What drives parent satisfaction?

Philadelphia - While helping my son move boxes and a bike into storage after his freshman year at university, I began thinking about what really drives parent satisfaction with educational institutions.  No doubt high-minded factors such as mission and program quality come into play, along with less lofty things like the aesthetics of the campus and the breadth and scope of food available in the dining hall.  But, an over-looked factor that probably drives as much or more satisfaction than all of the others combined is the child's own view of the school.  

If my child is happy and thriving, I am likely to forgive a raft of failings, including the occasional cranky or less than fair teacher.  On the other hand, if the view of the school through my child's eyes is gloomy, then even petty annoyances such as a hard-to-navigate web site loom large.

Hmmm.  Maybe there is something useful in this for those in advancement and administration.  Maybe faculty who dismiss student input as biased (of course it is) and unimportant (anything but) should rethink their views.  Maybe it's time to take student participation in opinion surveys and focus groups more seriously.

Oh, my son is quite happy with both Drexel and Philadelphia.  Thanks for asking!