n June 2017, Gallup, Inc. and Strada Education Network released their report titledOn Second Thought: U.S. Adults Reflect on Their Education Decisions.In its executive summary, this report states:

Postsecondary education has become increasingly vital to an individual's ability to secure and advance in a career, especially a career that is rewarding and allows each person to meet their life goals. Yet, in the United States, students often make the decision whether or not to pursue postsecondary education without being fully informed of the available educational opportunities or which are required to pursue their chosen career path. These decisions, whether students pursued postsecondary education or not, have long-standing implications for their careers, their finances and their well-being. ... That is why Gallup and Strada Education Network are partnering to ask consumers about their education paths. ...

These data suggest that the perceptions of education consumers who would make different decisions about their education path are not exclusively driven by the institutions they chose. It seems individuals' desires to make different choices may, instead, be a function of having made decisions without complete information, such as future employment opportunities, earning potential or the long-term effect of student debt.[1]

Among the many key findings in this report, were several which inspired this Lab Assignment.In particular, these were:

• More than half of Americans (51%) would change at least one of their education decisions if they had to do it all over again: 36% would choose a different major, 28% would choose a different institution and 12% would pursue a different degree.
• Those with some college but no degree are the most likely to say they would change at least one of these three education decisions.
• Given the opportunity to make changes, U.S. adults are most likely to select a different major. This is particularly true of students who pursue or complete a bachelor's degree: Two-fifths [or 40%] of these students would choose a different major. By comparison, just 7% of bachelor's degree earners would choose a different degree type.
• STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math] graduates at all education levels are the least likely to report they would make different education decisions.

According to the reportOn Second Thought: U.S. Adults Reflect on Their Education Decisions,what percentof American graduateswould changeat least one of their education decisionsif they were able to do it over again?

[1]On Second Thought: U.S. Adults Reflect on Their Education...Gallup and Strada Education Network, June 2017, https://www.sac.edu/research/Documents/Gallup-Strada Education Network June 2017 Inaugural Report (002).pdf.