Do Colleges Truly Understand What Students Want from Them? - Harvard Business Review

They need to have a better understanding of why people applied in the first place.

“Employers are staring at a chasm between the skills they require and what would-be employees bring to the workforce. According to the World Economic Forum, for example, just under 30 percent of companies believe they have the digital talent they require, and a Wall Street Journal survey showed that 89 percent of executives struggle to find candidates with the right mix of soft skills — things like teamwork, communication, and adaptability.

Higher education has yet to step up and meet the gap. A stunning number of students learn little in college, and far too many — 40 percent — don’t complete four-year programs in six years...