Post-Secondary Students and Their Parents Not Always on Same Page when it comes to School-Time Anxieties

Toronto, ON - With the start of school around the corner, post-secondary students are now starting to think about and prepare for the start of the school year, which for most students and parents brings into frame some of the anxieties that exist around life after school. An Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of RBC has found a disconnect between what parents think their child worries about and what their child actually worries about.

The data reveal that parents believe the top concerns among their children enrolled in post-secondary school are: will their program help get them the job they'll be happy with (44%); will they be happy with their job after graduation (42%); and are they able to get a job after graduation (40%). While parents believe their children are more concerned about happiness, students on the other hand appear more likely to be worried about practical matters such as getting a job after graduation (45%) and making enough money to support themselves after graduation (38%). Also making the top three anxieties is finding a job after graduation that they'll be happy with (36%). The chart below contains the full listing of anxieties both parents and students think the student will experience at school:

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The poll also found that students (82%) are concerned more about whether they will earn enough money to cover living expenses than parents (70%). In fact, students are concerned more than parents on all concerns, such as: choosing a program that doesn't help them get a job after graduation (75% students/66% parents); choosing a program that doesn't help them get the type of job they want after graduation (74% students/64% parents); choosing a program that might not turn out to be as interesting as they would like (73% students/63% parents); having enough money to pay for post-secondary school (73% students/59% parents); choosing a program where they are unable to cope with the workload (63% students/58% parents); how long they will have to live at home after graduation (5% students/35% parents); and choosing to go to post-secondary school right away instead of taking a year off (52% students/36% parents).

School can be stressful for both students and parents of students, but as a consolation prize for students, they get to go back-to-school shopping. Both students and parents agree that the top three items they plan to buy include textbooks (73% students/73% parents), school supplies (71% students/65% parents), and clothes (61% students/ 59% parents). But parents and students don't necessarily see eye to eye on what is required for back to school shopping as more students than parents expect that they'll purchase school supplies (71% students/65% parents), cell phones (21% students/10% parents), electronic peripherals (20% students/11% parents), furniture and dйcor (18% students/12% parents), small appliances (14% students/ 9% parents), and desktop computers (9% students/4% parents).

The 2015 RBC Student Finances Poll was conducted by Ipsos Reid through a national online survey of 1,003 students aged 17 to 24 and of 1,001 parents of students in post-secondary school (as of September 2015). Data were collected from June 23 to July 7, 2015. The results are based on a sample where quota sampling and weighting are employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual Canadian student population according to Census data. Quota samples with weighting from the Ipsos online panel provide results that are intended to approximate a probability sample. Unweighted, probability samples of this size, with 100 per cent response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of 177 3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, for each sample group. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to, coverage error and measurement error.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Sean Simpson
Vice President
Ipsos Public Affairs
(416) 572-4474
[email protected]

About Ipsos in Canada

Ipsos is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos' marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

To learn more, please visit www.ipsos.ca.

About Ipsos

Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has grown into a worldwide research group with a strong presence in all key markets. Ipsos ranks third in the global research industry.

With offices in 86 countries, Ipsos delivers insightful expertise across six research specializations: advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, public affairs research, and survey management.

Ipsos researchers assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media and they measure public opinion around the globe.

Ipsos has been listed on the Paris Stock Exchange since 1999 and generated global revenues of e1,669.5 ($2,218.4 million) in 2014.

Visit www.ipsos.com to learn more about Ipsos' offerings and capabilities.