Students are Making Academic New Year Resolutions

The new year is the perfect time for everyone to evaluate their goals for the upcoming year and make resolutions to improve. Students are no exception as the winter break often means the start of a new semester and a chance to reinvent their school habits. 

We surveyed 1,000 U.S. students to find out about their academic New Year’s resolutions for 2020. 

“Like many people, students see the new year as an opportunity to hit reset on their schoolwork behaviors and to clarify their goals for the coming semester,” said Eric Oldfield, our Chief Business Officer and father of two school-age daughters. “Students should see this moment as a chance for a clean slate since it is never too late to develop better work habits and to evaluate their goals both in school and for what comes next.”

So how likely are students to make their own academic resolutions this new year? Turns out, pretty darn likely. 

Some 79% of students say they plan on making academic-related New Year’s resolutions this year and 69% of them say they do so every year. They are also pretty confident of their success with a whopping 87% saying they think they will be successful in accomplishing those resolutions.

The top five states where students said they plan on making academic-related New Year’s resolutions for 2020 were: 

1. Texas – 88%
2. Illinois – 87%
3. Mississippi – 85%
4. Nevada – 84%
5. West Virginia – 82%

Here are a few more insights from the study:

• PROCRASTINATION IS THE #1 SUBJECT OF RESOLUTIONS
  It’s no surprise that when asked what their top resolution would be, 35% said they would procrastinate less than they did this year. Some 25% said they would devote more time to studying, 14% said they would like to stay organized, and 12% want to make sure they are turning in assignments on time.
  
  
• GPA BEATS SAT/ACT SCORES BY 46%
  Standardized test scores are important, but for 73% of college-bound (or college hopeful) students, raising their GPA was their #1 focus with improving their SAT/ACT scores trailing at 27%.
  
  
• MORE THAN HALF (53%) WANT TO SLEEP BETTER
  Some 53% of students say that they want to get better sleep, recognizing the importance of rest when it comes to cognition and retention. Similarly, 26% want to get more exercise, 11% wish to stay better hydrated, and 10% want to eat better. I know a few non-students who would feel the same way.
  
  
• MATH IS THE #1 SUBJECT FOR IMPROVEMENT
  When asked about specific subjects students will resolve to improve in, math topped the list with 34% calling it their highest priority. But it is not alone, 22% said they want to improve in English, 21% in science, 15% in history, and 8% in foreign languages. 

Survey Methodology

Brainly used a third party polling site to survey 1,000 American students (ages 13-18) in December 2019. The respondents were a representative sample of the U.S. in terms of population and demographics, and the margin of error was estimated to be approximately 3-4%.