Poll: Parents say colleges losing focus, need to shift from politics to academics
Harvard University. / Credit: Jon Bilous/Shutterstock
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 29, 2025 / 11:42 am (CNA).
This week a national education nonprofit group revealed the results of a survey conducted with parents across the country about issues in higher education in the United States. Defending Education polled parents of teen and young adult children ages 15–21, asking them their views on hot-button topics related to colleges and universities today.
“This new poll shows that parents believe colleges and universities have lost focus,” Paul Runko, the director of strategic initiatives at Defending Education, told CNA. “They are expressing concern about campus climates and calling for environments free from political extremism and ideological agendas.”
The survey, conducted from May 9–15, queried 1,000 randomly selected participants from across the country. Of the participants, 34% reported they are located in the South, 20% in the Northeast, 23% in the Midwest, and 23% in the West.
The majority of respondents classified themselves as white (66%) and most said they practice some form of Christianity (65%). More than half (56%) said they voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 general election. The group surveyed was made up of 43% Republicans, 34% Democrats, and 21% independents.
Parents were asked how they would characterize political leanings on the typical American college campus and 41% said it is moderate, 28% said left leaning, 25% said right leaning, and 6% responded nonpolitical.
While the respondents reported different political views, the majority (69%) said they support disciplining students for disrupting campus events they disagree with.
The survey asked the participants a number of questions about higher education within the categories of sex and gender, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), antisemitism, freedom of speech, foreign funding in schools, foreign and out-of-state students, academic instruction, and student loans.
“Parents with children aged 15–21 are the very families that colleges and universities are trying to attract,” Runko told CNA. “These parents are having real conversations with their students right now about where they will attend college … If a university’s values are in conflict with their own, particularly on issues of faith and morals, they will look elsewhere.”
Defending Education found that 60% of survey participants oppose schools allowing biological males who identify as female to participate in women’s collegiate sports. Of self-identified Catholic parents, 54% said they oppose the practice.
The study also found that 61% of parents oppose colleges allowing biological males who identify as females to use female restrooms on campus. Just under half (48%) of parents said they “strongly oppose” it and 57% of Catholic parents said they oppose it.
Of the participants, 59% said they support students being paired with other students for on campus housing based on the same “biological sex” rather than “gender identity.” The survey showed that 58% of Catholic parents support this.
The survey also examined parents’ views on DEI policies at universities and found that a slight majority of the respondents overall disagree with DEI initiatives.
More than half (54%) of parents oppose universities prioritizing race when awarding scholarships. Catholic parents are split on the issue, with 49% opposed and 49% in support.
The majority (57%) of parents oppose the practice of universities holding graduation ceremonies for students of a particular race, such as a Black-only or Hispanic-only student commencements.
Participants were also asked about antisemitism on campuses today. The survey found that 67% of parents support universities offering or requiring training for faculty to properly address and identify antisemitism and Jewish discrimination.
The survey asked about foreign funding and policies and found the vast majority of parents (82%) agreed that universities should be required to disclose when they accept money from foreign governments.
A total of 79% of parents also said they agree that American students should be prioritized in the admissions process over foreign students and 76% agree that at public universities, in-state students should be prioritized over out-of-state students.
Most participants (87%) said a university’s core curriculum or required classes that are not specifically related to a student’s career path are important to consider. The majority of Catholic participants (91%) reported that this is important.
The survey stated that Ivy League schools are launching “remedial math” courses since high school graduates are not prepared for college level math and 84% responded that this is “concerning.”
Almost all survey participants (95%) agreed that the cost of tuition is an important factor when deciding on a college. More than half (65%) of parents responded that they or someone in their family has completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form to determine eligibility for student financial aid.
Participants were also asked their opinions regarding student loan debt. Over half (53%) responded that they believe “student loan debt puts a financial burden on borrowers and relieving that burden could boost economic growth.”
Of Catholic parents, 68% said they agree that colleges should be responsible for loans that students do not pay off because their college experience and degree did not adequately prepare them for a career after graduation.
In a statement about the survey’s results, Runko said: “It’s no surprise that American parents and students expect a college experience that is academically rigorous, open to diverse viewpoints, and focused on preparing graduates for meaningful careers.”
“Historically, colleges were viewed by the public, including parents, as places of academic excellence and character formation,” he continued. “Ten years ago, higher education as an institution had broad public confidence.”
He added: “This poll is not just a small sample of public opinion, this is a wake-up call for university leaders across the country. Parents are demanding universities restore transparency, protect free expression, and refocus on academic excellence.”