Quick Quiz: What Are College Freshmen Thinking?

The Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) surveys American freshmen at four-year colleges each year. Can you guess the results?  

Question 1

Which reason for attending college ranked #1?

  1. To get a better job
  2. To make more money
  3. To find my purpose in life
  4. To learn more about things that interest me
Answer
Choice 4 is correct.

Question 2

How many freshmen have parents who did not attend college?

  1. 8%
  2. 12%
  3. 16%
  4. 22%
Answer
Choice 3 is correct.

Question 3

How many freshmen believe it's important to help others in difficulty?

  1. 76%
  2. 66%
  3. 54%
  4. 44%
Answer
Choice 2 is correct.

Question 4

How many think it's important or essential to keep up with politics?

  1. 75%
  2. 57%
  3. 36%
  4. 21%
Answer
Choice 3 is correct.

Details about the UCLA Study

The figures in this quiz (rounded to the nearest percentage point) are taken from a survey of the freshman class of 2005 by the Higher Education Research Institute of UCLA. The data is derived from the responses of 263,710 students at 385 schools.