SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Chegg, Inc. (NYSE: CHGG), the leading student-first interconnected learning platform, today announced the release of its 2019 State of the Student report – a comprehensive study designed to reveal the realities, thoughts, and attitudes of today's students.
With polling data on college life, political priorities and personal pressures, the research shows how - for 79% of student respondents - the cost of education is the single biggest issue on campus today. This is not a surprise given that almost two-thirds of respondents will graduate with student debt. For almost half of respondents with student loans, debt has negatively affected their choice of major and future career.
"In today's complex economic, technological, and political landscape, students are frustrated with the current system and ready to have their voices heard. For students, education, employment, and politics are impacting their lives and confidence in the future, and that is driving a level of participation we haven't experienced before," said Dan Rosensweig, president and CEO of Chegg. "The modern student is more politically active than ever, with polls showing they intend to increase their political participation. We know that 65% of students have voted in previous elections and 80% are intending to vote in the upcoming election cycle. They are acutely aware of the challenges their generation is facing and are taking an active role in finding solutions."
Of the 65% who have voted previously, 71% did so in a presidential election, while 52% and 48% voted in local and midterm elections, respectively. With a total of only 56% of the U.S. voting population turning out for 20161, the student population will prove to be an important voting bloc for 2020 candidates.
The report highlighted findings from a poll of over 1,000 students across a representative spectrum of demographics and colleges on the most important issues facing students both on and off-campus, including the cost of education, and explored how students are rallying to address them.
Key issues at the heart of students' political agenda included:
- Two-thirds of students supported significantly reducing the costs of college in exchange for four years of public service (military, police, education, or government-related roles).
- If not for student loans, over half of students reported they would continue on to earn another degree.
- One of the more divisive issues affecting college campuses proved to be sexual harassment, as half of the female students surveyed felt sexual harassment was a primary concern for them but only 35% of males agreed with this sentiment.
- Nearly 70% of students polled believe that the two-party system does not work (40%) or are unsure of whether it works (29%), with almost 60% of students are in favor of some type of Electoral College reform.
- Only 37% of students believe the U.S. is currently a force for good in the world. In contrast, half of respondents agree the U.S. used to be a force for good.
For more information and to download the State of the Student report go to: https://www.chegg.com/press/stateofthestudent2019/
Survey methodology
The 2019 State of the Student research project was designed and managed by Chegg, Inc. to gain a deeper understanding of the perceptions of enrolled college students. The online research was conducted using empaneled respondents provided by Dynata. The sample for this research was collected in June and July 2019. It consists of 1,001 students currently enrolled in U.S.-based (two-year and four-year) colleges. To guarantee the sample is reflective of the college population at large, the data is weighted to match data from the U.S. Census. Data points used for weighting include age and gender.
About Chegg
Chegg puts students first. As the leading student-first connected learning platform, Chegg strives to improve the overall return on investment in education by helping students learn more in less time and at a lower cost. Chegg is a publicly held company based in Santa Clara, California and trades on the NYSE under the symbol CHGG. For more information, visit www.chegg.com.
About Chegg.org
Chegg.org is the not-for-profit arm of Chegg, serving as an impact, advocacy, and research organization addressing issues facing the modern student.
Media Contact
Devonya Batiste, devonya@chegg.com
1. DeSilver, Drew. "U.S. Voter Turnout Trails Most Developed Countries." Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 21 May 2018, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/05/21/u-s-voter-turnout-trails-most-developed-countries/
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SOURCE Chegg, Inc.