What Americans Think About College, and What Students Actually Experience

If you only followed the headlines, you might believe today’s campuses are closed minded, politically extreme, and failing to prepare students for real jobs. Yet students tell a different story. According to the 2026 Lumina Foundation Gallup State of Higher Education Study, most students report open dialogue in class, meaningful belonging, confidence in their career readiness, and belief that their education is worth the investment, even as they wrestle with rising costs. So why is the public story so disconnected from student reality? This session digs into where the narratives diverge, which concerns are grounded in reality, which are overstated, and how these perception gaps are influencing trust, policy decisions, and the future of higher education.