6 Key College Experiences Students Need to Succeed

Through the Gallup-Purdue Index, Gallup has learned a lot about well-being—specifically the six key undergraduate experiences students must have to succeed after college.

Gallup lists the experiences:

1. I had at least one professor at [college] who made me excited about learning.
2. My professor(s) at [college] cared about me as a person.
3. I had a mentor who encouraged me to pursue my goals and dreams.
4. I worked on a project that took a semester or more to complete.
5. I had an internship or job that allowed me to apply what I was learning in the classroom.
6. I was extremely active in extracurricular activities and organizations while I attended [college].

Now, in an article on the Gallup website, Gallup and Strada Education Network describe how they’ve surveyed current students to find out what drives their well-being.

Students Too

According to the Strada-Gallup 2017 College Student Survey

, the No. 1 reason students pursue higher education is to get a good job. With that in mind, it’s no wonder that students have a greater sense of well-being when their future careers are considered in their collegiate experience by, for example, having coursework that aligns with their professional goals.

Gallup writes, “Students who agree that the knowledge and skills they are learning in their coursework will be relevant in the workplace are considerably more likely to agree that they have the opportunity to do what they do best every day and feel more confident in their future career outcomes.

“This is also true for those who agree that the faculty and staff at their school are committed to helping students find a rewarding career.”

The research shows that students’ well-being is driven by “the degree to which a student agrees” with the following statement: I “have the opportunity to do what [I] do best every day.”

Gallup recommends that colleges consider how they can intentionally create more connections between the college experiences of students and the careers they hope to pursue.

It also notes that career conversations may expose students to professional options they didn’t know about or hadn’t considered.

Read more at Gallup.