For the second consecutive year, the only state school in the Coquimbo Region is among the ten regional institutions best evaluated by schoolchildren from various parts of the country.

The Mori study center recently released the results of the “2014 Higher Education Barometer”, in which 1.200 students from 3rd to 4th grade from all over the country were interviewed. In this study - and based on what the students know or have heard - the University of La Serena is located among the Top 10 regional universities in Chile. 

In this way, the only state university in the Coquimbo Region remains among the ten regional institutions best evaluated by schoolchildren in the country, since in the “Barometer of Higher Education 2013” ​​it also occupied tenth place along with the U. de La Frontera, which reflects the recognition of young people to a consolidated University, which continues to grow and contribute to regional and national development. 

In relation to free access, the Barometer shows that 82% of students from private, subsidized and municipal schools believe that free access to the university should be for all schools, while 15% of students thinks that it should be free for some institutions. 

In this sense, if the free announcement is made, students would prefer state and traditional universities (83%), and only 7% would opt for a private university. 

They also indicated that the careers with the most social prestige are: Medicine (70%), General engineering (54%), Law (41%), Architecture (14%), Dentistry (8%) and Nursing (4%). Among those with less social prestige are: Pedagogy (27%); Art, Music, Design, etc. (16%); Toddler (7%); Journalism (7%); Social Service (7%); and Psychology (4%).

The complete study by the Mori study center, carried out between August 30 and September 15, 2014, is available here.