Most teens — and girls especially — see college as key to jobs and life skills, AP-NORC poll says
Share this @internewscast.com

PHOENIX (AP) — A recent survey reveals that the majority of American teenagers believe graduating from college is crucial, with young women particularly viewing it as an essential milestone for achieving their life ambitions.

Despite worries about high tuition fees, increasing student debt, and the politicization of higher education, teenagers tend to have a more positive outlook on college compared to adults.

The survey conducted this spring by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, which included teenagers aged 13 to 17, found that approximately 60% of teens consider graduating from college as “extremely” or “very” important. In contrast, a UChicago Harris/AP-NORC poll from 2022 indicated that only around 40% of adults felt the same way.

The survey also found that many teens think it will be harder for them to achieve major life milestones — like owning a home, raising a family or reaching a good standard of living — than it was for their parents.

For Ry-n Uyeda, 17, the biggest concern about college is the prospect of being away from her home in Waianae, Hawaii. Uyeda is already taking college-level courses in high school and hopes to play softball at a university on the West Coast.

Uyeda said she wants to develop time management skills and endurance to handle the pressures of being a student-athlete. But she hopes the college experience does not change who she is.

“I want to remember where I came from and the values that I’ve learned from here,” said Uyeda, who attends Waianae High School. “Going to a new place with new people in a new environment, I just want to still be myself.”

Far more girls than boys see value in college

Seven in 10 teenage girls in the survey said it was at least “very” important to them to graduate from college, compared with 54% of teenage boys.

The disparity reflects a growing gender gap in college degree completion. In 1995, young men and women were equally likely to hold a bachelor’s degree. Since then, a gap has emerged, with 47% of U.S. women ages 25-34 completing a bachelor’s degree compared with 37% of men, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of census data.

Teens raised in households with higher incomes and parents who went to college themselves also are more likely to view higher education as important.

Jalena Crawford, a 16-year-old high school junior, said she hopes to attend Grand Canyon University or Arizona State University to become a professional American Sign Language interpreter. She said her plans have been encouraged by relatives with college degrees and it would be “weird” not to consider higher education.

“I didn’t really start thinking about college until I started liking ASL. I was trying to figure out what I was going to do,” Crawford said.

Most teens see a college education as a vital step for their future career prospects, although they see other benefits as well.

About 7 in 10 teenagers said completing college is “extremely” or “very” important for getting good jobs, and about 6 in 10 teenagers say a degree is valuable in learning necessary life skills. About half of teens see college as key for either becoming a more informed member of society or forming their personal identity, according to the survey.

Teens think life milestones will be harder for them to achieve

Teenagers have many of the same life goals as adults, such as owning a home and raising a family, the poll found. About 8 in 10 teenagers value being able to pursue what they enjoy, having a good standard of living and having a successful career.

But few teenagers believe those goals have gotten easier to achieve for their generation compared with their parents.

About 7 in 10 teenagers believe owning a home has become harder to achieve for them compared with their parents, according to the poll. Just over half of teenagers say it’s become more challenging for their generation to raise a family. About half say that about having a good standard of living, having a successful career or traveling the world. Fewer, about 4 in 10, say it’s grown harder to graduate from college or be able to pursue what they enjoy.

Evarist Bego, 22, graduated earlier this year from the University of Southern California with a joint degree in business and film. He said he recalls wanting to go to college and then work his way up in his chosen industry but “that’s just not how it works anymore.”

It’s harder than he anticipated to find a job, which he said may owe partly to the creative industry he chose. He sees mostly temporary positions, like internships or fellowships.

“So many jobs that I see are entry-level, but then they require three-plus years of experience. I have interned in school, I had some experience, but it’s not enough,” he said.

___

Sanders reported from Washington.

___

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

___

The AP-NORC poll of 1,060 teens ages 13-17 was conducted April 30-May 14, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel Teen Panel, which is designed to be representative of teenagers in the U.S., and interviews from opt-in online panels. The margin of sampling error for teens overall is plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Trump says 'very close' to securing Israel, Hamas ceasefire, returning hostages

Trump Claims Proximity to Achieving Israel-Hamas Ceasefire and Hostage Return

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have expressed optimism…
A gang surrounding a car, attacking the driver.

Drake’s Rapper Friend Stabbed in London Post-Concert Amid Horrifying Scene of Crowd Attacking Car and Shattering Windshield

A RAPPER was stabbed hours after watching Drake’s final Wireless Festival set.…
Retired Army officer pleads guilty to sharing classified info on Russia-Ukraine war on dating site

Former Army Officer Admits to Sharing Classified Russia-Ukraine War Information on Dating Platform

A retired Army officer who was employed as a civilian with the…
LA to NYC high-speed train proposed ahead of FIFA World Cup

High-Speed Train from LA to NYC Proposed Before FIFA World Cup

A high-speed rail line hopes to connect Los Angeles to New York…
The Max Fried phone call that led to Tarik Skubal getting All-Star start

How a Call from Max Fried Paved the Way for Tarik Skubal’s All-Star Start

Before Tarik Skubal learned he’d be the American League’s starter at the…
Receipt from a Fortaleza cabaret showing charges for drinks, condoms, a show, and a 50% Trump tariff for an American customer.

Brothel Implements 50% “Trump Tax” for American Clients, Dramatically Raising “Full Service” Costs in Retaliatory Action

A BRAZILIAN brothel has slapped a steamy 50 per cent tax on…
Gunman kills 2, wounds 2 at Lexington church after shooting Kentucky state trooper

Gunman Opens Fire at Lexington Church: 2 Killed, 2 Injured Following Shooting of Kentucky State Trooper

A suspect launched a shooting spree in Kentucky on Sunday, injuring a…
Chicago missing woman: Family searching for Felecia Bates, at-risk woman last seen near South Side CTA bus stop nearly 2 weeks ago

Chicago Woman Missing: Family Seeks Felecia Bates, At-Risk Individual Last Spotted Near South Side CTA Bus Stop Nearly 2 Weeks Ago

CHICAGO (WLS) — A South Side community is searching for an at-risk…
Ellen DeGeneres backs Rosie O'Donnell after President Trump's citizenship threat

Ellen DeGeneres supports Rosie O’Donnell amid President Trump’s citizenship dispute

Ellen DeGeneres is in Rosie O’Donnell’s corner. In spite of their long-standing…

Wildfire Destroys Historic Lodge at Grand Canyon, Officials Report

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — A historic lodge on the Grand Canyon’s North…
German doctor on trial, accused of killing 15 patients

German Doctor on Trial for Allegedly Killing 15 Patients

The physician, previously engaged with a nursing service’s end-of-life care team in…
NATO jets scrambled amid Russia's largest drone attack on Ukraine

NATO Jets Deploy as Russia Launches Major Drone Strike on Ukraine

NATO jets were scrambled overnight as Russia carried out its largest drone…