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9 Statistics That Prove Millennials Think Differently About College

The next generation of students wants to bring new perspective to higher education.

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Jimmy is a writer and editor who publishes a weekly newsletter. You can find him on Twitter.

Despite the manicured greens, brick walkways and picturesque campuses, college just isn’t what it used to be. But that isn’t a bad thing, according to the millennial generation, which is comfortable with technology and eager for change.

A Millennial Branding survey of more than 1,300 college students found that they are open to new ways of learning. Could the high cost of college be driving this change? Or could it be the ubiquity of free learning tools available online?

Regardless of the reason, it’s obvious that the higher education environment is changing. Ivy League schools are offering MOOCs (massive open online courses), and online colleges are growing rapidly. Are we poised for a new, democratic age of education? Or will technology reinforce the same traditions that colleges have upheld for centuries?

The answer remains to be seen, but college students’ attitudes could push that change more quickly than we expected. Below are a few key statistics from The Future of Education.

Of college students surveyed:

84% use a computer in the classroom

78% believe that it’s easier to learn in a traditional classroom than online

57% believe internships are most important when developing their business skills

53% believe that online colleges are reputable

50% say they don’t need a physical classroom

43% say that online education will provide them with courses of the same or higher quality than traditional colleges

39% view the future of education as being more virtual

19% said that they’ll be using social media to engage in the classroom

12% believe college courses are most important when developing their business skills

Read more about the technology that is powering academic success.

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