Survey Finds College Students Lack Basic Civic Literacy and Knowledge on Election Day

A recent survey conducted by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni has revealed a troubling trend among college students – a lack of basic civil literacy. With Election Day approaching, the survey found that many students are ill-informed about America’s history and government procedures, raising concerns about their readiness to participate in the democratic process.

The survey, which included over 3,000 undergraduate students, uncovered alarming statistics. Only 31% knew that James Madison was a Founding Father of the Constitution, and 60% were unable to identify the term lengths for members of the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives. Additionally, a significant number of students were unaware of key political figures, such as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Mike Johnson.

This lack of civic knowledge has been attributed to deficiencies in the education system, both at the grade school level and in higher education. According to political science professor Nicholas Giordano, many students arrive at college without ever having taken a government class or studied the U.S. Constitution. Steve McGuire, a fellow with ACTA, emphasized the need for educational reform, particularly in regards to civics education.

One solution proposed by McGuire is to hold colleges and universities accountable for teaching essential subjects like U.S. history and government. ACTA’s initiative, “What Will They Learn?”, evaluates institutions based on their commitment to these subjects, and has found that less than 20% of analyzed institutions require students to take courses in these areas before graduation.

As the country grapples with the implications of a politically uninformed youth population, the importance of civic education has never been more apparent. With Election Day looming, efforts to improve civil literacy among college students are crucial in ensuring the future health of our democracy.