New data from “The Forgotten Fundamentals” provide a detailed look at students’ knowledge of core subjects across the arts and sciences. A new report from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) and College Pulse explores undergraduate students’ knowledge of specific scientific and literary details in American history. The findings indicate substantial gaps in basic cultural, historical, and scientific understanding among today’s college students. These results contribute to a growing body of evidence questioning whether current general-education structures effectively support the development of well-rounded, culturally literate graduates. As higher education institutions continue to refine learning outcomes, this report offers an important benchmark for assessing how students engage with foundational content. These results underscore the need to evaluate how general-education requirements are communicated, prioritized, and experienced by students within colleges and universities.
This report is based on responses from 3,215 current undergraduates students. The survey was designed and conducted by College Pulse between April 1, 2025 and April 21, 2025.
Key highlights include:
- Just 38% of students report reading five or more books outside of class in the last year, while about one in five say they didn’t read any.
- Only 48% of undergraduate students know that George Washington lived at Mount Vernon.
- One in three students know that Thomas Edison invented the phonograph.
- 72% of students did not know that Jonas Salk developed the first polio vaccine.
To gain access to more insights, explore the free report.
