Landmark Survey: Record-Low Number of High School Seniors Partying

American students are focused on finances, not partying

WASHINGTON, DC – Today’s students are worried about how they will afford their college education, not finding the next party, according to results from the University of California, Los Angeles’ annual survey of the nation’s entering students at four-year colleges and universities. 

The survey reflected that the percentage of college freshmen who spent 6 or more hours “partying” in a typical week during their senior year of high school reached a record low in 2013. Down 6 percent from 2012, 12.9 percent of the freshmen reported “partying,” a 65 percent decline since 1987, when the question was first asked.

“Brewers and beer importers work closely in communities across the country to reduce underage drinking,” said Chris Thorne, vice president of communications at the Beer Institute. “We know there is more work to be done to educate young people about making responsible choices, but we are pleased to see most students saying no to drinking. The beer industry is committed to continuing our partnerships and support of educators, parents, retailers, law enforcement and community leaders to further reduce these trends.”

It was also revealed that 35 percent of college freshmen reported drinking beer in 2013, down 53 percent from its peak in 1982 (73.7 percent).

The Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP), which began in 1966, is the longest-running study of behavior among college freshmen in the country. Drawn from a national survey of full-time, first-year students entering four-year colleges and universities, the study provides insight into the mind of the American college freshman on everything from emotional well-being to post-graduate priorities and drinking habits.

To learn more about what brewers and beer importers are doing to reduce underage drinking, visit www.beerinstitute.org/responsibility.  

To view a copy of the report, visit www.heri.ucla.edu.

The 2013 Freshman Norms report is based on the responses of 165,743 first-time, full-time students entering 234 four-year colleges and universities of varying levels of selectivity and type in the United States. These data have been statistically weighted to reflect the approximately 1.5 million first-time, full-time students entering 1,583 four-year colleges and universities across the country in 2013. Since 1966, the first year the survey was conducted, more than 15 million students have completed CIRP surveys at 1,900 colleges and universities. The CIRP Freshman Survey is the largest and longest-running survey of American college students.

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The Beer Institute is the national trade association for the American brewing industry, representing both large and small brewers, as well as importers and industry suppliers. First founded in 1863 as the U.S. Brewers Association, the Beer Institute is committed today to the development of sound public policy and to the values of civic duty and personal responsibility: www.BeerInstitute.org. Connect with us @BeerInstitute and on Facebook.