The third chapter of the 2022 Canadian Student Wellbeing Study commissioned by Studiosity, the global leader in ethical online study support for post-secondary institutions, and carried out independently by Angus Reid, has revealed insights into the current stress levels of students, their thoughts on withdrawing, and their optimism towards the future.
This latest chapter, which surveyed 1,014 post-secondary students in Canada, includes insights such as:
- 62% of students aged 18-21 say they feel stressed by studying/schoolwork every single day, compared to 48% of those 22+
- Domestic students express significantly more stress than international students, though international students are twice as likely to say it’s been difficult for them being away from friends/family
- 40% of students have seriously considered dropping out of university, up 5% from 2021
- 51% of students describe their overall wellbeing as good or very good, up 6% from 2021
- 64% of Canadian postsecondary students remain at least somewhat optimistic about their employment outlook after college/university
Professor Judyth Sachs, Chief Academic Officer at Studiosity, says “Although two-in-five students have considered withdrawing from their college or university at one point, it is comforting to see that a significant majority of students are still feeling optimistic about their future, up a modest amount from 2021. It is a testament to universities that have been focusing on student safety and wellbeing through some of the most difficult years, making students feel supported and listened to throughout the challenges of the pandemic.”
On the topic of pessimism regarding job prospects after leaving college/university, there was a prevalence of comments around internships and co-op placements being ways to combat those feelings, as well as a desire to get a taste of real-world work scenarios. One student remarked, “I think that it feels overwhelming to get a job. I feel anxious because if I am doing bad in school, how am I supposed to get a good job.” Another student said, “My university is very focused on employment. I have done 6 co-op terms which the university supported.”
Some students even go on to explain their struggle with motivation and belief in their own abilities, as seen in the following comment: “Encouragement that grad students who excel can get hired… I know that not every single student can be guaranteed a hire, but when the culture says basically nobody gets hired in academic post grad school, it lessens the quality of my work for fear of the future.”
This chapter on Student Stress, Intent to Withdraw, & Optimism includes benchmarked data from the 2021 Canadian Student Wellbeing Study to understand the evolution of student thoughts and feelings. Future chapters include insights into student study habits, transitioning to postsecondary, and more. Previous and future chapters can be downloaded at Studiosity.com/2022studentwellbeing.
