Though Harvard University’s graduating class will soon be have a degree from one of the most esteemed schools in the world, they will enter the world of work about as horny – and slightly more high – than the average American 22-year-old, according to an annual survey of students.
Nearly half of Harvard’s graduating class – 760 people – responded to the anonymous emailed survey, but not everyone answered every question. The results were published by the school newspaper, the Harvard Crimson.
While nearly a quarter of students said they had not had sex while attending the school, 26% said they had 10 or more partners during their time in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Fewer members of the class of 2015 reported having sex while attending school than last year – 21% of 758 respondents from the 2014 graduating class said they were virgins. According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey from 2006 to 2008, nearly 27% of Americans between age 20 and 24 had not had sex.
One thing respondents did unite around was drinking – 60% of students said they imbibed at least once week. At least 40%, meanwhile, said they had tried smoking marijuana at least once. According to a 2013 Gallup survey, only 36% of Americans between 18 to 29 have done so.
Meanwhile, 7% of respondents said they had tried cocaine or ecstasy and 8% said they had tried psychedelic drugs.
From sex to economics, the survey responses portrayed an economically advantaged group still working to overcome diversity issues.
Only 21% of respondents said they or their family was in debt from college-related costs. Many were leaving with considerable job security – 41% of respondents said their starting salary would be more than $70,000 and 8% were leaving college knowing they would be making $110,000.
Nearly half of all respondents reported a combined family income of $125,000 a year – about 15% of US households earn that much, according to the US census. The majority of students from less wealthy backgrounds – 67% – reported feeling marginalized because of their economic status.
The group that felt most marginalized, however, was black students – 74% said they felt marginalized because of their race. Other ethnic groups reported similar experiences: 40% of Hispanic students and 54% of east Asians said they felt marginalized.
Harvard’s commencement ceremony is on Thursday. Former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick is set to deliver the address.
