What college students are after and why.

Public discourse often frames the value of undergraduate education in financial terms—credentialing and increased earning power. Students must prepare to be self-supporting, but are financial prospects their only important goals? We asked 1,500 students from 11 U.S. colleges to write about their goals, the reasons their goals were important, and how they were pursuing those goals. Most articulated goals of self-actualization, meaning, and contribution to their chosen fields and to the common good. Almost all reported that they were actively pursuing their goals, including through academic and other programs provided by their colleges. By building on students’ aspirations as described in the study as well as their motivation in pursuing them, today’s colleges can help students engage more fully with their education and more effectively prepare them for lives of meaning and purpose.