Students: Pessimistic, Apathetic, Disillusioned

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- What are they putting in the water at America's institutes of higher learning? According to a poll from Western Illinois University, students are far and away unhappy with the direction of the country, but few consider themselves politically active and about half think they have little or no influence over what's going on in the U.S.

The takeaway from university researchers is distinctly political, since disaffected college students may change the course of the 2012 elections.

A Western Illinois University poll show students unhappy with the direction of the U.S. but not politically active.

"While students were interested in the presidential race, their views remain very much in flux," says Keith Boeckelman, a political science professor at WIU, in a statement. "This uncertainty, combined with a fundamental mistrust of politicians and institutions, could make for a volatile 2012 election season."

But is the study (conducted from Sept. 6 to Oct. 24) really about politics, or is it more a snapshot of an increasingly cynical and indifferent college population that sees its economic future withering through a political prism? The study numbers show that the evidence may lean that way:

• 39% of students say they are politically active (even as 69% say they have an "interest" in politics).
• 52% say they have "little or no" influence on the country's future.
• 62% say the U.S. is on the "wrong track."
• Distrust in Congress is a big issue with collegians, with 21% holding a high opinion of Democrats and 12% happy with Republicans.
• Despite the clamor for change, more students say they would re-elect President Obama (41%) than would replace him (31%).

It seems there's really no 2012 presidential candidate that electrifies college students, a departure from the juice Obama got from college kids in 2008.

"The survey showed support for President Obama has weakened among college students," adds Jongho Lee, associate professor of political science and coordinator of the poll. "Interestingly, no Republican candidate has yet been seen as a viable alternative to President Obama in the eyes of college students, but we are not sure whether young voters are enthusiastic enough about President Obama to show up at the polls in great numbers."

Maybe college students are growing resentful at the dismal job prospects available to them upon graduation and the tens of thousands of dollars in college debt many have looming over them.

After all, the unemployment rate for current college graduates, while better than that for high school graduates and college dropouts, fell again on a year-to-year basis. According to data from Zacks Investment Research, 76.6% of college grads had a job in October 2010 versus 72% in October 2011.

Another report from TwentySomething.com says that 85% of college graduates will have to move back home with mom and dad to make ends meet after earning their degree.

With college tuition rising and U.S. jobs stagnating, you'd think college students -- aka the "Raw Deal" generation -- would be at the front of the line of those clamoring for change in the U.S.

It seems that students admit the ship is on the wrong course, but don't want to change the skipper and show little interest in taking the wheel themselves.

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