The State of the American College Student
Read our groundbreaking proprietary research study that can help your institution.
There has been a massive shift in the last few years in how current and prospective college students view higher education. In the wake of an unprecedented pandemic, with political, social, and even ecological upheaval dominating our cultural consciousness… how are today’s (and tomorrow’s) students really feeling? About themselves, their priorities, and their future prospects?
We undertook to find out, with a broad-ranging survey. Our perennial 2023 research study builds on baseline tracking data we gathered in 2021 and trends we saw in 2022, to provide a unique quantitative look at the mood of both current and prospective U.S. college students.
This study is an invaluable tool if your institution is looking to truly improve your enrollment and retention performance. Upon review, feel free to contact us to discuss how it relates specifically to your institution and solutions on how to bridge the gap between you and your audiences.
Some quick highlights:
Anxiety Remains Widespread
While extreme levels of anxiety reported the last two years continue to subside, the overall share of students reporting moderate to high anxiety continues to climb, increasing 14 percentage points since 2021.
Questioning the Value of College
While 51% of current college students believe college is worth the cost, prospective students are not as convinced, with over one-third (35%) unsure and one-fifth thinking it is not worth the cost (20%).
Commitment to Lifestyle Priorities
Students show a year over year increased focus on making money (+16pp), finding joy and happiness (+7pp) and emotional wellness (+10pp), suggesting that students are more intentional in their desire to improve multiple aspects of their life, from financial to emotional and social.