Millennials are the smartest, richest generation — but they have it worse than their parents.
Gen Z is also the smartest and best educated generation. Having an unlimited wealth of information at our disposal has not gone to waste. In America, 57 percent of Gen Z is reported to have enrolled in a two-year or four-year college, compared to 52 percent of Millenials and 43 percent of Gen X.
Millennial Education and the Workplace
Millennials are the most educated generation ever.
Generation Z students are on track to become the most educated generation. They have higher high school graduation rates and lower dropout rates than those who came before. In 2018, 57% of 18 to 21-year olds were in college, compared with 52% of Millennials, and 43% of Gen Xers at similar ages.
According to a recent survey of 1,300 managers, three out of four agree that Gen Z is harder to work with than other generations — so much so that 65% of employers said they have to fire them more often.
Gen Z has been called the 'most depressed generation' with the least positive outlook and diminished emotional and social well-being. They have more unmet social needs than any other generation. The statistics for their behavioural-health issues – mental and substance disorders – are alarming.
Generation Z (Gen Z) is currently between 10 and 25 years old, born between 1997 and 2012, and research suggests that they are the most anxious generation to date.
Gen Zers Are Independent learners make up this generation
—they are all about the pursuit of knowledge. This generation was born with the internet and social media; the experiences they encountered as children helped them gain early expertise with digital tools allowing them to be self-reliant as well as collaborative.
Gen Z Terms and Definitions
Pew Research recently defined Gen Z as anyone born 1997 onwards. Gen Z grew up with technology, the internet, and social media, which sometimes causes them to be stereotyped as tech-addicted, anti-social, or “social justice warriors.”
Millennials (and the kids born after them) are currently being called the “unhealthiest generation” in human history—facing diagnoses, mysterious illnesses and conditions that our ancestors or their parents never faced.
With every new generation, the Smithsonian has averaged that our IQ goes up 9 points! For example, generations ago, certain plants were found to be poisonous. At the time, that knowledge did not yet exist. It wasn't until people died from eating these plants that this information became common knowledge.
The Greatest generation, those born 1901 to 1927, are known to have been born and come of age in the “American Century” of economic growth, technological progress, and mostly military triumph.
A study by the Journal of Psychology and Aging found baby boomers are the most sensitive generation.
Let's face it: Generation Z students have more tools at their disposal than previous generations. They grew up with the internet, after all. That means they have — and are familiar with — more tools to prepare for college. These tools give Generation Zers the power to research where they want to attend school.
An average IQ score is between 85 and 115. 68% of IQ scores fall within one standard deviation of the mean. That means that the majority of people have an IQ score between 85 and 115.
Gen Xers would come to be known as one of the “least parented, least nurtured generations in U.S. history,” with parents divorcing at historic rates as both mom and dad worked in pursuit of an American Dream.
18% of Gen Z reported an anxiety disorder diagnosis, and 23% reported they had been diagnosed with depression. 15% of Gen Xers, 14% of Millennials, 12% of Boomers, and 4% of older adults reported being diagnosed with depression.
The U.S. birthrate is at its lowest since the 1970s, and that's because more American millennials and Gen Z are deciding not to have kids than previous generations.
Their embrace of unorthodox learning methods partly stems from the vast adjustments they've made during the pandemic, as remote learning and new ways of gaining an education became standard. Not only is Gen Z more likely to go to college, but its members are on track to become the most educated generation yet.
Gen Z parents see many advantages to being a younger parent—all revolving around the ability to be a better parent to their child. They are less concerned with how it may impact the plans they have for their own lives. It's not about the personal benefits for themselves.
And it looks like Gen Z is indeed shaping up to be a homebody generation as well: Looking at their favorite activities by age, 13-18-year-olds are the most likely to say they “go out with friends” for fun in an average night, but playing video or mobile tops their list, followed by watching TV or movies.
Students fear a lack of finances and fulfilment
The greatest fears for Generation Z centre on not achieving their hopes and dreams for the future.
#1 - Reflecting and Reevaluating. Many Gen Zs are worried about the future, according to a study by Cigna. In fact, 65% of employees say they have spent increased time evaluating their life priorities compared with two years ago—and this number is higher among Gen Z—at 71%.
The biggest mental health issue Gen Z deals with is anxiety. Nine out of ten Gen Z with diagnosed mental health conditions struggle with anxiety, and nearly eight out of ten (78%) are battling depression. Other mental health conditions the generation faces are ADHD (27%), PTSD (20%), and OCD (17%).