Washington, DC – The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) has announced the 2026 annual refresh of its What Will They Learn?® initiative, highlighting not only a major update to the data on WhatWillTheyLearn.com, but also enduring dedication to academic standards across colleges and universities nationwide. This year’s release has seen 19 institutions earning top marks of “A” or “A+,” and some others improving their grades by as many as three letters. While ACTA’s data offer some hope for the future of academic rigor and highlight the institutions doing it best, they also show plenty of room for improvement among our nation’s colleges and universities.
WWTL evaluates academic programs at more than 1,100 U.S. colleges and universities, assigning grades from “A+” to “F” based on whether they require students to study seven essential subject areas: composition, literature, foreign language, U.S. government or history, economics, mathematics, and natural science. This grading system provides a clear and consistent way to assess whether students are receiving a rigorous general education, one that prepares them for career success, informed citizenship, and a flourishing life.
This year, nearly 2% (1.7%) of schools earned an “A” or “A+,” though 43.4% received a “D” or “F.” The most common general education requirement was Composition: over four out of five colleges or universities required it, edging out the previous favorite, Natural Science, with 78%. By contrast, Foreign Language and Economics are only required at 11% and 3.1% of institutions, respectively. Recent years have seen weakening general education programs: “F” grades rose by 4.8% since 2022 and most core subject areas declined. The most dramatic loss was in Literature, which dropped to 22.2% from 30.6% in 2021. On a positive note for civic renewal, two colleges and universities added U.S. Government or History requirements, now at 19.4% nationwide.
“Even as colleges and universities feel unprecedented pressure to cut academic programs, we keep institutions focused on their core mission: educating students,” ACTA’s Academic Affairs Fellow, Veronica Bryant, noted. “A strong general education program provides the best academic foundation for all students. This is the only nationwide grading system for general education.”
Along with the data refresh, ACTA’s WhatWillTheyLearn.com offers a redesign to improve user experience. The updated features include a streamlined ability to search for colleges, compare graduation requirements, and understand what students are expected to learn. The school pages and search now make public for the first time data on all twelve subject areas that WWTL evaluates: the seven core (graded) subject areas, plus five additional ones: Philosophy, Religion, Fine Arts, Western Civilization, and World History. WhatWillTheyLearn.com remains a one-stop resource for students, families, counselors, and policymakers seeking clear, accessible information on college curricula and more.
For more information, visit WhatWillTheyLearn.com.