What Do Parents Think?

The article reports results of a survey conducted by Oppenheimer Funds, Inc. about the attitudes of parents of pre-college-age students on the value of a college education. Despite a tough economic climate, 90 percent of parents said they view sending their children to college as essential. Hispanic-American parents, whose children will be the majority of the school-age population by mid-century, were 95 percent of the belief that sending their children to college is essential, and almost 75 percent believed college is accessible to anyone who wants to go. Of these, the majority had saved less than $10,000 towards college. The author, as president of a financial company, sees an obligation of the industry to do more to educate parents about the challenge.