Liberal Arts Graduates: Better Prepared for Life's Challenges

A recent study by a consortium of the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges, Trinity among them, provides evidence that liberal arts graduates believe they are better prepared to meet life’s challenges and gain admission to graduate school than do alumni from private or public universities.

The study was commissioned by the Annapolis Group, a nonprofit group of 130 residential liberal arts colleges. Conducted by the higher education consulting firm Hardwick Day, the findings are based on 2,700 telephone interviews in 2002 and again during the summer of 2011. The study is one of only a handful that explores the lasting effects of college in such areas as career preparation and advancement, skill and values development, and community involvement.

Hardwick Day compared survey responses of alumni of the Annapolis Group institutions with those of alumni of private universities, the top 50 public universities, and a broader group of public flagship universities. The study found that graduates of Annapolis Group members tended to be more satisfied with their experience as undergraduates and more likely to believe that their education had a significant impact on their personal and professional development.

To see a copy of the report, please visit www.collegenews.org.

76 Percent of liberal arts college graduates who rated their college experience highly for preparing them for their first job, compared to 66 percent who attended public flagship universities.

60 Percent of liberal arts college graduates who said they felt better prepared for life after college than students who attended other colleges, compared to 34 percent who attended public flagship universities

77 Percent of liberal arts college graduates who rated their overall undergraduate experience as excellent, compared to 53 percent for graduates of flagship public universities.

79 Percent of liberal arts college graduates who report benefiting very much from teaching-oriented faculty, compared to 63 percent for private universities and 40 percent for alumni of flagship public universities.

88 Percent of liberal arts graduates who said there was a sense of community among students, compared to 79 percent for private universities and 63 percent for public flagship universities.