The college admissions scandal sparked a national discussion about problems with the college admissions process and the unfortunate role some parents play. It also raised a larger question: Just how involved are parents in the more basic aspects of the college admissions process, such as selecting which schools are worth applying to? And how helpful do students find their parents?
A new survey found that — despite depictions of overbearing helicopter parents — most students don’t perceive their parents as being overly involved in the process, although there are notable differences. They do generally find their parents helpful, however.
- More than one in five current college students say their parents were extremely (6%) or very (15%) involved in identifying which colleges they should apply to. Thirty percent of students say their parents were somewhat involved in the decision.
- Students who went to private high schools are almost twice as likely as those who went to public high schools to say their parents were very or extremely involved.
- 68% of students say their parents were very or somewhat helpful during the selection process.
There are stark racial and ethnic differences in parental involvement. One in three (33%) Asian students report that their parents were very or extremely involved, compared to 23% of white students, 23% of black students, and only 9% of Hispanic students.
Asian Students’ Parents Are More Involved In College Applications
How involved were your parents with selecting the list of colleges and universities you applied to?
“My parents picked all the colleges,” a Dartmouth student says. “I didn’t get a say at all, so I didn’t even research the colleges.”
Who is Helpful: Parents, Friends, Coaches and Guidance Counselors
Most students say their parents were more helpful than high school resources when it came to applying to college. When asked how helpful certain people were during the college admissions process, 68% of students say their parents were very or somewhat helpful. Significantly fewer students say the same of their high school guidance counselors (35%), their friends (34%), and their high school sports coaches (6%).
Students of different races found their parents helpful to varying degrees. Nearly three-fourths (74%) of white students say their parents were very or somewhat helpful, compared to 65% of black students, 64% of Asian students, and 49% of Hispanic students.
Men also found their parents to be more helpful than other students, with 73% saying their parents were very or somewhat helpful, compared to 65% of women and 46% of non-binary students.
Men Found Their Parents More Helpful Than Women and Non-Binary Students
How helpful were your parents during the college admissions process?
To receive regular updates about this study, as well as other key college student insights, sign up here.
__________________________
Methodology: This survey was designed and conducted by College Pulse. Interviews were conducted among a sample of 1,501 full-time and part-time students attending four-year colleges or universities in the U.S. who are part of College Pulse’s American College Student Panel.
