This year, over 19 million students — nearly 40% of 18- to 24-year-olds — head back to school this fall in the United States. Things will look different for them than they did for last year’s incoming students.
Forbes recently took a look at the big-ticket items on the minds of 1,000 students as they embark upon the 2024-25 academic year:
Where are they living?
Are they studying in-person or online?
What are their biggest concerns, and what are they most optimistic about?
CONCERNS FOR NEW STUDENTS
While trying to keep their grades up as they enter higher education, students are also considering their bills, their safety on campus, and of course maintaining their mental health.
At the top of the list, an overwhelming 80% of incoming college students say they are moderately worried about finding a job post graduation. They were also concerned with availability of job opportunities in their field, competition with other graduates, and the uncertainty in the job market.
Employment rates can vary a great deal. The University of Richmond, Florida Southern University, University of Miami and University of Michigan saw higher employment rates than their peers — 100% for each of their graduating classes last year.
WORK-STUDY AND INTERNSHIPS
Among the most valuable experiences a student can have is real-world experience, and a good 80% of college students reported they either are currently or plan to partake in internships and work-study programs this coming semester.
Some business schools had exceedingly favorable internship rates this past year — 100% of their class. Among them: Cornell, Elon University, Marian University, and Northeastern University.
IN PERSON OR ONLINE?
Though online learning was popular during the pandemic, 78% of college students now prefer in-person or hybrid classes over fully online courses.
The Tomorrow’s Master’s Study found in 2022 that just a couple of years after the start of the pandemic, nearly a third (31%) of prospective students cited self-confidence as the most important attribute to acquire from a master’s degree. That was followed by leadership, communication, and critical thinking — all critical skills that most agree are best fostered face-to-face.
LIVING ON CAMPUS OR AT HOME?
This year, Forbes found that 42% of college students plan to live at home this semester. They discovered that students in the Northeast are most likely to live on campus, and those in the West are most likely to live at home.
When you look at tuition, it is a no-brainer why some are choosing to live at home. Tuition and fees range anywhere from $11,000 a year at public schools to $41,000 and up at private schools, according to 2023 College Board data.
