When it Comes to Figuring out College and Career, the Digital Generation Still Prefers Mom and Dad
Who are high school students turning to for guidance?
We can all remember that time in high school when the future felt blurry and like an ever-moving target. And what was true for previous generations is now even more true for Gen Z, given the incredible amount of technological, cultural, social, and economic upheaval they’ve experienced since 2020. Further, in a world where the internet plays such a substantial role, the vast sea of information can often make decisions tougher. ‘Who do I ask for help?’ is now a question with a million answers.
To better understand how today’s students feel about their post high school life, we surveyed Connections Academy students. Perhaps most interestingly, Gen Z, the generation with the greatest exposure to the greatest wealth of technology the world has ever seen, is still completely reliant on their parents for guidance about the future. And for all the current popularity of AI, it plays virtually no role in how students are making decisions.
For instance, when it comes to making choices about college, 85% of the students we asked said that they rely primarily on mom and dad. The next closest answer percentage-wise was ‘other family members’ at 46%. Only 25% said that they would turn to social media.
Of course, the internet still plays a role: 42% of students said they use online sources and other forms of online education for help making college choices. But familial relationships had the clear priority, and digital or more remote sources were only a secondary source.
