AT a time when recent graduates, age 24 and under, are experiencing a jobless rate of nearly 10 percent, a new study renews the debate over the value-added component of going to college.

The sociologists Richard Arum of New York University and Josipa Roksa of the University of Virginia tracked 2,300 students through four years of college and into the labor market. The first two years are chronicled in their forthcoming book, “Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses” (University of Chicago Press).

This interview with Dr. Arum was conducted and condensed by Amanda M. Fairbanks.

Q. What piqued your interest in this topic?

A. For the last several decades, we’ve evaluated learning in K-12 education. But there’s never been a serious attempt to follow kids through college. We conclude that large numbers don’t appear to be learning very much.