Colleges and Universities Still Struggling to Improve the Education Experience

The pandemic had a profound impact on students across the globe and higher education institutions are still adjusting how to improve the college experience.

In fact, six in ten students (60%) admit that the pandemic ruined their college experience, according the 2022 Global Student Survey by Chegg. However,  rather than let these harsh statistics breed discouragement amidst the field, higher education professionals should look at the data as a beacon for revolution and growth. 

This year’s Global Student Survey evaluates the same 21 countries as the 2021 survey, with the addition of questions on climate change, skills and careers, mental health, the return to campus, as well as a variety of other issues. The survey also provides national and global data that can help inform education professionals and policymakers on students’ feelings and motivations as they are today. 

In addition to widespread dissatisfaction among students, the results of the study also indicate that the mere return to campus was not the cure-all to the problems posited by the pandemic. While some students report an improvement to their mental health since returning to campus life, many report worsening mental health (32%). Of the students who report a decline in mental health, 42% attribute the decline to the change of their college experience, 52% to loss of social skills, and 31% to the preference of studying at home. 

Perhaps most staggering, however, is the overwhelming number of students that have reported financial difficulties. The survey results indicate that 57% of students are struggling to afford housing costs, utility bills, food, and/or health and medical services in the last 12 months. These tangible difficulties carry over into anxieties for future finances, with nearly 40% of students believing the pandemic will negatively and permanently impact their employment prospects. 

Additionally, students were asked to identify the biggest problem facing their generation, and their top answer was issues with the economic climate. Nearly 30% responded with the sentiment of lack of access to good quality jobs and  23% said “the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.” Concerns for climate change were also on the forefront of about 75% of students. 

Despite the immensely valid list of concerns reported, students are still hopeful for a bright future. Fifty five percent of students worldwide report feeling optimistic, and 70% say that they feel mostly happy. Nearly two-thirds (63%) are optimistic about their future finances – and 68% believe that by the age of 35 they will own their own home. 

“These findings also make it clear that higher education must become more accessible, affordable, and responsive to what learners really need,” said Chegg CEO and President Dan Rosensweig in the report. “In particular, students need their universities to provide more mental health support, teach the skills for tomorrow's careers, and respond to their clear concerns about the environment. By doing so, we can help this generation face the future with confidence.”

The coming years will be met with some of the greatest challenges in history, with students enduring the ever-widening gap of inequality, the rise of automation, and the realities of climate change. All within the education system must strive to provide a learning environment that truly supports and empowers students in such a way that also cultivates their unique dreams and creativity, and the response to the insights gleaned from Chegg’s survey will be critical for the future of our students and of our global society.

For more articles on student mental health see:

Innovative New Services to Support Student Mental Health

Empowering Students in the Age of Anxiety