The Dodd
SEPTEMBER 15, 2002
The Internet Goes to College
How students are living in the future with today’s technology
Principal author: Steve Jones, Senior Research Fellow
Pew Internet Project Survey Analysis: Mary Madden, Research Specialist Research assistants: Lisa N. Clarke Sabryna Cornish Margaret Gonzales Camille Johnson Jessica N. Lawson Smret Smith Sarah Hendrica Bickerton Megan Hansen Guenther Lengauer Luciana Oliveria Wendy Prindle James Pyfer Pew Internet & American Life Project Lee Rainie, Director 1100 Connecticut Avenue, NW – Suite 710 Washington, D.C. 20036 202-296-0019 http://www.pewinternet.org/
Summary of Findings
College students are early adopters and heavy users of the Internet College students are heavy users of the Internet compared to the general population. Use of the Internet is a part of college students’ daily routine, in part because they have grown up with computers. It is integrated into their daily communication habits and has become a technology as ordinary as the telephone or television. ! One-fifth (20%) of today’s college students began using computers between the ages of 5 and 8. By the time they were 16 to 18 years old all of today’s current college students had begun using computers – and the Internet was a commonplace in the world in which they lived. ! Eighty-six percent of college students have gone online, compared with 59% of the general population. ! College students are frequently looking for email, with 72% checking email at least once a day. ! About half (49%) first began using the Internet in college; half (47%) first began using it at home before they arrived at college. ! The great majority (85%) of college students own their own computer, and twothirds (66%) use at least two email addresses. ! Seventy-eight percent of college Internet users say that at one time or another they have gone online just to browse for fun, compared to 64% of all Internet users. ! College Internet users are twice as likely to have ever
The Internet Goes to College
How students are living in the future with today’s technology
Principal author: Steve Jones, Senior Research Fellow
Pew Internet Project Survey Analysis: Mary Madden, Research Specialist Research assistants: Lisa N. Clarke Sabryna Cornish Margaret Gonzales Camille Johnson Jessica N. Lawson Smret Smith Sarah Hendrica Bickerton Megan Hansen Guenther Lengauer Luciana Oliveria Wendy Prindle James Pyfer Pew Internet & American Life Project Lee Rainie, Director 1100 Connecticut Avenue, NW – Suite 710 Washington, D.C. 20036 202-296-0019 http://www.pewinternet.org/
Summary of Findings
College students are early adopters and heavy users of the Internet College students are heavy users of the Internet compared to the general population. Use of the Internet is a part of college students’ daily routine, in part because they have grown up with computers. It is integrated into their daily communication habits and has become a technology as ordinary as the telephone or television. ! One-fifth (20%) of today’s college students began using computers between the ages of 5 and 8. By the time they were 16 to 18 years old all of today’s current college students had begun using computers – and the Internet was a commonplace in the world in which they lived. ! Eighty-six percent of college students have gone online, compared with 59% of the general population. ! College students are frequently looking for email, with 72% checking email at least once a day. ! About half (49%) first began using the Internet in college; half (47%) first began using it at home before they arrived at college. ! The great majority (85%) of college students own their own computer, and twothirds (66%) use at least two email addresses. ! Seventy-eight percent of college Internet users say that at one time or another they have gone online just to browse for fun, compared to 64% of all Internet users. ! College Internet users are twice as likely to have ever