The upcoming U.S. Presidential election has college and university students feeling stressed but hopeful as they take a summer break. TimelyCare, higher education’s most trusted virtual health and well-being provider, surveyed more than 1,400 students about their mental health and well-being in July.
Overall, 65% of students surveyed said they feel stressed/anxious about the U.S. Presidential election. However, 77% said they feel like their candidate cares about issues that matter to them. Six in 10 students (63%) said they planned to vote, and three in 10 (31%) indicated they were still undecided on their pick for U.S. President.
Concerns about the candidates varied based on political party affiliation. Students who affiliate with the Democratic party reported more anxiousness about the election (72% vs. 64%), were more likely to prefer a different Presidential candidate to represent their party (74% vs. 61%), and were more likely to support age limits for presidential candidates (80% vs. 74%).
Despite unrest and protests on many college campuses this spring, most (70%) students said they feel safe sharing their political views on campus. However, more than half (52%) say engaging in political dialogue on campus affects their mental health.
Even with their stress and anxiety, the overall feelings described by college and university students heading into election season were more positive than negative. “While the upcoming U.S. Presidential election is a significant source of stress for many students, it’s encouraging to see that a majority feel their candidates care about the issues that matter to them. This sense of hope amidst the anxiety highlights the importance of providing robust mental health support during such pivotal times,” said Dr. Jerry Walker, Executive Director of Mental Health Services for TimelyCare.
About two-thirds of students (65%) reported experiencing mental health issues, such as stress, anxiety or depression, heading into the fall semester. Four in 10 (44%) said they are more stressed/anxious than they were at this time last year. As in previous surveys, students cited their own mental health as the top cause of stress and anxiety. The cost of living/inflation, their physical health, relationship issues, and paying for college/student loan debt rounded out the top five stressors.
Half of students said they planned to use in-person counseling or mental health support and more than one-third said they would get support from teletherapy or a virtual care app. This year, nearly eight in 10 students (76%) said mental health support services made available to them by their college or university would impact their likelihood to graduate.
The online survey of 1,491 active two- or four-year college students was conducted July 5-6, 2024. The respondents ranged from 18 to 29 years old and represented every region of the country. Follow this link to read the complete survey results.
Global learning platform Quizlet today launched its second annual State of AI in Education report, which explores AI implementation, perception, and impact from both U.S. students’ and teachers’ perspectives.
Key findings include:
- 82% of college students say they’ve used AI technologies, compared to 58% of high school students, and students are now near even with teachers in adoption (67% vs. 66%)
- Two-thirds of high school and college teachers say they use AI technology for education
- Students who use AI technology for school use it to do research (46%), to summarize or synthesize information (38%), and to generate study guides or materials (31%)
- Students studying three or more hours a night during the school year are more likely than their counterparts to say AI technologies have positively impacted their efficiency (62%), learning support (60%), and creativity and critical thinking (53%)
- Students are more likely than teachers to say AI creates a more equitable education system (41% of students vs. 33% of teachers)
- 48% of high school students say they’re not sure if they will use AI technologies to help prepare for college applications or standardized tests like the SATs and ACTs — only 7% of students have done so already
Higher Education is Leading the AI Charge
This academic year marked the first full year that students, teachers, and administrators had access to generative AI solutions – and it’s clear that some students have been quicker to adopt this technology than others. More than four out of five (82%) higher education students have used AI technologies compared to just 58% of high school students. More college students also report that their institutions have established a code of conduct regarding AI use compared to high school students (41% vs. 18%).
“College students are adopting AI at a rapid pace, illustrating that this technology isn’t a trend but rather a profound shift in how they learn and engage with curriculum,” said Meghann Lomas, Sr. Director of Product at Quizlet. “Students want to use AI responsibly, and guidance from educators and administrators, along with the edtech companies building these solutions, can help them.”
Survey findings also indicate that high school teachers are more likely to be approached by their students with permission-based AI questions (67% vs. 52%). In contrast, college teachers are much more likely to get questions about proper use cases (59% vs. 40%). This data indicates that many students are cognizant of how and when they use AI, which may contrast with some initial concerns that students would use this technology without question.
Higher ed’s adoption of AI translates to outcomes and compared to high school students, more higher ed students report AI technologies have had a higher positive impact on efficiency: (63% vs. 53%), learning support (59% vs. 52%) and access to personalized learning or study materials (52% vs. 49%).
When it comes to the positive impact of AI on students, educators see different results: high school teachers report that the number one impact of AI on their students’ overall learning experience is that students are more confident (58%), while higher education professors report that the number one impact is that students learn new concepts faster (49%).
Despite greater adoption in higher education, when asked how AI is reshaping education, more than half of high school teachers and higher education professors (52%) feel positive or neutral about the technology’s impact on learning.
The AI Hype Gives Way to More Tempered Expectations
The State of AI in Education report shows that teachers are more tempered in their optimism about AI’s potential to impact education this year compared to last year.
“The introduction of generative AI in education sparked a variety of hopes and fears for education,” said Lomas. “The data shows that while AI has proven to help support student effectiveness and develop personalized learning resources, it hasn’t yet prompted the changes many people were concerned about—like replacing the vital role our educators play in students’ lives.”
When it comes to the future of education for teachers, 38% say AI will have a positive impact—down from 51% in 2023. While teachers say that AI has made their students more confident (51%) and has helped them learn concepts faster (49%), confidence in impact to pandemic learning losses have been tempered. 36% of teachers indicate that AI will somewhat or greatly help address learning loss caused by the pandemic, compared to 48% in 2023.
Further, only 28% of high school and college teachers said AI technologies positively impacted their students’ overall learning experience, while 46% of students reported the same. This number is nearly flat year over year; in 2023, 47% of students reported that AI technologies positively impacted their learning experience.
“Both students and teachers report that AI hasn’t yet resulted in a massive sea change for education,” said Lomas. “But more incremental changes are actually a good sign. It means that the most important stakeholders in education, teachers and students, have a better understanding of how to deploy AI in a practical way, which builds on the foundation of education.”
This even-handed outlook could be attributed to the real-life challenges of leveraging and applying AI in education. While the 2022-2023 academic year was focused on many potential applications and eventual iterations of AI, the 2023-2024 academic year provided the opportunity for educators and students to engage with this technology more deeply, understanding its limitations and constraints.
Gaps Remain in AI Guidance and Regulation
Only seven states have issued guidance on how to approach AI in education. Ambiguous or nonexistent guidelines on AI usage in the classroom are a primary concern for teachers, who listed a lack of oversight as a top three concern (49%) for AI in education.
In 2024, 69% of respondents say their school has not yet established a code of conduct or an advisory for AI technology – down slightly from 72% of respondents saying the same in 2023. When asked who they would trust to create guidelines for fair and safe use of AI in education, students and teachers said schools and school districts (65%), state and/or federal governments (34%), and technology companies (31%) are the three most trusted groups.
“A reliable framework for AI use is necessary to ensure we’re applying this technology responsibly and thoughtfully,” said Maureen Lamb, Dean of Academic Technology and Innovative Pedagogy at The Ethel Walker School. “Clear guidelines help educators and students build a dynamic learning environment that plays to AI’s strengths in supporting learning outcomes.”
Many teachers are now taking it upon themselves to discuss proper AI use with their students. Nearly half (49%) of students say their teachers have talked to them about AI usage for school, up significantly from 37% in 2023. Additionally, almost half (49%) of respondents who believe AI impacts equity in education point to teacher adoption of these technologies as an equity driver.
“Teachers play an important role in bringing students into the world of AI, but it takes a collective effort to ensure that students have equitable access to these technologies,” said Lomas. “Support from school systems and districts as well as public and private sector organizations is critical to both supporting teachers and successfully integrating AI into education.”
College Consensus, a comprehensive resource for college rankings and information, has released results of a new poll asking Americans about their confidence in higher education.
Partnering with market research firm, Pollfish, Consensus surveyed 500 Americans to ask what they think of higher education in 2024. The poll included an equal number of self-identifying men and women, as well as equal numbers from five age groups ranging from 18 to over 54 years old.
In this poll, College Consensus asked average Americans their opinions on:
- traditional 4-year degrees
- community college
- online college
- trade schools
- tech bootcamps
Respondents were asked how much they trust each form of education to lead to career and financial satisfaction – Completely Trust, Mostly Trust, Moderately Trust, Slightly Trust, or Do Not Trust at All. And for each possible answer – trusting or not trusting – respondents were asked why they felt that way.
As author Gabriel Sealey-Morris explains, “For generations, we’ve clung to the idea that a college degree will lead to a satisfying career and financial stability.” However, in recent years, with high student loan debt and rapid inflation, there have been signs that American feel less confident about higher education.
The College Consensus poll found that trust in traditional 4-year college education is still solid, but shows some definite cracks. While more than 50% of respondents said they completely or mostly trust traditional 4-year college, they were still very concerned about cost and debt.
Most surprisingly, almost half (44%) said that they actually expect traditional college to be less important in the next decade.
In addition to feeling largely confident about traditional college, Americans also expressed a high degree of trust in trade schools. In fact, they viewed return on investment for trade schools almost as highly as traditional college. People 45-54 years old actually considered trade school a better return on investment than traditional college, 41% to 34% respectively.
On the other hand, despite years of heavy advertising and hype, Americans still feel less confident about online college and tech bootcamps than they do about traditional college, community college, and trade schools.
College Consensus’ findings suggest that Americans are still somewhat unsure what they feel about education. As Sealey-Morris explains, “In an era of pandemic, economic anxiety, and political instability, the security of a traditional 4-year degree may look desirable to young people.” On the other hand, “other more experienced adults doubt the long-term prospects of traditional education. And it may be true that that stability is a thing of the past – if it ever existed.”
College Consensus is a comprehensive education resource that combines expert reviews, student feedback, and key data to provide accurate and unbiased information about colleges and universities.
A new poll released by Embark, Canada’s education savings and planning company, reveals post-secondary students are finding it harder to simultaneously pay for and go to school – leaving them education rich, but cash poor.
- 44 per cent of post-secondary students are spending at least three-quarters of their total income on post-secondary education, without factoring in food and living expenses.
- 64 per cent of students stated they would not be able to afford their education without the help they received from their parents. In fact, 43 per cent claimed they would have to drop out if their parents did not support them financially through it all.
- Over 1-in-4 (26%) said they have considered dropping out of their post-secondary program because of money.
Despite 3-in-4 (75%) reporting that their parents have helped them financially, many students are stretching themselves far too thin. The data outlines the financial realities of today’s post-secondary students and the lasting impact as they enter their careers, as well as what steps can be taken to improve the probability of better financial outcomes.
Financial Realities of Today’s Post-Secondary Students
Student debt has become an accepted part of the post-secondary experience, with almost half (48%) of students polled currently having, or expecting to have, student debt. In fact, 1-in-3 students (33%) said they currently have more debt than savings. When asked, 49 per cent stated they were worried about the future with how much debt they were taking on, and over 4-in-5 (82%) claimed the financial realities of a post-secondary education were overwhelming.
The cost of education has historically outpaced Canada’s target inflation rate, and both the cost of living and education have rose significantly in recent years. As a result, 74 per cent of students polled said it is very hard to afford a post-secondary education and over half (52%) have had to cut out certain necessities to make ends meet in today’s high-priced environment.
To help fund their education, just under two-thirds of students (64%) said they have a part- or full-time job to help pay for school. While 39 per cent state their grades have been affected by their financial obligations and over 3-in-4 (76%) say it is difficult to balance school and work at the same time, it has become a necessity for many to offset costs. However, finding a job during school may prove increasingly difficult. Current economic conditions have led to a tough job market for part- and full-time work, cutting off what many students see as a financial lifeline.
“In today’s challenging job market, it is particularly difficult for younger Canadians to secure part- and full-time jobs. For those who rely on employment to support their education, this adds another layer of difficulty on top of rising education and living costs,” said Andrew Lo, President & CEO of Embark. “Our survey showed that 68 per cent of post-secondary students wish they had saved more money before starting school, a sentiment that will only grow stronger in our current economic conditions. Students and their parents would benefit from starting education savings early to provide a larger financial cushion in volatile times.”
Carry Debt Post-Graduation
Canadians find the value in pursuing an education, with 61 per cent of students surveyed saying it is hard to succeed in life without a post-secondary education. However, 2-in-3 (66%) state that graduating with student debt will make it harder for them to become financially independent from their parents and start their life after school. This is particularly true as 41 per cent of those polled intend to live with their parents after post-secondary school for a prolonged period because of student debt.
Looking at how much debt they expect to accumulate, students expecting to graduate with debt think they will accumulate $25,382 of debt graduating from school and it will take them 2.8 years to pay off on average. In actuality their level of debt is likely be far greater, with Statistics Canada recently reporting the average figure to be $30,600 in 20201. Student loans also often take much longer to pay off, with loans like Ontario Student Assistance Program, for instance, being designed to be paid back over 9.5 years.
How Can We Better Prepare Students for Post-Secondary?
For many (59%), being a post-secondary student marked the first time they have had to handle their own finances. Making financial decisions for the first time, particularly in the face of handling both major costs and day-to-day spending, can be incredibly stressful. Two-thirds of students (66%) claim that looking at their bank account causes them anxiety, and 52 per cent say they simply avoid thinking about debt and money. Even for those who want to face their money troubles head on, 66 per cent of students say they want to improve their finances but do not know how.
Compounding onto this, students find there is insufficient transparency around post-secondary options and information. Almost 3-in-4 (73%) students polled wish there was more transparency about post-secondary options, and almost half (49%) said if they could go back in time, they would make different decisions about their education.
Additional statistics include:
- 57 per cent wished they knew more about post-secondary school before making a decision of where to go or what to study.
- Almost three-quarters of students polled (74%) stated that navigating the post-secondary process is complicated.
- 69 per cent wished they had more guidance when planning their post-secondary education.
- Looking back, 47 per cent believe they were not provided enough information to make an informed choice about post-secondary education.
“The lack of preparedness of students in choosing their post-secondary education is a shortcoming we all bear. For young Canadians, this is a significant financial and life decision that will impact their futures,” said Lo. “At Embark, we are addressing this by offering more resources to enhance transparency on post-secondary options and related costs, enabling more informed decisions.”
Tips and Tricks to Set Up Students for Success
For Parents:
Get granular and forecast. If you are interested in helping your child pay for school, the first step is to forecast the cost of your child’s education. Figure out how much of it you would like to help pay for, and from there, work backwards to understand how much you will have to save. Embark can help with its RESP calculator, which can project your child’s costs and help you define your goals.
Save smarter. A registered education savings plan (RESP) is a great, tax-advantaged way to help you set aside funds for your child’s post-secondary schooling. The money you contribute to an RESP grows tax-free when in the account, and when withdrawn, what you have grown is treated as taxable income to your child, who is typically in a much lower tax bracket. The best part is, the government will put money towards your child’s education for just saving in an RESP. If saved correctly, this works out to an additional 20 per cent on your first $36,000 saved.
Be transparent. Talk to your children about how much you saved and whether you will help them pay for school. The vast majority of students (80%) wished there was more transparency about the cost of education, and parents can be their first resource. Speak to them early to help them budget, and create savings goals to help them build an education nest egg using actual costs and data. The more time they have to do so, the better off they will be.
For Students:
Do your research. Learn more about costs as well as program requirements and demands. From polling post-secondary students, 45 per cent wish they had done more research into different schools while applying for their post-secondary education. Thankfully, Embark has just launched its Career & School Matcher that can help chart a post-secondary path based on your desired profession and project costs.
Start building your financial literacy early. The more active a role you take in building smart spending and saving habits, the better. This also takes away from the sticker shock of everyday expenses once you live independently and can help you better manage and plan for the cost of education.
Think about program intensity. If a program requires a lot of time and energy, take that into account when budgeting and financially planning for school. By having a financial cushion in an RESP, you will likely have significantly more breathing room if you do not have as much time to work during the school year, or are unable to find a job right away.
