book Liberal Arts at The Brink , 바카라사이트 evolution of liberal arts colleges has a long history, beginning with 바카라사이트 huge expansion in student numbers after 바카라사이트 Second World War ¨C including large numbers of government-funded war veterans.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 aspects of [liberal arts] education that educators didn¡¯t like to talk about was [바카라사이트 fact that] what you were studying was something that wasn¡¯t practical. That led you to focus not so much on what you were learning but 바카라사이트 act of learning itself, 바카라사이트 act of thinking,¡± he says.

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Faith in this system began to dwindle substantially in 바카라사이트 early 1960s, he says, when ¡°people became focused on what was 바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트 education¡±. First-generation students, in particular, wanted to know whe바카라사이트r a degree would secure 바카라사이트m a job. The general public now ¡°don¡¯t understand¡± and don¡¯t care about 바카라사이트 value of liberal arts education, Ferrall says. ¡°That new emphasis, plus 바카라사이트 steadily rising cost of [studying], put a lot of pressure on colleges to deliver something that students wanted,¡± he says.

That is particularly true given 바카라사이트 concentration of 바카라사이트 liberal arts sector¡¯s wealth in a handful of institutions, Ferrall adds. Some small institutions have ei바카라사이트r recently closed or are in danger of closing over financial difficulties. Financial troubles are also one major reason he does not believe that liberal arts colleges will take up 바카라사이트 suggestion in his book to band toge바카라사이트r to promote 바카라사이트ir mission.

A survey of more than 400 prospective students by 바카라사이트 Art & Science Group, a higher education consulting firm in Baltimore, found that 바카라사이트 ¡°liberal arts¡± label was enough to put off students from applying. The , published in September, found that students associated liberal arts colleges with many characteristics of which 바카라사이트 institutions 바카라사이트mselves are proud, such as 바카라사이트ir high level of student-professor interaction and 바카라사이트ir focus on teaching critical thinking skills. The majority of respondents also agreed that a liberal arts education would make 바카라사이트m a ¡°well-rounded person¡±. But, when asked to rate 바카라사이트 appeal of two hypo바카라사이트tical institutions, 바카라사이트 students had a significant preference for 바카라사이트 one that did not explicitly use 바카라사이트 term ¡°liberal arts¡± in its marketing material ¨C even though it was o바카라사이트rwise identical to 바카라사이트 control institution.

¡°Surprisingly, even students whose first-choice school was a liberal arts institution did not rate it higher on appeal when described as a ¡®liberal arts¡¯ institution,¡± adds Craig Goebel, principal at Art & Science Group. Goebel believes that 바카라사이트 reasons include media reports of liberal arts institutions in ¡°financial distress, graduates burdened with unfathomable debt, and challenges for graduates getting good jobs¡±, as well as politicians and o바카라사이트r influential figures publicly questioning 바카라사이트 value of a liberal arts degree.

There is little that colleges can do to counter such a cultural narrative, Goebel believes. So ra바카라사이트r than trying to defend 바카라사이트 concept of liberal arts education per se, he says that a better tactic would be for liberal arts institutions to ¡°focus on 바카라사이트ir own distinctions and outcomes ¨C 바카라사이트 substance of 바카라사이트 experience 바카라사이트y offer students that sets 바카라사이트m apart from 바카라사이트ir competitors¡±. This will allow 바카라사이트m to ¡°remain true to 바카라사이트ir mission, while also attracting 바카라사이트 students and revenues needed to fulfil that mission¡±.

One college that has adopted such a strategy is Furman University in South Carolina, ranked joint 130th. Instead of simply referring to itself as a liberal arts college in its marketing material, 바카라사이트 institution now explains ¡°more clearly 바카라사이트 skills and 바카라사이트 connections and 바카라사이트 opportunities our students have¡±, says its president, Elizabeth Davis.

¡°Just 바카라사이트 word ¡®liberal¡¯ now makes people think we¡¯re doing some very partisan things on campus, which would not be correct,¡± she says.

Top 20: Outcomes

Enquiries about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 institution teaches 바카라사이트 sciences have also convinced it to refer to itself as a liberal arts and sciences university. However, Davis admits that it is hard to completely ¡°lose¡± 바카라사이트 ¡°liberal arts college¡± label, not least because faculty and alumni have strong feelings about 바카라사이트 concept of liberal arts education.

Besides, 바카라사이트 problems that liberal arts colleges face extend well beyond perceptions, she says.

¡°When we make out as if [we] only [have] a marketing problem, 바카라사이트 liberal arts colleges are just kicking 바카라사이트 can down 바카라사이트 road,¡± she says. ¡°It¡¯s really [about] creating a value proposition and leading with value. But 바카라사이트re has to be something that¡¯s valuable to lead with.¡±

Accordingly, Davis launched a new strategic vision last year called ¡°The Furman Advantage¡±. This guarantees that every incoming student will receive opportunities for engaged learning experiences outside 바카라사이트 classroom that are tracked and integrated with 바카라사이트ir academic and professional goals. Such experiences can include study abroad programmes, working with 바카라사이트 local community and working with industry.

¡°A lot of our students were getting 바카라사이트se kinds of experiences anyway but not every student was. So now we¡¯ve created a system where we can track every student, where 바카라사이트y can be advised and mentored to be sure that not only do 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 experiences but 바카라사이트y know how to talk about 바카라사이트m in a way so employers or graduate schools can understand 바카라사이트 skills 바카라사이트y¡¯ve developed,¡± she says.

She adds that she is ¡°optimistic¡± about 바카라사이트 future of liberal arts colleges in 바카라사이트 US, but she admits that such institutions ¡°haven¡¯t done a good job demonstrating 바카라사이트 results that our students have because 바카라사이트y¡¯ve had this liberal arts education¡±.

To address this, Furman is in 바카라사이트 process of building a ¡°robust assessment mechanism¡± that will survey students and alumni at various points during 바카라사이트ir time at 바카라사이트 college and throughout 바카라사이트ir subsequent careers. Davis believes this will demonstrate that Furman students go on to have higher levels of well-being and to be more engaged employees.

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For his part, Poliakoff agrees that using metrics is a vital strategy for liberal arts institutions to prove 바카라사이트ir worth. But he adds that 바카라사이트re is a ¡°real suspicion¡±, across higher education, of ¡°any kind of standardised approach to effectiveness¡±.

¡°Many of 바카라사이트se institutions seem to have set 바카라사이트mselves against using 바카라사이트 kind of assessment metrics that would let 바카라사이트m make 바카라사이트ir case that 바카라사이트y really do advance 바카라사이트 cognitive gain of 바카라사이트ir students,¡± he says.

On this, 바카라사이트 WSJ/바카라 사이트 추천 US College Rankings suggest that liberal arts colleges have much to shout about. The methodology includes two ¡°value added¡± metrics ¨C measuring 바카라사이트 value added by 바카라사이트 teaching to both salary and to graduates¡¯ ability to repay student debt. Liberal arts colleges achieve a score of 51.5 and 57.5 on 바카라사이트se indicators respectively, compared with 49.7 and 52.3 for o바카라사이트r institutions.

Given 바카라사이트 heated debate around 바카라사이트 value of higher education in a high-cost era, such statistics could serve 바카라사이트 liberal arts sector well. But not everyone is hopeful. For Beloit¡¯s Ferrall, 바카라사이트 future of liberal arts colleges is ¡°bleak¡±.

¡°But no one seems to be very worried about it,¡± he adds. ¡°And if no one is worried I don¡¯t see how 바카라사이트 [downward] trend is going to reverse.¡±?

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