ECP/Boston Globe Magazine New England education study

	A	B	C	D	E	F
1	What state do you live in?
2			Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
3	Valid	Connecticut	519	24	24	24
4		Maine	198	9.1	9.1	33.1
5		Massachusetts	1000	46.1	46.1	79.2
6		New Hampshire	200	9.2	9.2	88.5
7		Rhode Island	157	7.2	7.2	95.7
8		Vermont	93	4.3	4.3	100
9		Total	2167	100	100
10
11	Do you think the country is headed in the right direction, or is it off on the wrong track?
12			Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
13	Valid	Right direction	528	24.4	24.4	24.4
14		Wrong track	1271	58.7	58.7	83
15		Not sure	367	17	17	100
16		Total	2167	100	100
17
18	For statistical purposes only, what is your current employment status?
19			Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
20	Valid	Student, no employment	89	4.1	4.1	4.1
21		Student while working full-time	48	2.2	2.2	6.3
22		Student while working part-time	70	3.2	3.2	9.6
23		Employed full-time	905	41.8	41.8	51.3
24		Employed part-time (can include several part-time jobs)	222	10.2	10.2	61.6
25		Unemployed	222	10.2	10.2	71.8
26		Retired	518	23.9	23.9	95.7
27		Homemaker	93	4.3	4.3	100
28		Total	2167	100	100
29
30	What is the highest level of education you have attained?
31			Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
32	Valid	Less than high school	171	7.9	7.9	7.9
33		High school diploma	443	20.5	20.5	28.3
34		Vocational or technical school	98	4.5	4.5	32.9
35		Associate degree	204	9.4	9.4	42.3
36		Some college, no degree	316	14.6	14.6	56.8
37		College graduate	525	24.2	24.2	81.1
38		Postgraduate or higher	410	18.9	18.9	100
39		Total	2167	100	100
40
41	Which path would you consider best for a young person immediately after high school, if there were no obstacles or limitations?
42			Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
43	Valid	Enter workforce	297	13.7	13.7	13.7
44		Non-college training programs	505	23.3	23.3	37
45		Four-year college	845	39	39	76
46		Two-year college	327	15.1	15.1	91.1
47		Something else	57	2.6	2.6	93.7
48		Something else (please specify)	136	6.3	6.3	100
49		Total	2167	100	100
50
51	Is your current career in some way related to your area of study in undergraduate college?
52			Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
53	Valid	Yes	548	25.3	56.2	56.2
54		No	426	19.7	43.8	100
55		Total	974	45	100
56	Missing	System	1193	55
57	Total		2167	100
58
59	Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Having a college degree is essential for getting a good job in the U S
60			Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
61	Valid	Strongly agree	418	19.3	19.3	19.3
62		Somewhat agree	788	36.4	36.4	55.7
63		Somewhat disagree	510	23.5	23.5	79.2
64		Strongly disagree	278	12.8	12.8	92
65		Neither agree or disagree	173	8	8	100
66		Total	2167	100	100
67
68	A four-year college degree is worth the expense
69			Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
70	Valid	Strongly agree	328	15.2	15.2	15.2
71		Somewhat agree	669	30.9	30.9	46
72		Somewhat disagree	543	25.1	25.1	71.1
73		Strongly disagree	411	19	19	90.1
74		Neither agree or disagree	215	9.9	9.9	100
75		Total	2167	100	100
76
77	In your opinion, which one of the following is the main reason why students go to college?
78			Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
79	Valid	To earn more money	512	23.6	23.6	23.6
80		To get a good job	870	40.2	40.2	63.8
81		To become a well-rounded person	239	11	11	74.8
82		To develop a professional or social network	185	8.5	8.5	83.4
83		To learn to think critically	112	5.2	5.2	88.5
84		Something else (please specify)	150	6.9	6.9	95.5
85		None of the above	99	4.5	4.5	100
86		Total	2167	100	100
87
88	Several U S states no longer require a college degree for most state government jobs Which of the following statements comes closest to your point of view on this change, even if neither is exactly right?
89			Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
90	Valid	I support this change, as it could mean that more people can apply for and get hired for these jobs	1683	77.7	77.7	77.7
91		I oppose this change, as it could mean the quality of employees and the work they do decreases	484	22.3	22.3	100
92		Total	2167	100	100
93
94	Do you support or oppose using government funds to reduce or eliminate student loan debt for borrowers?
95			Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
96	Valid	Support	1137	52.5	52.5	52.5
97		Oppose	656	30.3	30.3	82.7
98		Unsure	374	17.3	17.3	100
99		Total	2167	100	100
100