The University of La Verne is among the best universities in the country for alumni satisfaction, according to a new research study.
The study, published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Consumer Affairs, ranks the university at No. 1 in California and No. 11 nationally, just below Harvard and ahead of institutions such as Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and University of Southern California.
“This study supports what we have long known, which is that an education from the University of La Verne is an investment in your future,” University of La Verne President Devorah Lieberman said. “There is no stronger evidence of that than our alumni, who graduate satisfied and go on to have meaningful and successful lives.”
The study, titled “Assessing The Validity of Consumer Ratings for Higher Education,” was published by Jonathan Rothwell, senior economist at Gallup, and was based on data gathered by the Strada-Gallup Education Consumer Survey.
It analyzed responses from nearly 146,000 alumni from 496 institutions in the United States on how strongly they agreed to statements regarding their education, such as:
• You received a high-quality education
• You would recommend the educational path you took to other people
• You would not be where you are today without your degree
• You learned important skills during college courses that you use in your day-to-day life
• The coursework you took is directly relevant to what you do at work
• Your educational experiences make you an attractive candidate to employers
• Your education was worth the cost
• If you had to do it all over again, you would attend the same institution
The study posited that one of the most effective ways of evaluating a university is to ask people who attended it about their experience, an area that is often overlooked in conventional college rankings. It also aimed to test the assumption that higher education institutions with hefty price tags correlate with a higher-quality education.
“This survey gives a voice to alumni in a way that is not typically captured,” said Kimberly Grant, assistant vice president of alumni engagement at the University of La Verne. “Our alumni have tremendous insight into the University of La Verne experience, and we are delighted that they are able to share it to help future students choose the college or university that is best for them.”
The University of La Verne has more than 85,000 alumni worldwide who hold meaningful careers in nearly every field and sector. They can be found in each state of the union and in 66 countries.
The University of La Verne continues to support them long after they graduate. This year, the university has hosted virtual networking seminars, Q&A sessions with industry leaders, and social events.
The university is now accepting applications for undergraduate and graduate programs in business, education, and other fields, including dedicated programs for adult learners.
Founded in 1891 and located 35 miles east of Los Angeles, the University of La Verne is a private, nonprofit, comprehensive institution founded on four core values: lifelong learning, ethical reasoning, civic and community engagement, and diversity and inclusivity. The university serves nearly 8,000 students at its historic La Verne location as well as across seven regional campuses and online. Learn more at go.laverne.edu.
