Ivy League Degrees Don’t Net Higher Salaries—Mostly

Graduating from the Ivies isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. New research from Harvard shows that attending an Ivy League school rather than one of the best state universities leads to a statistically insignificant increase in earnings, a mere 3 percent, by age 33. The study indicates that the caliber of the student better predicts future earnings than the college attended.

However, the researchers did find that attending an Ivy had some perks. Doing so increases the likelihood that the graduate will land a job with an elite employer and attend highly-ranked graduate programs. It also boosted the number of grads who became part of the top 1% of earners by the time they were 33.

The study named a parent’s degree of wealth the best indicator of gaining acceptance to an Ivy.

Zinuka, J. (2023, July 27.) An Ivy League degree won’t boost your salary much compared to a good state school, a study finds. You’re just more likely to have an elite-sounding job. Insider. https://www.insider.com

Graduates Worry about AI’s Impact on Jobs

College graduates are voicing concern about their readiness to work in a world filled with AI, according to a new survey conducted by Cengage Group.

Over half of the 1,000 people surveyed said they worried about their preparedness for the workplace as a result of the rapid acceptance of generative AI. Nearly half who had jobs felt their positions were threatened by the new technology, while 55 percent said their roles could not be replaced by AI.  Six in ten respondents believed they needed to improve their digital skills.

The survey also revealed that employers’ hiring plans were being affected by the new tools. More than half said certain entry-level jobs and entire teams could be replaced by AI, and about two-thirds said current employees would need to upskill or reskill. Nevertheless, employers are prioritizing “uniquely human” skills in new employees such as emotional intelligence, negotiation skills, and communication, the study also found.

Nietzel, M. (2021, July 20.) AI is leading college graduates to questions their job readiness, according to new survey. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com

Late Night Study Events Grow in Popularity

More and more institutions are responding to students’ tendency to procrastinate around finals time by holding events called LNAP, or Long Night Against Procrastination.

The events began in Germany in 2010 but have spread across the globe. They typically include academic assistance from faculty, student volunteers, and writing tutors. Campus libraries open study areas and supply snacks.

An unintended consequence of providing late night help to students in the library seems to have the added bonus of reducing their reticence to venture through the library doors—many students find the wide variety of library resources overwhelming.

Some schools even provide therapy dogs during the sessions and other forms of stress relief. That’s a lot different from the days of pulling an all-nighter alone in a tiny dorm room.

Flaherty, C. (2023, July 18.) Long night study events: Less procrastination, more fun. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered/com