Life after high school: Bring it on! What are college and the real world really like? High school grads and polls from our nation's campuses reveal that it's a diverse world with daily schedules that are jam-packed with activities

Careers and Colleges, March-April, 2005 by Don Rauf

With graduation coming up fast for the Class of 05, students naturally wonder what lies ahead. or most--actually about two-thirds--the answer is college. The other third will pursue an alternate path, whether it be learning a trade or taking time off. (See the possibilities on page 22.)

If you're heading to college, the odds are in your favor that you will enjoy the experience. The annual National Survey of Student Engagement shows that 87 percent of the 163,000 respondents rate their college experience as "good" or "excellent." Many may be happy because they made it into their first-choice school. About 70 percent are enrolled in their number-one college, according to UCLA's recent Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) survey of 289,452 current freshmen.

High school grads who hit today's campuses will be immersed in a culturally diverse atmosphere. Although about 75 percent of those heading to college are white, increasingly students are from African-American, Asian-American, Latino, and other backgrounds. Campuses are supposed to be a place to meet a diverse range of people, and the HERI study shows that about 67 percent of freshmen frequently socialize with students of a different race or ethnicity. While still substantial, this is a decline from previous years.

"In an increasingly multicultural world, curricular activities such as diversity courses and inter-group dialogue may be especially important," says Sylvia Hurtado, UCLA education professor and director of HERI.

Also, while 30 years ago men were truly the BMOCs (big men on campus), a recent report by the U.S. Department of Education, shows that women are now the dominant force, making up about 55 percent of college classes.

WHAT MAKES YOUR CLASSMATES TICK?

When it comes to values, today's freshmen put the "importance of raising a family" at the top of the list, according to the HERI survey. About 75 percent of first-year men and women rank this as most important, followed by financial success.

While men and women both have their sights set on family and wealth, they spend their time differently. Women tend to spend more time than men studying, working for pay, and participating in student organizations. Men, on the other hand, are busier exercising, watching television, socializing, and playing video games.

Both sexes do share one common problem: stress. "All students feel more competition," says the survey's director, UCLA assistant education professor Linda J. Sax. "And, they're worried about having to work during college. That can be overwhelming."

Even with their stressful schedules, freshmen are more interested in politics. About 34 percent of students (compared to 28 percent in 2000) say that "keeping up with political affairs" is "very important" or "essential." While the current rate of political interest remains far lower than the high of 60.3 percent reported in 1966, it does show a reversal of a long-term disinterest.

But how are students getting informed? The NSSE shows that only 10 percent rely on newspapers or magazines for their news, while more than 50 percent turn to TV.

In regard to social issues, more than half of all freshmen consider themselves "moderate," while 26 percent declare themselves liberal and 21 percent choose conservative. More than three-quarters say the federal government should do more to control the sale of handguns, and more than half think the wealthy should pay more taxes.

While drinking is still a problem, it is less popular, as is cigarette smoking. (Only 6 percent reported being frequent smokers). More students could also stand to get in shape--20 percent say they spend "no time" on physical exercise.

TECHNO-SAVVY BUT BORED?

More than anything else, college students may be interested in their computers. The HERI survey reports that 85.7 percent of first-year students regularly use a computer, compared to just 27 percent in 1985.

Are students more interested in computers than classes? Maybe so. The percentage of students who were frequently "bored in class" during their final year of high school reached a record 42.8 percent, and less than half of the freshmen say they spend at least one hour per week talking to teachers outside of class.

The NSSE poll confirmed that students don't seem as engaged with academics as colleges would like them to be. The survey showed that students spend only about half the time preparing for class as faculty expect. Also, 40 percent of first-year students "never" discussed ideas from their classes with faculty outside of the classroom.

The students who are more satisfied overall with college, according to NSSE, are those who are "engaged in 'deep' learning activities." When faculty members expect students to study more and arrange classwork to this end, students are more productive.

FUTURE CAREERS

Career-wise, students who are interested in biological sciences, biochemistry, or biophysics have reached an all-time high. Interest in nursing, among both men and women, has hit a 20-year peak, and more students are pursing majors in pharmacy and dentistry. Other categories that remain strong are business, engineering, law, and teaching.