According to a new survey, many college grads just entering the “real world” are finding there’s no place like home.
The non-scientific poll of 2,000 recent grads, commissioned by Experian Boost, revealed 30% are moving back in with mom and dad to save money. Thirty-one percent say even if they’re not moving back under their parents’ roof, they’re at least headed back to their hometowns for the same reason.
Why is it happening? For a start, eighty-one percent say the pandemic made it harder to find a job. Seventy percent of those polled say real-world issues like paying rent and other bills has them feeling overwhelmed, and 32% admit they’ve put off trying to pay down their student debt.
Thirty-nine percent say they’re worried about having bad credit, with 30% of respondents saying their credit is too bad to get a loan, and 28% saying they can’t get an apartment because of their credit score.
Unsurprisingly, eighty-one percent say they wish they were taught more life skills before they donned their cap and gown. Seventeen percent admitted they don’t know how to cook or do their own laundry, while more than a quarter of those polled say they’re clueless when it comes to adulting challenges like unclogging a toilet or resetting their Wi-Fi router.
That said, 84% of men and 78% of women polled say they’re currently employed in their field of study from college — and 74% of all respondents say they’re feeling hopeful for the future.