Nearly Half of U.S. Parents Want More Noncollege Paths

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- According to the Family Voices study -- a recent survey of U.S. parents conducted by Carnegie Corporation and Gallup -- 54% of parents of children aged 11 to 25 in the United States would prefer that their child enroll in a four-year university immediately after high school. However, 46% of parents say even if there were no barriers to their child earning a bachelor's degree, they would prefer another postsecondary option.

Parents who are bachelor's degree-holders themselves (66%), have Black children (67%) or identify as Democrats (70%) are especially likely to prefer enrollment in a four-year university for their child.

Though many community colleges offer associate degrees that develop skills for a specific career path -- such as paralegal or dental hygienist programs -- parents are twice as likely to say they want their child to complete a noncollege-based skills training program (16%) rather than enroll in community college (8%). Noncollege skills training programs include apprenticeships, specialized technical training and trade school.

The remaining 22% of parents prefer that their child pursue a path that does not explicitly involve formal postsecondary education, such as starting a business, performing volunteer work, joining the military, securing a paid job or taking time off to pursue their interests.

Nearly Half of Current Students' Parents Want More Options

Among parents whose children are enrolled in middle or high school, 84% say they are "satisfied" with four-year college, two-year college and vocational or technical skills training programs as options for their child. However, in a separate question, nearly half of these parents (45%) agree or strongly agree that they wish there were more options available to their child.

Beyond a broad desire for a larger menu of options to choose from, parents of current students, as well as parents of children who have completed high school, demonstrate interest in several specific experiential pathways. Presented with a description of career academies, internships, apprenticeships and service-learning programs, about half of parents -- including more than 40% of parents who prefer that their child pursue a bachelor's degree -- agree or strongly agree (a response of "4" or "5" on a 1 to 5 scale) that they are or would have been interested in each option for their child.

Parents Rate Noncollege Programs Positively but Know Less About Them

One reason parents may be interested in these noncollege experiences for their children is that they value the practical learning they offer. Asked how well postsecondary pathways prepare children to be successful in their careers, more parents say training for a trade or technical skill (42%) or apprenticeships (40%) provide "excellent preparation" for success in careers than say the same of a four-year (34%) or a two-year (20%) college degree.

Though parents rate training and apprenticeship options more positively than the higher-education paths, they are less than half as likely to say they know "a lot" about apprenticeships (9%) or technical training (22%) as to say they know a lot about two-year colleges (47%). Parents are also noticeably less satisfied with the availability of training and apprenticeship programs than they are with the availability of two- and four-year colleges.

65% of Children Face Barriers to Parent's Ideal Pathway

About two-thirds of parents (65%) say their child faces one or more barriers to their parent's ideal pathway. Barriers cited (parents were able to choose all that applied) include a lack of finances, information or availability, as well as more systemic challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the preparation provided by their child's school.

About one-third of parents (34%) say their child faces financial barriers to the pathway their parents prefer, making it the most-frequently cited barrier. Lack of information (8%) or availability (7%) are less commonly cited by parents overall; however, parents who prefer noncollege-based training programs for their child are significantly more likely than parents who prefer two- or four-year college to say they lack information or guidance, or to cite a lack of available options for that pathway.

Implications

Though a four-year college education remains the ideal post-high school pathway for more than half of American families, 46% of parents say they want something else for their child. Parents tend to view career learning programs like apprenticeships and technical training favorably, and many -- including those who prefer that their child pursue a bachelor's degree -- express interest in them for their child. The Family Voices study suggests that parents who favor these noncollege programs are more likely to say they do not have enough information about them or that they are not available, making it more difficult for their child to pursue these programs.

Among parents of recent high school graduates who had hoped their child would enroll in a postsecondary education or training program, 39% said their child did not ultimately pursue that pathway. Nearly half of those students (49%) entered the workforce immediately after high school, rather than pivoting to an alternative education or training program. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that children who enter the workforce immediately after high school earn less than the median associate and bachelor's degree-holders and have consistently higher unemployment levels than college graduates.

To ensure that students are given every opportunity to realize their potential, the infrastructure responsible for preparing children for postsecondary success must not only work to break down the barriers that families face, but also prime children and their parents to pivot to alternatives if they are not able to realize their preferred pathway.

To learn more, read the full report.