Panetta Institute Survey Shows Record Number of College Students Concerned About the Health of our Democracy — 76% Say They Will Not be able to Achieve the American Dream 82% Believe the President Should Defend and Follow the Constitution

In the Panetta Institute’s 2025 nationwide survey of college students, results show students are deeply concerned about the future of the United States and their own personal prospects for economic security. A record 55% felt that American democracy was not working well, an increase of 9 points from 2024 and a record low in the survey’s twenty-four-year history. Sixty-five percent of college students say that things in the country are off on the wrong track.