That’s right! Gen Z students are feeling very optimistic about their futures!
According to a 2023 Gallup study, 76% of Gen Z surveyed said "they have a great future ahead of them," and 82% believe that they will achieve their goals. This optimism is despite the unique challenges they have faced, including the pandemic, increased challenges with mental health, and a rapidly evolving technological landscape that makes the future more uncertain.
Underneath this optimism are also some great opportunities to capitalize on this positive outlook by helping with some of the concerns Gen Z expressed about seeking support after high school.
Concern #1: Only 44% of those in Gen Z feel prepared for the future, and students don’t feel that they are receiving the practical learning experiences to develop essential skills needed to be successful.
Opportunity: As adults, we know that a lot of the time the world is much more about who you know, more than what you know. You can use your friends, connections, and wherewithal to help students get the kinds of practical experiences that can strengthen their soft skills for success and provide them with confidence about coping with post-graduation stress.
Call that friend that started their own business to set up a day of shadowing for your student to start entrepreneurial skill development. Look for events through your local chamber of commerce that are focused on particular fields to help in choosing a career path. Help them find a part-time job in a potential career setting to start developing a professional network. Show them how to use this Apprenticeship Finder to look outside your own areas of expertise. Heck, just spend some time using Google together and you can find cool programs like Summer Springboard together.
Concern #2: Gen Z students are feeling the pressure to attend college, even though the pandemic has made them more apathetic about the need for college.
Opportunity: One of the coolest things about the times we live in is that there are more and more ways for students to achieve their goals, with or without college. Keeping an open mind to these routes when discussing their future can relieve some pressure AND make it more likely that they find their best higher education and/or career path options. Bonus! This can save tons of time and money in the long-run.
Programs like City Year and other AmeriCorps programs can provide a gap year experience that provides experience, perspective, and a generous scholarship for the future. Career certificate programs are thriving across the country, and they can get students the vocational training after high school they need to build a prosperous career, without a college diploma. Many times, these career certificate programs are “earn while you learn” and can provide students with a pathway to more learning, at little or no cost.
Finally, some of the pressure can be relieved by lowering the financial stakes. If I had one thing to do over in my life, I would have started my college journey at a community college because I had NO idea what I wanted to do with my life after high school, and I could have saved so much time and money taking my required classes at a community college. Another bonus is that many selective public universities have reciprocal agreements to admit students with an AA from a nearby community college.
Concern #3: Faith in institutions has decreased among Gen Z, and a lot of times they don’t know who, or what, to trust about their futures.
Opportunity: Since you are the person guiding students towards their future, the opportunity here is obvious: be someone they can trust. This is easier said than done, but a great first step is to be very realistic and honest about the financial situation of your family and how that will impact future plans. Gen Z is very leery of incurring debt, and they don’t want to be oversold on their future, only to end up with a pile of debt at the end. Involve your student in budgeting for their plans. Sit together to complete the FAFSA and the CSS Profile.
It is also important to be honest with students about how hard some things that sound easy enough could end up being. I really wish I had known how hard it was going to be to work full time and go to school full time, especially since my study skills were weak, and I didn’t have any kind of organizational system. Being a trusted adult is oftentimes being the one to give students what they need to hear, not what they want to hear.
We all want students to feel optimistic about their futures and to believe that they are going to be successful. It is so inspiring that Gen Z is still feeling good after all they have been through, so lean into that good news. Connecting your student to helpful people, keeping an open mind about alternate pathways, and staying realistic and honest about finances can help your students not only feel good about their future, but also equip them with the skills and confidence to fulfill all their hopes and potential.
I think the introduction of "degree mills" has really soured the younger generations on the value of higher education. I also think the price of most colleges being so out of range for so many is starting to come back and bite colleges in the butt.