CBS News/MTV/Gates Foundation Monthly Poll, March 2005

This special topic poll, conducted March 31-April 9, 2005, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. A national sample of 1,586 respondents aged 14 to 24 years was surveyed, including oversamples of African American youth, Hispanic youth, and 14- to 20-year olds. Despite being termed a monthly poll, the foci of this poll were the opinions and judgments of teenagers and young adults about various aspects of the education system and process in the United States. Views were sought on the most important problem facing young people, the highest level of education respondents hoped to achieve, the highest level they expected to actually achieve, and whether a college degree was necessary to "get ahead". Respondents were asked about their plans after high school, the quality of their high school and its teachers and staff, whether their high school education was adequately preparing them for college and/or the job market, what measures respondents took or would like take to improve their chances of getting into the college of their choice, the importance of grade point averages and performance on standardized tests in getting into college, and their ability to get information about educational opportunities. Similar questions were asked of those respondents who were college students, regarding assistance received from college professors, the importance of internships, and whether college was adequately preparing them to get a well-paying job after graduation. Additional questions addressed MTV's involvement in issues concerning young people and how much impact MTV could have in raising awareness among young people about the importance of education. Demographic information includes age, race, sex, education, employment status, ethnicity, parents' education, perceived social class, level of religious participation, religious preference, whether respondents considered themselves to be an evangelical or born-again Christian, and the presence of other household members between the ages of 14 and 24.