How to Mine NCES Reports for Hidden Treasures

摘要

The National Center for Education Statistics is a treasure trove of information on primary, secondary, and postsecondary education. NCES follows U.S. students from kindergarten through postgraduation employment, and reports the data in the annual Digest of Education Statistics, which is supplemented by detailed tables in spreadsheet form. The Digest discusses the ways in which many factors in higher education have changed over time; these factors include the popularity of different college majors, student diversity (e.g. age, gender, ethnicity & race, economic background), graduation rates, and employability of graduates by major. Some data, such as employability of 25-29 year olds with a bachelor's degree, have only been collected in very recent years, while other variables have been collected for decades. With the data, we can answer historical questions such as "how did the Great Recession affect college attendance and majors?" and student advising questions such as "given my interests and abilities, would an Engineering Technology degree be a good choice if I want to pay back my student loans by age 30?" In addition, NCES publishes projected statistics for the next decade. Projections indicate a 13% increase in college enrollment in the next 11 years, with the highest growth rates amongst women, people of color, Hispanics, Asians, and students over 35. Professors and administrators in higher education can use this information for academic advising, for requesting resources, and for planning. This paper will review some of the more interesting datasets available from NCES annual reports through the lens of the Baldrige Excellence Framework, which requires that data graphics show levels, trends, and comparisons (relevant benchmarks) over time. This paper will also discuss ways we can use NCES data to improve Engineering Technology education and advising.