Leading Research

When and Why Students Switch College Majors - Sallie

Abigail Mills — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 14:46:29 GMT

Picking a major is a big decision, and plenty of students see it differently once the coursework gets real. Some stick with their choice, others make a change, and many wonder how that decision will affect the job they land. To see how that plays out, Sallie conducted a survey of 1,007 current undergraduates and recent graduates about how they chose their college major, what made them reconsider, and what happened after they made a change.

The responses map when second-guessing tends to start, which fields see the most students reconsider their path, whether switching pays off, and how AI is working its way into the decision. If you're weighing a change yourself, the patterns can help you time it and weigh the potential costs before you commit.

What Gen Z is Saying About Internships - Sallie

Abigail Mills — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 14:26:49 GMT

Internships can strengthen both a student's resume and their confidence heading into the job market. But securing an internship can also be difficult. Many students say the process feels competitive and confusing, and wish they had more guidance on how internships work. Sallie surveyed 501 Gen Z college students and recent graduates to learn more about internships today and what current students would tell others about landing one.

The College Move-In Spending Report - Sallie

Abigail Mills — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 17:33:11 GMT

The cost of college goes far beyond tuition. College families spent an average of $34,019 on college during the 2025-26 academic year, according to Sallie's "How America Pays for College 2026" study. That total reflects the full cost of attendance, including housing, books, transportation, and other everyday expenses.

To better understand one piece of that spending, we conducted a separate survey of 989 current U.S. college students about move-in costs, how they paid for them, and which purchases they considered worthwhile. The numbers show where families can plan ahead, and where a little budgeting goes a long way.

How Gen Z Is Making The Case For Graduate School In 2026 - Sallie

Abigail Mills — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 16:14:47 GMT

Gen Z is heading back to school with a plan. Sallie surveyed 500 U.S. Gen Z college students and recent college graduates, all of whom are currently enrolled in graduate school, planning to enroll within the next 12 months, or actively considering it, to understand how they're approaching this decision right now. What emerged is a picture of a generation that's clear-eyed about the value of advanced education.

The Freshman Advice Report - Sallie

Abigail Mills — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 19:44:36 GMT

Ask anyone a few years past their first semester what advice they would give to incoming college freshmen, and it’s rarely about grades. The advice tends to be more about pacing yourself, building good study habits, and asking for help, the kind of thing that's easy to see clearly only in hindsight.

Sallie's Freshman Advice Report, a survey of 529 current college students and recent graduates, asked what they most wish they'd known before freshman year of college, including the habits worth building early, the campus resources worth using sooner, and how AI is changing the guidance they'd give. Their answers add up to a practical playbook for students just starting out.

How Scholarship Essays Affect Scholarship Searches and Applications - Sallie

Abigail Mills — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 13:23:30 GMT

Writing a scholarship essay isn't just an academic exercise. For many students, it means deciding what parts of their lives to put on the page and often weighing whether their experiences feel "big enough" to compete. To better understand student perspectives, Sallie surveyed 503 U.S. students who have written scholarship application essays about what they share in their essays, how the writing process feels, and how essay requirements are affecting their scholarship search.

The Scholarship Winner Playbook - Sallie

Abigail Mills — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 20:06:42 GMT

If you've ever wondered what could improve your odds of winning a scholarship, then you've landed in the right place. Sallie surveyed 511 U.S. scholarship applicants, including students who had won at least one award and students who had applied but never won, to identify the patterns and behaviors most commonly associated with scholarship success. A handful of habits around timing, volume and persistence showed up consistently among winners.

The Financial Aid Myth Report: What to Know Before You Apply - Sallie

Abigail Mills — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 15:36:44 GMT

Paying for college is full of decisions, and many of them hinge on what families believe they qualify for. Misunderstandings about financial aid eligibility, especially around the FAFSA^® and the federal aid it unlocks, can shape choices about which schools to consider, how much to borrow, and whether college even feels possible.

Where is AI Education Funding Growing Fastest by State? - Sallie

Abigail Mills — Thu, 21 May 2026 14:43:24 GMT

This new Sallie report focuses on AI-related education funding awarded to U.S. colleges, universities, and research institutions, as reported by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The funding data we analyzed includes research grants, education programs, fellowships, and scholarship programs that reference artificial intelligence or related fields.

The Grad School Confidence Report - Sallie

Abigail Mills — Mon, 11 May 2026 16:31:48 GMT

Graduate school marks a major step, and for many students, it brings a wave of decisions around cost, timing, and career direction. Students often focus on long-term career goals, but the expenses, time demands, and impact on work-life balance tend to surface once classes begin.

To better understand that transition, Sallie surveyed 543 U.S. graduate students, both currently enrolled and recently graduated, about how prepared they felt at the start and how confident they feel today. The results show that students who enter grad school with a clear financial plan and a strong sense of direction feel more in control from day one.