Making the Grade: Eight in 10 Executives Believe a Parent Cares More About Their Child Getting into a Top-Tier School Than th...
March 20 2019 - 8:00AM
Business Wire
-Nearly Three-Quarters Say a College Degree is
Worth the Price-
-When Evaluating College Grad Candidates,
Executives Care More about Hunger/Hustle than The School They
Attended-
Being admitted to a prestigious college or university matters a
lot more to mom and dad than it does to their child. That according
to a new executive survey from Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY).
More than three-quarters (81 percent) of respondents say that a
parent cares more about getting into a top tier-school than the
student.
Parents are also willing to work to get their students accepted.
Ninety-nine percent of executives say parents should be involved in
the college application process, with 40 percent saying they should
be heavily involved.
“In today’s society, many parents don’t give their children the
chance to do their own work, and more importantly, let them fail
sometimes,” said Ally Van Deuren, Korn Ferry University Relations
Center of Excellence Lead (North America). “While everyone wants
the best for their children, sometimes letting them take the reins
of their own lives will have the best long-term outcome.”
For most executives, college is must-do for their children.
Nearly three-quarters (68 percent) said they would not be okay with
their child’s decision to forego higher education. And even with
the skyrocketing costs, 73 percent say a college degree is worth
the price.
The acceptance process is flawed in the minds of the
respondents. Nearly two-thirds (61 percent) say the way colleges
choose who gets in is unfair.
Interestingly, even though executives say parents put such a
high emphasis on college for their own children, a job candidate’s
college background doesn’t seem to be as critical when executives
consider who they hire. Eighty-three percent say hunger/hustle is
more important in a candidate than the caliber of the university
they attended.
When hiring entry to mid-level talent, 86 percent say previous
work experience is more important than the university from which
the candidate graduated.
And even with a degree, executives don’t feel that entry-level
candidates are prepared. Only 43 percent say college grads have the
skills and training needed to do the job.
“Getting admitted to a university is just the first step in a
long process of succeeding in the higher education experience,”
said Van Deuren. “While parents need to offer encouragement and
support, they also need to let go and let their child learn and
grow into their own success. This will help employers in the long
run, as this approach contributes to creating prepared, confident
and talented employees.”
About the survey:
Korn Ferry conducted the survey in mid-March 2019. There were
798 responses. Survey responses follow:
Who do you feel generally cares more
about getting into a top-tier school?
The student 19 percent The parent 81 percent
How much involvement should a parent
have in helping their children apply to and select
colleges?
No involvement 1 percent Little / some involvement 59 percent A lot
of involvement 40 percent
Do you think the process
colleges/universities use to select candidates is fair?
Yes 39 percent No 61 percent
Would you agree with your son or
daughter’s decision not to pursue a college degree?
Yes 32 percent No 68 percent
Is getting a college degree today worth
the investment?
Yes 73 percent No 27 percent
When evaluating a candidate for an
entry to mid-level role, what is more important, previous work
experience or the college they attended?
Previous work experience 86 percent College they attended 14
percent
When hiring a college graduate, what is
most important?
Pedigree/caliber of the college they attended 17 percent
Hunger/hustle 83 percent
Do college graduates today have the
appropriate skills/training to be in the workforce?
Yes 43 percent No 57 percent
Is a college degree overrated?
Yes 18 percent No 72 percent
Is a college degree more important or
less important today than five years ago?
More important 56 percent Less important 44 percent
About Korn Ferry
Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm. We help
clients synchronize strategy and talent to drive superior
performance. We work with organizations to design their structures,
roles, and responsibilities. We help them hire the right people to
bring their strategy to life. And we advise them on how to reward,
develop, and motivate their people.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190320005088/en/
Tracy Kurschner612.309.3957Tracy.kurschner@kornferry.com
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