Viacom And The Associated Press Study Finds Young Adults Are Creating Their Own Path In Higher Education

NEW YORK, April 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its commitment to education, Viacom partnered with The Associated Press to conduct "Young Adults' Perspectives on American Education 2011," a groundbreaking study based on a combination of peer-to-peer interviews and a large-scale poll of more than 1,100 American 18-24 year-olds. Viacom and The Associated Press approached the study by looking at 18-24 year-olds as "core consumers of education" and evaluating how the education system is meeting their needs.  

According to the study, young adults are optimistic that high schools and colleges can prepare them for the working world, but also feel these institutions aren't adapting quickly enough to meet students' changing needs. As a result, more and more 18-24 year-olds are taking a less traditional approach to higher education, via self-directed curricula, internships and self-teaching.

"Overall, young adults want to be a part of the solution to education. They want to be active participants," said Colleen Fahey Rush, Executive Vice President and Chief Research Officer, MTV Networks. "This research echoes many of our other findings on Millennials, specifically their willingness to work within a system to get exactly what they need out of the transaction. They're not waiting for the system to change."

Connecting young adults with the information they need to navigate the complex path between high school, postsecondary education and a career has never been more critical.  Recognizing the important role young people can and should play in reaching their goals, Viacom launched Get Schooled, which provides the tools and guidance young adults need to succeed in today's competitive environment. The full "Young Adults' Perspectives on American Education 2011" study is available on the Get Schooled website at www.getschooled.com.

Detailed findings from the study include: