The Graduating Student Questionnaire (GSQ) is a survey that compiles data from recent graduates of more than 170 member institutions of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Jo Ann Deasy, Director of Institutional Initiatives and Student Research at ATS, recently wrote an article for In Trust on what the GSQ has to say about student debt. 

A few key takeaways from Deasy’s article:

• Debt and age. Older students are incurring just as much debt as younger students during their course of study, though they bring less debt when they start their studies.
• Debt and race and ethnicity. Older black students are incurring the most debt out of any race or ethnicity.
• Debt and marital status. Single students incur far more debt than married students, especially single female students.

So what comes next? In Trust suggests looking at the debt statistics for your school’s students. How does your school’s data compare to other institutions? What groups among your student body incur more or less debt than others? How can you address these variations?

To learn more about the 2014-2015 Graduating Student Questionnaire, read the full text of Deasy’s article, "Rising student debt." For more information regarding the GSQ and other data from ATS, check out ATS's Student Data Services. 

Be sure to read the Autumn 2015 issue of In Trust Magazine or visit our archives for past issues.