| Abstract: |
Some college rating systems are based largely on inputs, like the average SAT scores of incoming students, but do not consider post-graduation outcomes. Other college rating systems are built exclusively around the economic success of graduates, and do not factor in the full range of outcomes, including living a good life and personal well-being. Of course, successful universities and colleges should equip students with the skills needed to prosper in the workforce, but education, in general, and higher education, in particular, can and should do much more. In its essence, education is a process of shaping character. The Heritage Foundation's Center for Education Policy wanted to know if graduates of the schools it rated in Heritage's "Choosing College with Confidence" guide1 are prepared to lead a life committed to family, faith, and values, and demonstrate the virtues on which a healthy society depends, as well as one filled with economic and personal success. |