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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| What do young Harvard graduates believe? | What do young Harvard graduates believe? |
| (4 months later) | |
| What are the views and experiences of the bright young things leaving Harvard University this summer? | What are the views and experiences of the bright young things leaving Harvard University this summer? |
| These will be the movers and shakers in US society in the years ahead, many of them about to step into influential jobs in business and government. | These will be the movers and shakers in US society in the years ahead, many of them about to step into influential jobs in business and government. |
| Harvard's campus newspaper, The Crimson, has provided a fascinating snapshot of this young US elite, based on a sample of about half of this year's leavers. | |
| How do these offspring of the internet age view the world? | How do these offspring of the internet age view the world? |
| Perhaps most startling - and saying something about the pressures and practices of modern students - 42% had sought mental health counselling during their time at Harvard. | Perhaps most startling - and saying something about the pressures and practices of modern students - 42% had sought mental health counselling during their time at Harvard. |
| This is a profile of a year group by numbers - so there's no commentary to explain these figures. | This is a profile of a year group by numbers - so there's no commentary to explain these figures. |
| But if these are going to be the politicians and financial leaders of the future, there are 17% who admitted to cheating during their studies. And they were suspicious of each other, estimating that 53% of their classmates had cheated. | But if these are going to be the politicians and financial leaders of the future, there are 17% who admitted to cheating during their studies. And they were suspicious of each other, estimating that 53% of their classmates had cheated. |
| Private lives | Private lives |
| Among those planning to enter government or politics, 39% have used marijuana while students. | Among those planning to enter government or politics, 39% have used marijuana while students. |
| There are 15% of Harvard graduates who are gay - and this survey shows widespread acceptance of same-sex marriage. | There are 15% of Harvard graduates who are gay - and this survey shows widespread acceptance of same-sex marriage. |
| Among college leavers who identify themselves as "conservative or very conservative" there are 59% who support same-sex marriage. | Among college leavers who identify themselves as "conservative or very conservative" there are 59% who support same-sex marriage. |
| In terms of politics, 80% of these youngsters who voted said they backed former Harvard student, Barack Obama at the 2012 presidential election. | In terms of politics, 80% of these youngsters who voted said they backed former Harvard student, Barack Obama at the 2012 presidential election. |
| They are much more liberal than the general population - with 59% describing themselves as liberal or very liberal, compared with 14% who are conservative or very conservative. | They are much more liberal than the general population - with 59% describing themselves as liberal or very liberal, compared with 14% who are conservative or very conservative. |
| These graduates are also an example of a deep geographical divide, which in turn represents a social divide. They are disproportionately likely to come from four places - New York, Washington DC, Massachusetts or California. | These graduates are also an example of a deep geographical divide, which in turn represents a social divide. They are disproportionately likely to come from four places - New York, Washington DC, Massachusetts or California. |
| And a huge 64% of them intended to live in one of these four clusters. | And a huge 64% of them intended to live in one of these four clusters. |
| In terms of career aspirations, the most popular destinations are finance, consultancy and technology. | In terms of career aspirations, the most popular destinations are finance, consultancy and technology. |
| Only 26% of people planning to go into finance described themselves as "liberal or very liberal". | Only 26% of people planning to go into finance described themselves as "liberal or very liberal". |
| In this mosaic of US identity, fewer than two in five, 38%, are atheists or agnostic. | In this mosaic of US identity, fewer than two in five, 38%, are atheists or agnostic. |
| There are contrasting experiences among their private lives. There are 21% who will leave university as virgins - while 12% claim to have more more than 10 sexual partners while students. | There are contrasting experiences among their private lives. There are 21% who will leave university as virgins - while 12% claim to have more more than 10 sexual partners while students. |
| The most typical response was to have had two sexual partners while at university. | The most typical response was to have had two sexual partners while at university. |
| Among male students, 48% said they regularly watched pornography, while 59% of female students said they never watched pornography. | Among male students, 48% said they regularly watched pornography, while 59% of female students said they never watched pornography. |
| For both male and female students, social life often involved drinking alcohol. | For both male and female students, social life often involved drinking alcohol. |
| More than a third of ethnic minority students reported feeling "marginalised because of their race" while at university. | More than a third of ethnic minority students reported feeling "marginalised because of their race" while at university. |
| It represents a fragmented view of America's gilded youth, the people who could be mid-century US leaders - not really fitting into any neat categories and with sharply polarised personal experiences. | It represents a fragmented view of America's gilded youth, the people who could be mid-century US leaders - not really fitting into any neat categories and with sharply polarised personal experiences. |