Parent Polls

Current Poll

After your student receives an undergraduate degree, do you expect them to attend a graduate program?

  • Yes, right away 30%
  • Yes, within a year or two 12%
  • Maybe someday 44%
  • No 15%

Previous Polls

How do you keep your student connected to family traditions while they’re away at college?

  • Send familiar or comforting items 10%
  • Share photos of recent or past family gatherings 11%
  • Regular phone and video calls 76%
  • Encourage student to share traditions with friends 3%

Has your student downloaded the TigerSafe app?

  • Yes 29%
  • No 6%
  • I don't know 54%
  • What is the TigerSafe app? 11%

Where or how will your student vote on November 5, 2024?

  • An absentee ballot from their home precinct 66%
  • In person in their home precinct 12%
  • In an RIT-area precinct 4%
  • Not sure 15%
  • My student doesn’t plan to vote 4%

When your student was choosing a major, what information was most important?

  • Interest in the subject 70%
  • Career possibilities 25%
  • Potential salary in the field 4%
  • How it fit with graduate school plans 0%
  • How easy or difficult the subject matter is 0%

How are you supporting your student’s increasing independence this summer?

  • Completing tasks alongside your student 10%
  • Letting your student take the lead 69%
  • Having conversations about expectations and boundaries 21%

How do you address mental health and well-being concerns with your student?

  • Wait for your student to bring it up 11%
  • Proactively communicate about mental health with your student 82%
  • Share RIT resources with your student as you find them 4%
  • Outreach to RIT resources on behalf of your student 0%
  • Connect your student to community resources 2%

How is your student primarily spending their summer?

  • Finding a full-time job following graduation 8%
  • Relaxing; taking time off 5%
  • Spending time with friends and family 7%
  • Taking summer courses 8%
  • Traveling 2%
  • Working a co-op or internship 33%
  • Working a summer job 37%

Which of the following life skills does your student need the most guidance in?

  • Financial management 22%
  • Independent living (e.g., cooking, cleaning) 8%
  • Managing stress 25%
  • Organization skills 9%
  • Relationship/social skills 20%
  • Time management 16%

Will or did your student attend the Spring Career Fair on March 6, 2024?

  • Yes 40%
  • No 46%
  • I don't know 15%

What is the most important thing your student looks for in an RIT education?

  • Acquisition of real-world marketable skills 61%
  • A first-rate academic experience 25%
  • Affordability 2%
  • A safe environment to learn and grow 7%
  • Opportunities to engage outside the classroom 4%

What is your student most looking forward to in spring semester?

  • Getting back to classes 36%
  • Seeing friends 33%
  • Starting a new co-op or on-campus job 10%
  • Studying abroad 1%
  • A club, sport, or activity 13%
  • Spring events (e.g., FreezeFest, Imagine RIT, Commencement) 6%

What most helped your student choose RIT?

  • Touring campus 47%
  • Attending events/open houses 29%
  • Connecting with current students 6%
  • Connecting with faculty/staff 7%
  • Reading about RIT's academic and social scene 12%

What topic is most difficult for you to discuss with your student?

  • Academics 6%
  • Finances 8%
  • Career/Co-op 6%
  • Romantic relationships 48%
  • Mental health/wellness 19%
  • Future plans 14%

Where does most of your student’s spending money (for non-academic expenses) come from?

  • I provide it 20%
  • They save from a summer job 46%
  • They work during the academic year 23%
  • Gifts and savings 11%
  • I don't know 0%

Does your student have a job?

  • Yes, on campus 27%
  • Yes, off campus 11%
  • Yes, both on and off campus 4%
  • No, but they are looking 18%
  • No, my student doesn't work during the semester 40%

What makes RIT unique to your family?

  • Academic reputation 28%
  • Co-op experience 54%
  • Involvement opportunities 4%
  • Location 4%
  • School spirit 1%
  • Size and diversity 4%
  • NTID 4%

What is the primary thing you look for when visiting the RIT parent website?

  • Communications and/or contact information 25%
  • Information on health and safety on-campus 1%
  • Campus event information 29%
  • Resources to support my student’s academic or social life 34%
  • The Parent Poll 10%

How will your student spend the summer?

  • Working a summer job or co-op/internship 76%
  • Taking classes 5%
  • Studying abroad/traveling 4%
  • Relaxing 11%
  • Other 5%

What is the primary reason your student chose RIT?

  • Academic program 60%
  • Co-op experience 26%
  • Involvement opportunities 1%
  • Athletics 1%
  • The community or feel 9%
  • Proximity to home 2%

What does your student primarily do for self-care?

  • Spend time with friends 33%
  • Exercise 23%
  • Do yoga or meditate 0%
  • Cook 4%
  • Work on a hobby 12%
  • Play video games 28%

What is the most important thing a student should do to prepare for the upcoming Career Fair?

  • Write/revise their resume 39%
  • Write/revise their cover letter 1%
  • Meet with their career service coordinator 29%
  • Practice their elevator pitch 27%
  • Iron their dress clothes 4%

Has your student joined a club or organization?

  • Yes, several 17%
  • Yes, one or two 55%
  • No 24%
  • I don't know 4%

What is your student most looking forward to in spring semester?

  • Getting back to classes 36%
  • Seeing friends 35%
  • Starting a new co-op or on-campus job 10%
  • Studying abroad 1%
  • A club, sport, or activity 11%
  • Spring events (e.g., FreezeFest, Imagine RIT, Commencement) 6%

When your student has academic concerns, who is typically their first point of contact?

  • Academic advisor 20%
  • Classmate/friend 11%
  • Parent 19%
  • Professor 31%
  • Other RIT staff/office 0%
  • I don't know 19%