Messaging on College Affordability Lake Polling and Me… · Midwest 22 18 35 21 South 38 38 31 38...

Messaging on College Affordability

Findings and recommendations from a national online survey

of adults

February 2018

MethodologyFocus Groups

October 23rd in Orlando, Florida

• Mixed race, mixed gender parents of HS age kids who plan on attending college

• Mixed gender Latinos

October 26th in Dallas, Texas

• Millennials who have education debt;

November 1st in Cincinnati, Ohio

• Mixed gender non-college educated conservative whites with HH income <$75,000

• Mixed gender African Americans

Online Dial Survey

• 1000 adults nationwide, January 2-10 2018

• Oversamples:

– 150 African Americans

– 150 Latinos

– 100 Asian Americans.

• M.O.E. +/- 3.1%

2

3

Defining Base, Opposition, and PersuasionThroughout the report we refer to targets as base, opposition, and persuasion. They were created using an index of support for policies.

Base – 27% of adults

• Strongly favor every policy to make it easier to pursue an education without debt.

• Worried about the next generation’s ability to afford college.

• More likely to have student debt themselves or for a child.

• More likely to be women, people of color, and Democrats.

Opposition – 11% of adults

• Strongly oppose policies to make it easier to pursue and education without debt.

• Believe it is up to the individual to pay for college and that it is possible for students today to work their way through college.

• More likely to be men, over 65, white, and Republicans.

Persuadable – 63% of adults

• Are generally favorable toward policies that would make it easier to pursue an education without debt.

• See a role for government to invest and make it easier for people to attend public 2- and 4-year colleges.

• More closely reflect demographics of the general public.

Demographics Total Base Opp. Pers.

Men 49 42 62 50Women 51 58 38 50Under 30 22 22 14 2330-39 17 18 8 1840-49 17 22 18 1550-64 26 27 25 26Over 65 18 12 35 18White 65 60 77 65AA 12 16 5 11Latino 14 16 10 14Asian 6 6 4 6Northeast 18 20 16 17Midwest 22 18 35 21South 38 38 31 38West 23 23 18 23Democrat 45 58 22 44Indep/DK 12 10 6 14Republican 38 27 68 37

EducationDebt

5

One in three adults have debt from student loans for themselves, a child, or another family member. Base adults are more likely to have debt. There is a stark racial difference in debt as non-college educated African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans have debt at the same or higher levels as white college graduates. Even one in four grandparents and one in eight retirees has debt from student loans.

Do you have debt from student loans for any of the following?

All B P O

For you 24 29 23 15

For a child 8 10 8 5

For another family member

5 3 6 6

Total Yes, have Debt 33 42 37 26

None of the Above 65 61 66 73

More Likely to Have Debt (Total Yes, %)

All Adults 33Women 37Under 30 5530 to 39 484-year College Graduates 48Post Graduates 60White College Graduates 41Black Non College Graduates 46Black College Graduates 64Latino Non College Graduates 41Latino College Graduates 66API Non College Graduates 41API College Graduates 51Parents of Kids <18 50Grandparents of Kids <18 24Students 65Retirees 12

6

People see the cost of attending as the largest barrier to completing education after high school. Base adults also believe working too much is a barrier, while opposition adults are more likely to say lack of quality preparation in high school or that the student isn’t dedicated to their education.

Which of the following do you think is the largest barrier to completing an education after high school? And which is the second largest barrier?

8

8

12

9

59

23

29

31

32

75

Not being dedicated to one'seducation

Juggling responsibilities for familyand education

Lack of quality preparation in highschool

Working too many hours while inschool

The cost of attending

Largest Barrier Second Largest

Base Pers. Oppo.

82 73 63

39 29 33

23 33 42

35 29 15

17 24 36

People across audiences say someone like themselves is not likely to graduate from college without debt. People overwhelmingly believe that students should be able to work their way through college without debt, but only opposition adults think students actually can.

7

These days do you think someone like you can graduate from college without

any debt or not?

49 45 46

7683

9082

74

3747

36

10 6 3 7 6

All B P O All B P O

Agree (Total 6-10) Disagree (Total 0-4)

Students today can work their way through college without going into debt.

Students today should be able to work their way

through college without going into debt.

Yes NoNot Sure

All Adults 21 65 13

Base 20 69 11

Persuadable 20 67 13

Opposition 30 56 14

Base voters are more worried about student debt than others. Base and persuadables worry about the next generation’s ability to afford college. Opposition voters worry about the next generation, but less so about their own children.

8

How worried are you about student debt?

70

87

67

45

67

83

67

3426

13

29

49

27

14

27

59

All B P O All B P O

Total Worried Total Not Worried

How worried are you about the next generation’s ability

to afford college?

How worried are you about your children and the next

generation’s ability to afford college?

Total Worried

Total Not Worried

All Adults 49 46

Base 62 34

Persuadable 46 49

Opposition 34 64

Base Pers. Oppo.

48 40 35

47 42 24

31 32 34

25 26 26

24 20 18

15 17 26

9

Base and persuadable adults worry that debt impacts someone’s ability to complete their education and save money. Opposition adults also worry about the impact on decisions to get married, start a family, or buy a home, and the impact on other family members.

Which of the following impacts concerns you most when you think about someone with debt from public 2-and 4-year colleges? The impact on…

Top Concern Second Concern

8

10

11

18

21

23

17

21

26

32

42

42

Other family members

Their credit score

The career choice available

Decisions to get married, start afamily, or buy a home

Ability to save money

Ability to complete theireducation

Base Pers. Oppo.

39 39 22

24 18 7

19 14 10

5 12 24

6 9 26

6 8 12

10

Base and persuadables are more likely to attribute increasing debt to stagnant wages or state funding cuts. Opposition adults blame college administrators for bad spending decisions and families for poor financial planning.

Thinking about increasing debt from public 2- and 4-year college students have, which of the following do you think is the main factor behind the increasing debt?

8

10

11

15

18

37

Not sure

Poor financial planning by families

Bad spending decisions by collegeadministrators

Fewer grants and scholarships

State government cuts to highereducation

Family income not keeping upwith the cost of living

Policy Agenda

12

How serious of a problem do you think [student debt/debt from colleges and certificate training programs] is in America? [Split Sampled]

People think student debt is a serious problem. “Student debt” generates greater concern for base and persuadable voters compared to “debt from colleges and certificate training programs.”

5745

77 7054

3828 24

9286

95 9892

85 84

59

Student Debt Debt fromcolleges and

certificatetraining

programs


certificatetraining

programs


certificatetraining

programs


certificatetraining

programs

All Voters Base Persuadable Opposition

13

Favor Total OpposeTotal Strongly

Ensure all students can graduate from public 2- and 4-year colleges without debt*

78 61 15

Provide financial aid for college on a sliding scale to households based on their income*

78 58 15

Provide financial aid for college to the neediest students and their families* 76 57 16Increase investment in public colleges so that no one has to go into debt in order to complete their education

76 56 17

Ensure all students can graduate debt free from public 2- and 4-year colleges* 74 56 20Make tuition to public colleges free for all households* 71 52 22Make tuition to public colleges free for households earning below $125,000 per year*

71 51 22

End remaining debt for borrowers still paying off their loans after 10 years* 64 47 26End remaining debt for borrowers still paying off their loans after 5 years* 64 45 26

*split sampled

Proposals for college and higher education programs in America: Favor or Oppose

Americans strongly favor policies to enable more students to graduate without debt.

“Sliding scale…based on income” is stronger language with independents, Republicans, and persuadables than “neediest students and their families.

14

% Total FavorAll

AdultsDem Ind Rep Pers

Provide financial aid for college to the neediest students and their families. 76 84 73 69 75

Provide financial aid for college on a sliding scale to households based on their income.

78 85 73 74 79


50% strongly

56% strongly

44% strongly

49%strongly

46% strongly

50%strongly

57% strongly

58% strongly

69% strongly

65%strongly

“Without debt” is stronger language than “debt free” with persuadables and Republicans.

15

% Total FavorAll


Ensure all students can graduate debt free from public 2- and 4-year colleges 74 85 73 61 74

Ensure all students can graduate from public 2- and 4-year colleges without debt

78 87 71 70 82


There is little difference in support for making tuition free when we qualify an income limit. Persuadables are more likely to support free tuition at public colleges when it is for all families.

16

% Total FavorAll


Make tuition to public colleges free for households earning below $125,000 per year

71 85 66 57 68

Make tuition to public colleges free for all households 71 84 66 57 71


Majorities across party lines support ending remaining debt after 5 or 10 years. Democrats are slightly more in favor of ending debt after 10 years.

17

% Total FavorAll


End remaining debt for borrowers still paying off their loans after 10 years 64 78 52 53 58

End remaining debt for borrowers still paying off their loans after 5 years 64 73 54 55 60


People across audiences say employers should pay for job training programs.

18

29 4127

11

7584

7360

Do you agree or disagree (10 point scale):

Employers should be responsible for paying for job training programs for their employers.

Rated 6-10 – Agree

Rated 10 – Strongly agree


19

Base and persuadables support covering the cost of housing and living expenses with strong intensity.

Some proposals to make public 2-and 4-year college more affordable would cover the cost of housing and living expenses. Which of the following is closer to your opinion? [If not sure: if you had to pick one?]

5830

78

15

5631 25

61

62

32

82

16

60

3425

66

People who go to school full time and work part time should not have to go into debt in order to pay for books, groceries, transportation, and rent.

Paying for college and gaining the economic benefits a degree can provide is an individual’s personal responsibility.


While a majority of people agree that each individual should pay for public college, there is very weak intensity of agreement. It is a core value of opposition adults.

20

14 18 1032

5851

58

79

Do you agree or disagree (10 point scale):

It is up to each individual to pay for public 2- and 4-year college.

Rated 6-10 – Agree

Rated 10 – Strongly agree


Benefits of Education

Persuadables like “pursue their dreams” more than “ability to succeed” as an outcome. It is more values-driven.

22

65 64

21 348 7

92 94

7179

40 41

BASE PERSUADABLE OPPOSITION

Making public 2- or 4-year colleges debt free for students will help their ability to succeed.

Rated 6-10

Rated 10

Making public 2- or 4-year colleges debt free for students will help their ability to pursue their dreams.

Positioning the economy as the primary beneficiary, while stronger across audiences, is mainly an opposition value. “We all benefit” resonates with base and persuadables and alienates opposition adults.

23

55 60

20 274 11

89 8772 77

5167


We all benefit when anyone who wants to go to college has the opportunity to do so.

Rated 6-10

Rated 10

Our economy benefits when anyone who wants to go to college has the opportunity to do so.

People believe that when more people have education our country benefits and we have a more healthy democracy.

24

53 5524 25

8 8

85 8376 74

62 66


We need more people to pursue public 2- or 4-year college because our country benefits when people have more education.

Rated 6-10

Rated 10

We need more people to pursue public 2- or 4-year college because when people have more education we have a more healthy democracy.

Across audiences, people more strongly agree with the broader “education after high school” when thinking about what it takes to be successful rather than just college.

25

41 53

18 224 14

84 84

6776

4864


A college degree is required in today's economy to be successful.

Rated 6-10

Rated 10

Education after high school is required in today's economy to be successful.

College graduates more strongly agree with “education after high school” than “college degree” in terms of what is required to be successful in today’s economy.

26

24 26 2036

68 72 7690

Non College Graduates College Graduates

A college degree is required in today's economy to be successful.

Rated 6-10

Rated 10

Education after high school is required in today's economy to be successful.

Values and Language

Describing debt as “huge debt” that you end up with increases the salience of the value that everyone should have the opportunity to complete 2- or 4-year public college with persuadables.

28

70 71

25 38

4 6

92 9375

83

3953


Everyone should have the opportunity to complete 2- or 4-year public college without going into debt.

Rated 6-10

Rated 10

Everyone should have the opportunity to complete 2- or 4-year public college without ending up with huge debt.

“Work hard” increases agreement with opposition adults, but it is unnecessary in the conversation with persuadables.

29

73 67

27 3811 3

92 9382 83

5645


People who are qualified, work hard, and want to go to college should not be excluded because they cannot afford college.

Rated 6-10

Rated 10

People who are qualified and want to go to college should not be excluded because they cannot afford college.

Costs as a barrier to people’s aspiration for education resonates more strongly with persuadables than worsening inequality.

30

56 5428 24 3 8

91 8880

72 70

50


The rising costs of public 2- and 4-year colleges put education out of reach for too many people.

Rated 6-10

Rated 10

The rising costs of public 2- and 4-year colleges contribute to worsening inequality.

Messaging

Opposition – Personal Responsibility

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80

90

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

Base (50)

Opposition (78)

Persuadable (56)

We all need to take responsibility for ourselves, and that includes not spending beyond our means. If parents want to send their kids to college, it’s their job to save money and work hard. If workers want to go back to school, they should plan ahead so they can pay for it when the time comes. Students are more likely to work harder for something that they’ve paid for. Making college free, or forgiving student loans, will make people less likely to value a college education. If students are going to reap the economic benefits of a college education, it should be their job to pay for it, not the government’s job to pay everyone’s way through college.

that includes not spending beyond

our means

[if parents…] it’s their job to save money and work

hard

Students are more likely to

work harder for something that they’ve paid for

Making college free, or forgiving student

loans

will make people less likely to value a

college education

it should be their job to pay for it, not the government’s job to pay

everyone’s way through college

Opposition – Personal Responsibility

24

8

10

10

59

30

23

31

Opposition

Persaudable

Base

All Adults

33

How convincing did you find this message?

100 – very convincing Total 80-100

WHAT WORKS (for them)

✓ Quick lift off for opposition.✓ Responsibility a core value.✓ Strong conscious ratings for opposition.

WHAT FALLS SHORT

X Base and persuadables dial down on “It’s [parents’] job to save money and work hard.” They are not convinced people can get through college without debt.

X Base and persuadables dial down on “forgiving student loans will make people less likely to value a college education.” They reject that it takes the incentive away.

We All Benefit

34

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53

Base (74)

Opposition (55)

Persuadable (67)

The more America puts into its people, the more it gets back. We came together to make K-12 free to all, to build community colleges, and to provide soldiers with a college education after WWII. These decisions helped us build the greatest middle class ever. But today, right when a college degree is more important than ever, our leaders have backtracked on commitments for public colleges. It is time to recommit, so everyone can get a college degree without the burden of student loan debt. We need to ensure America is a land where all can dream big, develop the potential of our people, and realize our greatest aspirations, and that means making our public 2- and 4- year colleges affordable to all of us.

We came together to make K-12 free to all, to build community

colleges, and to provide soldiers with a college education after WWII

our leaders have backtracked on commitments for public

colleges

It is time to recommit, so everyone can get a

college degree

without the burden of student loan debt

making our public 2- and 4- year colleges

affordable to all of us.

We need to ensure America is a land where all can dream big, develop the potential of our people, and realize our greatest aspirations

We All Benefit

4

18

40

22

23

55

78

57

Opposition

Persaudable

Base

All Voters

35



WHAT WORKS

✓ Quick take off for base.✓ Strong conscious and unconscious ratings for

base and persuadables.✓ Providing historical context around K-12 and

WWII provides strong rationale for recommitting.

✓ Base and persuadables dial up on strong call to action “it is time to recommit, so everyone can get a college degree…” which alienates the opposition.

✓ “Making out pubic 2- and 4-year colleges affordable to all of us” alienates the opposition.

✓ Aspirational message.

WHAT FALLS SHORT

X Slow take off for persuadables.

All Adults

Voting Democratic

Voting Republican

Undecided

Comparing Top Messages By 2018 Likely Vote

22

6

17

17

27

7

22

10

56

20

46

49

69

21

57

31

We All Benefit

Personal Responsibility

We All Benefit


We All Benefit


We All Benefit


36


100 – very convincing Total 80-100 Undecided voters and those voting for

Democrats in November

overwhelmingly find “We All Benefit”

more convincing.

Republican voters find it as convincing

as “Personal Responsibility.”

Financial Consequences

37

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48

Base (72)

Opposition (59)

Persuadable (67)

A college degree is an important first step for many people to pursue their dreams, but today too many people have burdensomeeducation debt, preventing them from even getting by, much less getting ahead or saving for the future. If we made sure people could work their way through college again, Americans would be able to save, start a business, start a family, buy a home, or simply pay their bills. No one ever said getting ahead would be easy, but burdensome debt from loans make it needlessly hard for many young people. We need to reduce the burden of student loan debt and make it easier for students to work hard toward pursuing their dreams and achieving financial security and peace of mind.

important first step for many people to

pursue their dreams

preventing them from even getting by, much less

getting ahead or saving for the future

If we made sure people could work their way through

college again

start a family, buy a home, or simply

pay their bills

but burdensome debt from loans

make it needlessly hard for many young people

We need to reduce the burden of student loan debt and make it

easier for students to work hard

Financial Consequences

3

15

37

19

25

54

75

56

Opposition

Persaudable

Base

All Voters

38



WHAT WORKS

✓ Quick take off.✓ Pivots to solutions.✓ Calling debt “burdensome” alienates

opposition.✓ Base and persuadables dial up on strong call to

action of “reducing the burden of student loan debt and make it easier for students to work hard toward pursuing their dreams.”

✓ Strong conscious and unconscious ratings for base and persuadables.

WHAT FALLS SHORT

X Keeps opposition too long.

Embedded in Inequality

39

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950515253545556575859

Base (70)

Opposition (49)

Persuadable (64)

Today there are two Americas: one for the wealthy and one for the rest of us. In the wealthy America, there are elite private colleges and the comfort of knowing your kids can dream big and achieve success. For those struggling, wages stay the same or barely rise and there are endless worries your kids won’t do better. Education has always been the road to a better life, but today, affordable college often only exists for wealthy people. Public colleges should be as good as private colleges, without generating a crippling amount of debt that holds many people back. We must enable all our children to pursue a college education without the burden of debt. The full benefits ofachieving a college education should be available to everyone, not just the wealthy few.

one for the wealthy and one for the rest

of us

wages stay the same or barely rise and there are endless worries your kids

won’t do better

Education has always been the

road to a better life

affordable college often only exists for

wealthy people

Public colleges should be as good as private college

without generating a crippling amount of debt that

holds many people back

We must enable all our children to pursue a college education without the burden of debt

available to everyone, not just the wealthy few

Embedded in Inequality

4

19

41

23

22

55

78

57

Opposition

Persaudable

Base

All Voters

40



WHAT WORKS

✓ Alienates opposition.✓ Strong conscious ratings particularly with base. ✓ Base dials up during “Two America” frame

setup.✓ All dial up on “education has always been the

road to a better life.”✓ Opposition alienated by linking two Americas

to higher education “affordable college often only exists for wealthy people.

✓ Base and persuadables dial up for “public colleges should be as good as private college.”

✓ Strong call to action “We must enable all our children to pursue a college education without the burden of debt.”

✓ Strong call to action at the end.

WHAT FALLS SHORT

X Persuadables slow to dial up during “Two America’s” setup.

X Dialing flat through discussion of the problem.

45

3 11

75

3812 11 17 22

73

7

92

1

72

6

33 34

3

Only opposition voters would punish a candidate who supported proposals to allow students to pursue an education without debt, and they divide nearly evenly.

41

If a candidate for Congress supported these kinds of proposals, would that make you more or less likely to VOTE for the candidate or would it make no difference?


Total more likely Total less likely

Much more likely Much less likely Makes no difference

Recommendations

Messaging Recommendations

43

Lead With

Values

The more America puts into people the more we get back. We all benefit.

• Education is the road to a better life. • Everyone should have the opportunity to complete 2- or 4-year public college without ending

up in huge debt.

Define The

Problem

Focus on the cost of as the largest barrier to completing a program.

• Students should be able to work their way through college, but they cannot because family incomes have not kept up.

• People drop out because it gets too expensive. • The cost of an education impacts their ability to complete an education and ability to save

money.

Learning should not be a privilege of a wealthy few.

• Affordable college only exists today for wealthy people.• Debt should not have to be this hard• The barrier of burdensome debt holds back an entire generation from pursuing their dreams.

Provide a Call to Action

We need to ensure all children can pursue their education without the burden of debt that holds them back.

• We need to recommit to higher education, better fund public colleges, and reduce the burden of debt.

• State government should try to make it easier for more people to attend and invest to make it affordable

Notes on Language

44

Say… Instead of…

ability to pursue dreams ability to succeedValues driven, more aspirational, less transactional, and better positions debt as a barrier in a broader context.

we all benefitour economy benefits, our country benefits, healthier democracy

They are all good, but saying we all benefit connects with solutions on individual and societal level rooted in fairness and equality.

without debt debt freeBetter positions debt as a barrier and doesn’t raise tax sensitivities. Stronger language with base and persuadable audiences.

people who are qualified and want to go

Drop “and who work hard”

Evoking hard work puts debate in frame that this is only about personal responsibility and can obscure from debt as barrier.

sliding scale based on income

aid for neediest families

Provides an objective measure of fairness.

education after high school

college

When talking about keys to success we want to be broader than just college. People are more favorable toward vocational education than college and see a role in other forms of education in helping people succeed.

Debt keeps education out of reach for too

many

Debt contributes to worsening inequality

Make this about people and the pursuit of their dreams, not a more abstract political and economic discussion.

Celinda Lake Jonathan [email protected] [email protected]

Washington, DC | Berkeley, CA | New York, NYLakeResearch.com202.776.9066

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.lakeresearch.com/

Messaging on College Affordability Lake Polling and Me… · Midwest 22 18 35 21 South 38 38 31 38...

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