This report from Intercollegiate Studies Institute purports to show that American college seniors are illiterate when it comes to knowledge of our history and system of government. On ISI's grading scale, no college does better than a D+, as no school averaged better than 70% correct. You can take the test here. I took the test and scored 58/60. In order to avoid giving away answers to potential test takers, I'll just note that I got #22 wrong, but I am quite sure that my answer (B) is actually the best answer and the claimed correct answer is vague. I also got #27 wrong, mostly because after reading the question multiple times I still have no idea how any of the answers relate to the question.
Frankly, after taking the test, I conclude that 70% is a pretty good score for the typical college graduate. I found many of the questions poorly written or dealing with matters of secondary importance to civic education. I'd really like ISI to release what the average score was on each question. If such a report reveals that college graduates are confused as to when Abraham Lincoln was president (question #11), we have something to worry about. But I am less concerned if college seniors struggle with "What is a major effect of a purchase of bonds by the Federal Reserve?" (question #58). Don't get me wrong, it's good to know the answer to that question, but it is hardly at the heart of being an educated citizen.
I don't doubt that our colleges largely fail our students when it comes to educating them on the principles of free government. But the "civics quiz" created by ISI seems to have been designed to get the desired result.
For other thoughts, see Joe Knippenberg.
Update: Hot dang, ISI does have question by question analysis. OK, the fact that only 45% can correctly identify the sourse of "We hold these truths to be self-evident" is a bit worrying. And the fact that so little knowledge is gained between freshman and senior year also speaks volumes about the poverty of "higher" education.
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