A recent survey conducted by UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute found a record level of political involvement among college freshmen and suggested that these students are taking an increased interest in the often costly financial aspects of their post-secondary education.
The survey, which has been conducted every year since 1966, was completed by 240,580 college freshmen attending four-year institutions throughout the United States. Research Director Sylvia Hurtado said the survey was designed to further uncover the aspirations and expectations of college freshmen.
Of the college freshmen surveyed, a record 31 percent of students labeled themselves as liberal compared to 20.7 percent of students surveyed who identified themselves as conservative. About 90 percent of students said they discussed politics either frequently or occasionally. Though Hurtado attributed this record high to the 2008 presidential election, she also noted this statistic was higher than it was in past election years, suggesting that college freshmen took an increased interest in this particular election.
University Democrats President Megan Durkee noticed a similar increase in political participation among first-year students at the University of Virginia. First-year students took on more responsibility and “just jumped right into things,” Durkee said.
First-year College student Kirsten Rumsey said she and other first-year students volunteered more during the period leading up to the November elections.
“I got involved in phone-banking and canvassing and also some of my suitemates were also involved,” Rumsey said.
Aside from its political findings, Hurtado said the survey showed that more students are using work-study and other financial aid programs to pay for their college tuition than in the past, and that 64.1 percent of students had “some or major” concern about financing their education.
“More students expect to work, more students are relying on aid, while they’re still relying on loans and other resources,” Hurtado said.
University Student Financial Services Director Yvonne Hubbard, however, noted that among students at the University of Virginia, the burden is more on parents than students. She said the number of students applying for financial aid has not risen dramatically during the past year and noted she also has not seen an increase in the number of students joining the University’s work study program.
Hubbard said she expects to see a rise in financial aid applications among future students, though, because of the current economic recession.
“I don’t think we’ve seen the effect of the economy yet,” Hubbard said.
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