A new national poll paints a troubling picture of how the public views college access.

In a survey of 1,600 US adults, more than half of all respondents disagreed with the notion that all Americans have a decent chance of getting into a good college.

The finding is part of a larger report released this morning by New America examining public perceptions and knowledge of higher education and economic mobility.

And while the vast majority of respondents said they believed that most people who enroll in higher education benefit from their experience, just a quarter of Americans agree that our higher education system is functioning fine just the way it is.

“Americans see room for higher education to improve,” the report notes. “Millennials, who are on track to be the most educated generation to date…are more likely than other generations to think it is not working as well as it could.”

Read the full report and explore the data.

Admitted writer/editor Mary Stegmeir welcomes additional comments and story ideas at mstegmeir@nacacnet.org.