Corporate-Focused Ivy League Students Might Change Your Assumptions About Gen Z

We recently brought you a story outlining the growing trend of young adults who are bypassing four-year universities to pursue a trade job that they hope will result in higher pay, lower debt, and more job security in the long run.

But among those who are attending college (particularly elite universities), there’s something to be learned from the majors many of them are choosing.

Idealism vs. reality

You’ve probably seen coverage of protests by activists on the campuses of colleges nationwide. And while this has become a focus of many students, the majority are far more worried about more personal issues — like increasing the odds of finding financial security after graduation.

Not only has that led to a spike in the number of students pursuing an education in the finance and tech sectors, but this sentiment is also apparent in the way many young adults talk about their future.

There’s an assumption among some folks that Generation Z is more focused on global issues like the environment than they are about getting rich — but the stats don’t back that up:

• The number of students who want to be “very well off financially” began increasing substantially in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
• That share of college freshmen continued to grow since then, but has increased even more rapidly over the past five years.
• At Harvard, the share of graduates entering the finance and consulting industry has been 40% or higher for two years.

These students have their own reasons for prioritizing wealth. Some want to ensure their massive tuition costs aren’t wasted, some hope to donate large sums to charity, while others simply want to live a comfortable life.

The undeniable truth, however, is that Gen Z, just like the generations before it, is all about — as the kids say — that guap.

Chris Agee May 23rd, 2024

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