ACE, in
collaboration with the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at the
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), today released a new report, Understanding the Entering Class of 2024: Key Insights from The CIRP Freshman Survey 2024, that highlights the growing diversity of first-year
college students and explores the experiences, backgrounds, and other key
features of the entering class of 2024.
ACE and the UCLA School of Education and Information
Studies (UCLA Ed&IS) in 2023 announced
a partnership to strengthen and lead HERI,
administered by CRESST, a research and development center within UCLA
Ed&IS. By leveraging their collaboration, ACE and UCLA Ed&IS are elevating and
expanding HERI’s research and reach through ACE’s extensive capacity and
expertise in faculty and presidential-level data collection and research.
Based on survey responses from more than 24,000
students across 55 colleges and universities, the report aims to help higher
education leaders, educators, researchers, and policymakers better understand
the students starting higher education and respond meaningfully to their needs.
Instead of summarizing the entire survey, this report highlights key insights
and notable findings that capture the depth and scope of the data.
“As the composition of today’s college students
continues to evolve, institutions must have a clear understanding of who their students
are and what support they need to succeed,” said ACE President Ted Mitchell.
“This report provides exactly that insight. While the findings highlight the
strengths and diversity of this new generation of students, they also
underscore persistent gaps that institutions must address to ensure all
students can thrive. We are grateful for UCLA’s partnership on this critical
work, a critical part of ACE’s commitment to democratizing postsecondary data
and insights to drive evidence-informed decision-making in higher education.”
“The UCLA School of Education and Information
Studies is proud of nearly six decades of research from the HERI project, a
testament to our school’s research initiatives’ enduring strength and
practicality,” said Christina A. Christie, Wasserman Dean of Education &
Information Studies, UCLA Ed&IS. “As we approach the 60th administration of
the CIRP Freshman Survey in 2025, this long-term commitment to understanding
the evolving landscape of higher education underscores the critical role of
data in shaping policies and practices that support student success. The
insights from this report reflect the complexity of today’s first-year students
and highlight the importance of sustained, evidence-based research in creating
learning environments for students.”
The report found that higher education institutions
have become increasingly diverse not only in terms of race and ethnicity but
also with respect to various other parts of students’ backgrounds. For example,
about 10 percent of surveyed students reported that English was not their
primary language; first-generation students made up more than 12 percent of the
overall population; and 8 percent of respondents were military students. Other
key findings include:
Shifting
College Choice Patterns: College
application behaviors varied widely across demographic groups. For
example, Asian/Pacific Islander students were more likely to apply to seven
or more colleges than their peers but were admitted to their first-choice
institution at lower rates.
Financial
Pressures and Equity Gaps: The majority of
respondents (56.4%) expressed at least some or major concern about
affording college. Financial worries were particularly pronounced among
Hispanic/Latino (81.4%) and Black/African American (69.6%) students.
Students of color relied on need-based grants and scholarships at higher
rates than their White peers.
Academic
Confidence and Preparation: Women
outperformed men academically before entering college but reported lower
confidence in their mathematical and intellectual abilities.
Mental
Health and Well-Being: The survey highlights growing
concerns about student mental health. More than half of women (51.1
percent) reported feeling overwhelmed, more than double the rate of men
(24.1 percent). At the same time, students who identified outside of the
gender binary faced the most significant struggles with well-being and
mental health.
As student demographics and expectations shift, data
from The CIRP Freshman Survey 2024 provide essential insights for
colleges and universities seeking to improve student success, foster inclusion,
and address financial and mental health challenges. The findings offer a
roadmap for institutional leaders to develop policies and programs that align
with today’s students’ needs.
“This report gives institutional leaders a clear
view of today’s first-year students—their backgrounds, aspirations, and
challenges—so they can better support learner success,” said Hironao Okahana, vice
president and executive director of ACE’s Education Futures Lab. “Centering
student experiences in higher education policy and practice is essential, and
these findings help colleges and universities create environments where all
students can thrive.”
“Data is the cornerstone of informed decision-making
in higher education. By leveraging comprehensive insights from initiatives like
the CIRP Freshman Survey, we can better understand the evolving needs of
today’s students and design policies that promote fairness and success of our
students and institutions,” said Li Cai, director, The National Center for
Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST). “This report
underscores the power of data-driven research to transform higher education and
ensure that every student has the opportunity to thrive.”