Parent Polls

Current Poll

How is your student preparing to return to RIT?

  • Spending time with friends and family 44%
  • Packing 2%
  • Earning money 14%
  • Enjoying downtime 33%
  • They're already at RIT 7%

Previous Polls

How are you supporting your student’s increasing independence this summer?

  • Completing tasks alongside your student 6%
  • Having conversations about expectations and boundaries 19%
  • Letting your student take the lead 75%

Which life skill do you think your student has improved the MOST since starting college?

  • Time management 25%
  • Cooking/meal planning 23%
  • Budgeting 8%
  • Conflict resolution 5%
  • Self-advocacy 38%

Has your student started planning for summer?

  • Yes, they have a plan 73%
  • They’re exploring options 22%
  • Not yet 5%

What’s your preferred way to stay updated about RIT?

  • Newsletters 76%
  • Social media 15%
  • Website 2%
  • Your student 6%

What is your student doing over Spring Break?

  • Vacationing! 19%
  • Staying on campus 11%
  • Going home and relaxing 57%
  • Working 13%

How connected does your student feel to the RIT community?

  • Very connected 52%
  • Moderately connected 32%
  • Slightly connected 14%
  • Not at all connected 3%

Where is your student planning to live next year?

  • Residence hall 9%
  • On-campus apartment 29%
  • Off-campus house/apartment 33%
  • At home 4%
  • My student is graduating! 17%
  • I’m not sure 7%

What does your student primarily do for self-care?

  • Spend time with friends 42%
  • Exercise 19%
  • Do yoga or meditate 1%
  • Work on a hobby 12%
  • Cook 2%
  • Play video games 23%

What most helped your student choose RIT?

  • Touring campus 49%
  • Attending events/open houses 28%
  • Connecting with current students 4%
  • Connecting with faculty/staff 7%
  • Reading about RIT's academic and social scene 12%

Have you asked this semester if your student's budget is still on track?

  • We talked and they are on track 49%
  • We talked and adjustments are needed 11%
  • No, but I plan to 8%
  • No, it's my student's responsibility 19%
  • My student doesn't have a budget 13%

Does your student have a job?

  • Yes, on campus 30%
  • Yes, off campus 9%
  • Yes, both on and off campus 3%
  • No, but they are looking 20%
  • No, my student doesn't work during the semester 37%

Have you discussed your student’s 2025-2026 goals with them?

  • Yes 78%
  • No 22%

What is the primary thing you look for when visiting the RIT parent website?

  • Communications and/or contact information 24%
  • Campus event information 30%
  • The Parent Poll 7%
  • Resources to support my student's academic or social life 39%

How is your student spending the summer?

  • Working a summer job or co-op/internship 71%
  • Taking classes 8%
  • Studying abroad/traveling 3%
  • Job hunting 6%
  • Relaxing 12%

During the spring semester, on what topic regarding your student did you personally contact RIT?

  • Academics 3%
  • Billing 7%
  • Career Planning 2%
  • Financial Aid 6%
  • Mental health and wellness 1%
  • Roommate/housing concern 3%
  • Safety 1%
  • Other 2%
  • I did not contact RIT 74%

When your student has academic concerns, who is typically their first point of contact?

  • Academic advisor 23%
  • Professor 44%
  • Classmate/friend 12%
  • Parent 20%
  • Other RIT staff/office 1%

What is your preferred social media?

  • Facebook 62%
  • Instagram 31%
  • X 3%
  • TikTok 5%

How is your student balancing their academic workload with other responsibilities and activities?

  • They are balancing well 76%
  • They are facing difficulties 15%
  • They are seeking support 6%
  • I don't know 3%

Do you give your student college-related advice at the start of a new semester?

  • Yes, I offer advice freely 51%
  • Yes, only when asked 20%
  • No, it has not gone well in the past 1%
  • It depends on the topic 28%
  • I don't know 0%

After your student receives an undergraduate degree, do you expect them to attend a graduate program?

  • Yes, right away 32%
  • Yes, within a year or two 11%
  • Maybe someday 42%
  • No 15%

How do you keep your student connected to family traditions while they’re away at college?

  • Send familiar or comforting items 10%
  • Share photos of recent or past family gatherings 11%
  • Regular phone and video calls 76%
  • Encourage student to share traditions with friends 3%

Has your student downloaded the TigerSafe app?

  • Yes 29%
  • No 6%
  • I don't know 54%
  • What is the TigerSafe app? 11%

Where or how will your student vote on November 5, 2024?

  • An absentee ballot from their home precinct 66%
  • In person in their home precinct 12%
  • In an RIT-area precinct 4%
  • Not sure 15%
  • My student doesn’t plan to vote 4%

When your student was choosing a major, what information was most important?

  • Interest in the subject 70%
  • Career possibilities 25%
  • Potential salary in the field 4%
  • How it fit with graduate school plans 0%
  • How easy or difficult the subject matter is 0%