Latest news with #CollegePulse
Newsweek
09-07-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Homebuyer Optimism Surges Among College Students
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Homebuyer optimism is increasing significantly among college students, according to recent polling from College Pulse. Data from the Newsweek/College Pulse study showed that, based on the responses of more than 1,000 undergraduate students last month, the percentage of those who are very optimistic about buying a home in the next 10 years surged from 10 to 23 percent from April to June. Why It Matters Buying a home has become increasingly less affordable in recent years. With home prices reaching record highs and mortgage rates hovering in the high 6 percentage range, the American dream of owning a home one day could be fading among millennial and Gen Z Americans. However, the data reveals that could be changing. A for sale sign is displayed outside of a home for sale on August 16, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. A for sale sign is displayed outside of a home for sale on August 16, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images What To Know In June, 23 percent of college students surveyed said they were "very optimistic" about owning a home in 10 years. That was a more than double increase from April when 10 percent said the same. Another 35 percent said they were "somewhat" optimistic about owning a home, another slight uptick from 26 percent two months earlier. "This isn't naive optimism. Students are wagering their degrees will outpace housing costs over the next decade," Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of told Newsweek. "The traditional homebuying timeline has been rewritten. Previous generations expected to buy homes in their 20s, today's students plan for a 10-year goal. This extended timeline allows for career establishment, debt paydown and financial stability." This shift could be rooted in current housing market trends, as a recent Redfin report found that sellers outnumber buyers by 34 percent. While there's an estimated 1.94 million active home listings, only 1.45 million buyers are looking, reflecting a significant gap that could cause home prices to stagger down. And in a June HomeLight survey of top real estate agents nationwide, 82 percent said that sellers are dropping home prices compared with this time last year. "Job prospects and overall sentiment are likely the biggest drivers behind this uptick in optimism. What once felt like a distant dream can start to feel attainable when home prices cool and interest rates stabilize," Kevin Thompson, the CEO of 9i Capital Group and the host of the 9innings podcast, told Newsweek. "Back in April, rates were climbing, and prices seemed to be on an unmanageable trajectory. Now, we're starting to see more balance—prices reaching a level where buyers and sellers are finally meeting in the middle, and rates have stopped rising. That shift in perception changes everything." However, home prices nationwide were still up 0.6 percent year-over-year in May, and the median sale price was $440,910, still dramatically out of many young Americans' budgets. What People Are Saying A spokesperson for College Pulse told Newsweek: "College student optimism about homeownership has grown since early 2025, even as broader political sentiment remains negative. Despite high disapproval of President Trump and widespread concern about the direction of the country, students remain hopeful about their personal futures—particularly around homeownership and career prospects. While trust in society may be low, confidence in individual outcomes continues to rise. This suggests that students are separating national challenges from their own ability to build stable, successful lives." Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor at the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: "Some may laugh at the renewed optimism of college students about home ownership in the coming decade, but it could actually be tied to some financial reality. We're finally starting to see home prices either be stagnant or see declines in some major markets, as sellers are having a harder time finding buyers. That could increase as more baby boomers look to retire and downsize living expenses by selling their existing home for a smaller place." Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of told Newsweek: "Students are betting on their future earning power over current market conditions. While 92 percent of prospective homebuyers report stress about purchasing in 2025, college students look beyond immediate chaos. They know education remains the most reliable path to homeownership, College graduates are way more likely to own homes than nongraduates." Alan Chang, nationwide title and escrow expert, told Newsweek: "I think that college students are realizing that the monthly rent payment vs. the monthly mortgage payment is working out to be close in many markets across the country. The long-term store of wealth in a starter home is also a perfect steppingstone to the next long-term home for professionals that have left school and established a career path." Nick Friedman, president of Homes at HomeLight, told Newsweek: "We're seeing a shift in buyer psychology, especially among younger generations. Younger consumers today are more willing to take risks and explore flexible paths to homeownership— whether that means buying a fixer-upper, embracing unconventional financing, or accepting higher mortgage rates for the sake of getting in the market." What Happens Next While paying for higher education can land many in student loan debt, there's still largely a positive correlation between obtaining a college degree and being able to own a home one day, experts say. "College students understand something many experts miss: education and homeownership are complementary investments, not competing ones. The decline in homeownership has actually occurred among noncollege graduates, not debt-laden students," Ryan said. Still, Mike Chambers, founder and CEO of home-selling help platform Ridley, cautioned against letting the optimism overwhelm expectations about the housing market. "It's great to see more young people feeling hopeful about homeownership," Chambers told Newsweek. "That optimism probably comes from headlines about rising inventory and talk of future rate cuts. But in reality not much has changed: Home prices are still high, interest rates remain elevated, and transaction fees in dollar terms are at or near all-time highs."
Newsweek
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Republican College Students Are Souring on Donald Trump
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Republican college students are not as happy with President Donald Trump's administration as they were in January, according to a Newsweek/CollegePulse poll. Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment via email. Why It Matters Trump made inroads with college students, a group that has leaned toward Democrats for decades, in the 2024 presidential race, as some polls suggest that younger votershave become more conservative. His approval rating has fallen in recent weeks amid backlash on tariffs and parts of his immigration policy. If that trend continues, it could pose a challenge to Republicans as they fight to hold onto their congressional majorities in the 2026 midterm elections. What To Know The Newsweek/College Pulse poll found that a growing number of Republican college students say they are unhappy with the Trump administration. It surveyed 1,022 undergraduate students from April 9 to April 15, 2025, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.13 percentage points. Thirty percent of Republican college students are "less happy" with the Trump administration than they thought they would be. Meanwhile, 51 percent are as happy with the administration as expected, while 18 percent are happier, according to the poll. A January Newsweek/College Pulse poll found that 9 percent of college Republicans were less happy with the administration than expected. At the time, 48 percent said they were as happy as expected, while 43 percent were happier with the administration than they thought they would be. The earlier poll surveyed about 1,200 college students between January 24 and January 31, 2025. The latest poll also found that his approval rating among college Republicans has dropped from 92 percent to 69 percent since January. Jake Brody, lead researcher at College Pulse, told Newsweek it is "clear that students are not satisfied with the Trump presidency." "However, the data here is telling because even Republican students are souring on Donald Trump, demonstrating a widespread trend across college students. We are looking forward to seeing how this data trends over the rest of the year [and his presidency]," Brody said. President Donald Trump speaks in Howell, Michigan, on August 30, 2024. President Donald Trump speaks in Howell, Michigan, on August 30, Sasine, an associate researcher at College Pulse, told Newsweek that many Republican students "seem uncomfortable with the idea of punishing political speech, particularly on college campuses where free expression is a deeply held value." "Additionally, broader generational changes in the Republican Party may contribute to the growing unease among young conservatives," she said. "As the political landscape evolves, these tensions highlight how younger Republicans are redefining what it means to align with Trump—and perhaps what it means to be Republican at all." What People Are Saying President Donald Trump, on Truth Social on Monday in response to negative polling: "They are negative criminals who apologize to their subscribers and readers after I win elections big, much bigger than their polls showed I would win, loose [sic] a lot of credibility, and then go on cheating and lying for the next cycle, only worse." CNN data analyst Harry Enten said: "Take a look at Trump's economic approval rating now versus 100 days into his first term, and what we see is it's 10 points lower. The economy was a strength for him during his first term, now it is a weakness. Now it is dragging him down." What Happens Next Whether Trump's approval rating among college Republicans will rebound remains to be seen, and it could be determined by questions like how his tariffs play out. Meanwhile, Trump's policies will continue to impact college students. For instance, he said on Friday he is considering removing Harvard University's tax-exempt status, and his administration has moved to resume collecting student loans.
Newsweek
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Republican Students Break With Trump Over Deporting People for Protests
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. About two-thirds of Republican college students oppose deporting international students for organizing campus protests, while more than 7-in-10 oppose deportations for critiquing Israel, according to a new Newsweek/College Pulse survey. Why It Matters President Donald Trump campaigned on cracking down on illegal immigration, making it a top priority since he entered office in January and appointed Tom Homan as his border czar to influence policies. Results have been met with below-average enthusiasm, according to recent polls. Under a Trump executive order, those polices have extended to deporting international students for organizing or participating in pro-Palestinian protests, which became commonplace last year at several colleges and universities with encampments that led to both students and faculty members being arrested. What To Know The Newsweek/College Pulse survey found that 65 percent of respondents identifying as Republicans oppose deporting international students who engaged in campus protests, while 71 percent said they opposed deporting students for speech critical of Israel. Of the 65 percent, 38 percent "somewhat opposed" such measures while 27 percent "strongly opposed" them. About 35 percent somewhat opposed deportation for bad-mouthing Israel, and 36 percent strongly opposed it. Just 3 percent strongly supported such measures. The second wave of this survey was conducted between April 9 and 15 and included 1,022 undergraduate students. The first wave was conducted between January 27 and 31, including 1,207 additional undergraduates. The College Pulse sample was drawn from a panel that includes over 950,000 students representing more than 1,500 different colleges and universities in all 50 states. Hundreds protest outside a rally held by President Donald Trump in Warren, Michigan, on April 29, 2025. Hundreds protest outside a rally held by President Donald Trump in Warren, Michigan, on April 29, 2025. DOMINIC GWINN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images The margin of error in sampling is between three and 13 points. The survey can be found here. As of April 14, data from Inside Higher Ed showed that at least 1,179 students have had their F-1 and J-1 student visas revoked. Others have had a sudden or unexpected change in their Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) listing. But the number is actually higher, they say, as large international student populations are enrolled in small, private liberal arts colleges. The current database mainly consists of public regional or flagship colleges and universities, too, with approximately 28 percent of the nearly 250 colleges being private. "Wielding immigration law and deportations in order to chill free speech and political dissent is a dangerous concept that has no place in America, and it's heartening to see young people agree, regardless of party affiliation," Vanessa Cárdenas, executive director of America's Voice, told Newsweek. "Unfortunately, it's just one piece of this administration's larger immigration agenda that's taking aim at core pillars of American democracy, such as due process rights and the separation of powers." One of the major cases that has garnered headlines involved green card holder Mahmoud Khalil, a 30-year-old legal U.S. citizen and pro-Palestinian activist who in March was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and currently risks being deported. He has a wife in the U.S. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described Khalil's efforts as "antisemitic" and "disruptive," using the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 as the basis for attempting the deportation. What People Are Saying The White House, in an April 28 statement: "Since President Donald J. Trump took office, he and his administration have ushered in the most secure border in modern American history — and he didn't need legislation to do it. President Trump has made good on the promises he made on the campaign trail to usher in an unprecedented era of homeland security." What Happens Next After a judge ruled that Khalil could be deported, his lawyers appealed. It is expected that the Trump administration will continue to crack down on protesters they deem to be antisemitic or openly pro-Palestine or pro-Hamas.
Newsweek
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Donald Trump's Approval Rating With Republican College Students Plummets
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump's approval rating with Republican college students has plummeted during the first 100 days of his second term in office, a Newsweek/CollegePulse poll found. Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment via email. Why It Matters Trump's approval has taken a hit amid backlash to some of his policies around tariffs and immigration in the past few weeks. His approval is viewed as a key barometer of how Americans feel about the administration. If it continues to drop, it could pose a challenge to Republicans in next year's midterms and key governor races later this year. His approval rating among college students has particularly dropped, according to the poll. Trump made some inroads with younger Americans in last year's presidential race, and some polls suggest the youth is more Republican than in the past. Others show his support crumbling among the youngest voters. President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House on April 10, 2025. President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House on April 10, To Know The Newsweek/College Pulse poll of 1,022 undergraduate students from April 9 to April 15, 2025, showed that his support among college Republicans has dropped since he took office in January. It found that 69 percent of college Republicans approve of his performance, compared to nearly 92 percent who gave him positive marks in an earlier poll, which surveyed about 1,200 college students between January 24 and 31. Jake Brody, lead researcher at College Pulse, told Newsweek it's "clear that students are not satisfied with the Trump presidency." "However, the data here is telling because even Republican students are souring on Donald Trump, demonstrating a widespread trend across college students. We are looking forward to seeing how this data trends over the rest of the year [and his presidency]," Brody said. Julia Sasine, associate researcher at College Pulse, told Newsweek the shift may reflect issues like his "increasingly hardline rhetoric on immigration and free speech." "Many Republican students, while traditionally supportive of strong immigration enforcement, seem uncomfortable with the idea of punishing political speech, particularly on college campuses where free expression is a deeply held value," Sasine said. Among all college students, only 19 percent approved of his job performance. Just four percent of college Democrats and 19 percent of independents said they approved of the Trump administration, the poll found. Thirty-two percent of college Republicans said they support Trump less than they did when he took office, while 50 percent said they support him about the same amount. Eighteen percent said their support for Trump has increased. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.13 percentage points. During his first 100 days in office, Trump has wrangled with some colleges and universities, threatening to pull funding over their handling of pro-Palestinian protests that began last year. Harvard University, for instance, has seen $2.2 billion in grant money frozen by the administration. Meanwhile, Trump has also reversed the Biden administration's pauses on student loan debt collection. What People Are Saying Melissa Deckman, CEO of the Public Religion Research Institute, previously told Newsweek: "While most Americans cited the economy as their main reason for voting for Trump last fall, economic anxiety is more acute among Gen Z, who note that the price of living makes the American dream increasingly out of reach." President Donald Trump, on Truth Social on Monday in response to negative polling: "They are negative criminals who apologize to their subscribers and readers after I win elections big, much bigger than their polls showed I would win, loose [sic] a lot of credibility, and then go on cheating and lying for the next cycle, only worse." What Happens Next Trump's approval will continue to be monitored as a metric of whether Americans are supporting his policies. Meanwhile, he is set to rally in the battleground state of Michigan on Tuesday to commemorate his 100th day in office.
