Harvard Youth Poll

The military remains the most trusted government institution with 70% trusting it to do the right thing all or most of the time, followed by the President at 58%. Students are least trustful of large corporations and the media.

Black students are more likely to be registered and to vote in the upcoming election and they are more likely than other ethnic groups to attend political rallies or demonstrations.

Sixty-seven percent of college students say they have time to be involved in activities outside of school and work, and 61% of college students indicate they have volunteered for community service in the last 12 months. The single greatest predictor of volunteerism in community service is whether the student volunteered in high school (89% of students who participated in community service in the last twelve months had volunteered in high school).

Ninety-three percent believe volunteerism is an effective way of solving important issues facing their community; 84% believe community volunteerism is an effective way of solving important issues facing the country as a whole.

Sixty-eight percent say they would very or somewhat seriously consider working for a non-profit or community-based organization for some part of their future employment. Fifty-six percent say they would consider working for the government (excluding military) but only 16% of respondents say they would consider running for public office.

Almost two-thirds of those surveyed (63%) think that politics is relevant to their lives and just over half (56%) believe that politics has tangible results. Most students (87%) believe that political engagement is an effective way of solving important issues facing the country. Eighty-four percent say the same for issues facing the community.

Only 9% say they have participated in a political campaign in the last 12 months and only 14% say they have participated in a government, political, or issues-related organization in the last 12 months. Eighty percent of students say they have not participated in a political rally or demonstration in the same time period. Factors that influence whether a student engages in political activities include: whether somebody asked them to participate, direct contact with a government official or candidate, and regular discussions about politics and current events with family members while growing up.

Seventy-one percent of college students indicate they read a newspaper or watch the news more than once per week. More than two-thirds of all college students (68%) say they discuss political issues with family and friends more than once per week. Trust in the media to do the right thing all or most of the time, however, is only 12% -- the lowest rating of the institutions tested in the survey.

African American students, however, are less likely than other ethnic groups to rate our political system as very sound.

While African American students are much less likely to expect tangible results from political involvement than their white colleagues (46% and 60% respectively), they are the most likely ethnic group to vote and are more likely to be involved in political organizations (28%) than the general student population (20%). African American skepticism towards institutions seems to be reserved for the civilian government: they are less likely than students in general to trust the federal government (38% to 51%) and Congress (42% to 52%), while trusting the ethics of the military, large corporations, and the media to the same extent as other ethnic groups.

Eighty-six percent of college students indicate they need more practical information about politics before getting involved. Almost nine in ten students (89%) say volunteering in the community is easier than volunteering in politics.

Eighty percent of undergraduates volunteered for community service while in high school and eighty-nine percent of those who are currently volunteering had done so in high school. In general, 64% of all students have volunteered for community service in the last twelve months.

On a scale of 0 to 10 (0=definitely not attend; 10=definitely attend), more than one-third of respondents are very likely (8-10) to attend a political rally or demonstration on an issue they support if a friend asked them. Furthermore, 24% of students would very likely volunteer on a political campaign if asked by a friend. One-quarter of the undergraduate population translates to almost three million young voters who could be mobilized by appeals from their peers.

Ninety-two percent of college students say more direct contact with elected officials, political candidates, and others in government would be a very or somewhat effective way of getting students involved in politics. Likewise, 90% say campus recruitment by government agencies would be an effective method of motivating students into public service.

Paradoxically, seventy percent of respondents (31% very + 39% somewhat seriously) say they would consider working for a large corporation after graduation while 56% (18% very + 38% somewhat) say they would consider working for the government.

Seventy-one percent of respondents believe the involvement of respected celebrities and sports figures would be effective in boosting political engagement. Among African-American and Hispanic students, involvement of role models is seen as particularly effective (80% and 81% respectively).

Although only one-fifth of students have recently engaged in politics or a political organization, almost half of the respondents (47%) believe that young people involved in politics are essentially the same as themselves. In community service, on the other hand, the number of students who felt that participants were the same as themselves was roughly equivalent to the number already involved (68% and 61%, respectively). This discrepancy may represent an opportunity for growth in student political involvement that is not reflected when it comes to community service.