Waldorf High School Graduates: Who Are They, Where Are They Going?
by Winslow Eliot, Globe Advisor - 28 Nov 2007

For the past few years researchers at the Research Institute for Waldorf Education (RIWE) have formulated, conducted, and evaluated a survey of North American Waldorf high school graduates, starting with the first Waldorf school senior class in 1943 and culminating with the class of 2005.

Based on a sample of approximately 550 participants spanning some sixty years, the survey finds that a majority of Waldorf school graduates share many characteristics, of which three predominate:

1. Waldorf school graduates value the opportunity to think for themselves and to translate their new ideas into practice. They both value and practice life-long learning and have a highly developed sense for aesthetics.
2. Waldorf school graduates value lasting human relationships—and they seek out opportunities to be of help to other people.
3. Waldorf school graduates sense they are guided by an inner moral compass that helps them navigate the trials of professional and private life. They carry high ethical principles into their chosen professions.

This survey is the first of its kind on this continent, and the findings parallel similar surveys conducted recently of Waldorf school graduates in Germany and Sweden. With more than 250 Waldorf schools in North America, and more than one thousand internationally, Waldorf education is one of the strongest independent school movements in the world.
The survey shows that a typical Waldorf high school graduate:

-Highly values interpersonal relationships (96%)
-Attends college (94%)
-Is self-reliant and highly values self-confidence (94%)
-Highly values verbal expression (93%) and critical thinking (92%)
-Practices and values life-long learning (91%)
-Highly values tolerance of other viewpoints (90%)
-Is highly satisfied in choice of occupation (89%)
-Graduates (or is about to graduate) from college (88%)
-At work cares most about ethical principles (82%) and values helping others (82%)
-Majors in arts/humanities (47%) or sciences/math (42%) as an undergraduate
-Expresses a high level of consciousness in making relationships work—both at home and on the job.

The survey is comprised of twelve major sections and a statistical analysis performed on the findings of several sections, including comparisons of Waldorf school graduates and the general U.S. population, as well as contrasts of recent and older graduates.

Additional chief findings of the survey show that Waldorf school graduates:
-are committed to self-assessment and working through life’s difficulties;
-are creative problem solvers, able to “think outside the box;”
-exercise environmental stewardship;
-demonstrate high levels of both “social” and “emotional” intelligence.

Employers of Waldorf graduates as well as college and university professors who had Waldorf high school graduates in their classes were asked to rate Waldorf students with whom they had contact. On the whole, their comments support the statistics.

Both professors and employers rate Waldorf alums even more highly in terms of moral and life skills than graduates rate themselves.
In response to questions about their greatest gifts and joys, students overwhelmingly single out their personal relationships, especially those involving family and close friends.

But they also point to their love of practicing art and being active in nature, as well as their desire to help others. Regarding their greatest challenges, their most common responses involve self-questioning, achieving a balanced life, and deciding which of their many interests to follow and deepen.

The survey is published by the Research Institute for Waldorf Education. Research and analysis is by Douglas Gerwin, PhD, and David Mitchell, with statistical analysis by Ida Oberman, PhD, and Yasuyo Abe, PhD.

It is printed with support from the Waldorf Educational Foundation. An article summarizing the survey and the complete report can be read at http://awsna.org/pubsofinterest.htm.

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