A Gen Z Guide to Success: After College Insights| Annat Shrabstein

The transition from college to adulthood has dramatically transformed over recent decades, with financial independence, full-time employment, and independent living occurring much later for today's graduates than their 1980s counterparts. Yet despite these shifting timelines, Sallie Mae's latest research reveals that higher education continues to deliver tremendous value for Gen Z.

According to Annat Shrabstein, Senior Director of Consumer Insights & Brand Strategy at Sallie Mae, their "How America Succeeds After College 2025" report uncovers interesting insights about what success truly means for recent graduates. Research reveals a significant shift in how Gen Z defines post-college success, balancing financial health, mental wellbeing, and career satisfaction in a world where traditional adulthood milestones are happening later than ever. The data challenges common assumptions about higher education's value while highlighting critical opportunities to better prepare students for life after graduation.

• Only 25% of 21-year-olds in 2021 were financially independent, compared to 42% in 1980
• 90% of recent graduates report positive college experiences, with 70% believing education was worth the cost
• 74% of grads who used student loans say they would have rather borrowed than not gone to college 
• Students who use career services are significantly more likely to find jobs in their field
• 64% of graduates wish they had fully engaged in all their college had to offer
• Having a mentor is the attribute most strongly associated with post-college success
• Almost two-thirds of recent graduates are living with parents two years after college

Visit salliemae.com to access college planning tools including Scholly Scholarship Search, Scout College Search, step-by-step FAFSA guides, and research reports. Email lisa@drlisahassler.com to share stories about what's working in your schools.

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Transcript

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Redefining Success After College

Dr. Lisa Hassler 0:19

What does life really look like after college for today's young adults , and how far is it from what we had imagined for them ? In a world where financial independence , full-time work and even moving out are happening later than ever, understanding how Gen Z defines success is the first step in helping them thrive .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 0:45

Welcome to The Brighter Side of Education , Research , Innovation and Resources . I'm your host , Dr . Lisa Hassler , here to enlighten and brighten the classrooms in America through focused conversation on important topics in education . In each episode , I discuss problems we as teachers and parents are facing and what people are doing in their communities to fix it . What are the variables and how can we duplicate it to maximize student outcomes ?

Dr. Lisa Hassler 1:11

Let's start today's episode by examining a critical question many families and educators are asking, "what happens after college and how well are we preparing our students for that transition ? For years , the emphasis in education has been on getting to college , but as more students graduate into an uncertain economy and shifting workforce , it's essential to ask what comes next

Dr. Lisa Hassler 1:31

In 2021 , a Pew Research study found that 61% of young adults felt that their college education was very or somewhat useful in preparing them for their job or career , but nearly 40% expressed concerns about their readiness for the real world , including financial independence and emotional resilience

Dr. Lisa Hassler 1:49

.

Dr. Lisa Hassler 1:49

These concerns are grounded in measurable generational shifts . A 2023 analysis of Census Bureau data by the Pew Research Center revealed that today's young adults are less likely to reach early adulthood milestones than their counterparts in 1980 . Just 25% of 21-year-olds in 2021 were financially independent , compared to 42% in 1980 . Only 39% had full-time jobs , down from 64% , and significant gaps remain in areas like independent living , marriage and parenthood , even by the age of 25 . Still , it's important to note that these comparisons aren't always apples to apples . Life choices today are shaped by a complex mix of economic conditions , shifting societal norms and evolving personal priorities . What's defined as success in 1980 may not hold the same relevance or feasibility for Gen Z navigating today's realities . That's where Sallie Mae new report How America Succeeds After College 2025 , becomes essential . It captures how recent graduates are defining success on their own terms , what they wish they had done differently , and what role educators and families can play in helping students transition more smoothly into life after college .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 3:02

Today's conversation is about bridging that gap between a rapidly changing world and the tools we give young people to succeed in it . To help us make sense of the shifting post-college landscape and what it means for students , families and educators . I'm thrilled to welcome Annat Shrabstein to the podcast . Annat is the Director of Consumer Insights at Sallie Mae , where she leads efforts to better understand how students and families are experiencing the journey through and beyond higher education . Their latest national report How America Succeeds After College 2025 , offers a timely , in-depth look at how the recent Gen Z graduates are navigating life after college , from their evolving definitions of success to their financial and academic decisions that shape their outcomes . What's particularly compelling is how this research doesn't just present the data . It gives us actionable insight into how we can better support students before they even step foot on campus . Annat , thank you for being here today and for bringing such valuable research to the conversation .

Annat Shrabstein 4:03

Thank you so much . I'm thrilled to be here with you .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 4:05

So we're going to start with the basics , the foundation of Sallie Mae , and what it is that you do ?

Annat Shrabstein 4:11

Sure I'd love to share . Sallie is an education solutions company and we provide information , tools and products that help students

Sally Mae's Research on Student Success

Annat Shrabstein 4:21

and families as they're navigating their higher education journey . I've been with Sallie for about 10 years now and for the last five years I've led the Consumer Insights team . I think my job and my team's role is to make sure that the consumer is at the table when business decisions are made , Because really all we're trying to do here is translate the opportunities and needs that exist on this higher education journey and identify spots where families are really struggling and encourage our organization to create solutions for those challenges .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 4:56

You've been doing research in higher education for quite some time , so what kind of things drive that commitment and how does that shape your work ?

Annat Shrabstein 5:05

Sallie Mae has published research for about 20 years , but research is really central to delivering on our mission of powering confidence . It really helps us build an understanding of the journey and Understanding of what families and students are working through and dealing with as they plan for and pay and succeed with higher education . And those insights really help shape our strategy , inform product design and define the kinds of experiences that families are really looking for to help them make informed decisions confidently .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 5:42

Your latest report was the how America Succeeds After College 2025 . What are some major takeaways and were there any surprises ?

Annat Shrabstein 5:50

Yes , we published how America Succeeds After College this past May , and this was a brand new study for us . It's complemented other research that we've published , like How America Pays for College , How America Completes College , but this in particular is a research that looks at how college graduates are doing . The study had three main objectives . One was to figure out what success means today for recent grads , who most of whom are Gen Z essentially , what is success for Gen Z ? Two is to figure out how they're doing against that definition and also ask questions about areas of life that we hypothesized would be connected to their definition of success . And the third objective was to identify behaviors and traits and attitudes that separate grads who feel very successful after college from those that don't . And so the study is rich with insights and learnings and I encourage everybody to read the report on Sallie slash leading research . But to me there's really two main themes that are prominent in the research . One is around value of education . Clearly , higher education continues to deliver for recent grads and I know there are questions about what higher education means , some questions whether we trust in higher education or other institutions in the United States , but our research shows that it really continues to deliver , and it shows up in the data in a couple of different ways . The first is that nine out of 10 recent grads between 2019 and 2024 feel they had a positive college experience , and that's , I think , is a great outcome as we think about what the college experience really means . And for seven and 10 , they said it was worth the cost , so the value that they derived from their education was worth the cost that they paid . And , more interestingly , 74% of recent grads who borrowed which represented about half of all of the recent grads that we surveyed said that they would rather have borrowed than skipped college . So this , to me , is another indicator of the value that they draw from this experience and really it's paying off in career opportunities . More and more students are pursuing higher education , not for the sake of getting into college , but really for college can get for them . They view it as an investment in their future and as a way to open up opportunities that wouldn't be available otherwise , and so we see that play out .

Annat Shrabstein 8:29

82% of recent grads said they're employed and vast majority 74% were actually employed in a field related to their studies . About as many said that education contributes to their work success . And , speaking of success . The majority of recent grads actually feel successful . Just 14% told us that they do not . So the theme here is that higher education delivers . That's theme number one . The second theme that is really persistent is about proactive planning , because it connects to feeling successful post-graduation . And when we say planning , we mean planning for the college admissions process , having those conversations with your family , planning for the financial aspects of college so looking at the cost of all four years of education and making a plan for how the student or the family will cover those costs and also being proactive about planning for the future once you are in college . So figuring out what is it that I want to do and taking active steps to utilize career resources , to get internships , to start building your resume ahead of leaving college

Dr. Lisa Hassler 9:39

Were there any surprises with it ?

Annat Shrabstein 9:41

Well , many surprises , but the one that I'll highlight is around career resources . The research showed that it really can be a game changer , but not many students utilize this resource when they're on campus . We found that 37% of recent grads said that they did rely on career services on campus , 50% said that they did not , and the remaining group just didn't

Gen Z's Holistic View of Success

Annat Shrabstein 10:03

even know if their college offered something like this . And we see a very clear connection between utilizing career services and securing a first job in a field that's related to your degree is connected to success . Recent grads who are employed in a field that's related to their studies feel significantly more successful than those who do not , and grads who utilized career resources are significantly more likely to secure their first job in their field than those who don't use those resources .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 10:35

So we often picture success after college as getting a good job , moving out of the basement at home or you know out of your bedroom when you were a kid , maybe even starting a family , but is that still what success looks like today for these Gen Z students ?

Annat Shrabstein 10:53

Almost

Dr. Lisa Hassler 10:53

.

Annat Shrabstein 10:53

This was one of the more critical objectives for the studies defining success for Gen Z for recent grads , and so we asked about this in two different ways in the research . One was just an open-ended question . We said what is success at this stage of your life ? And we asked a follow-up question where we presented a list of attributes and each respondent had to select as many as three from this list that they associate most with success . The results were very consistent , and the major theme is that Gen Z views success in a more holistic way than generations prior , and what I mean by that is it's not just about money , it's not just about career , it's also about this idea of well-being and mental health . So the top three factors that recent grads associate with success is financial health , mental health and career prospects , and I think it tracks with the recent importance and rise of mental health conversations , and this just solidifies the importance of viewings and supporting students in a holistic way . It's not just about academics , it's not just about setting them up for the best job , but it also is about helping them imagine the kind of life that they would like to have , and this life inevitably includes financial stability , a job that they enjoy doing , not just that pays well , enabling them to do meaningful work , and an idea of a balance .

Annat Shrabstein 12:24

We have great quotes in the report that really talk about striking this balance . I am a little older than Gen Z , you could say , and I remember very clearly how , after I left college in early 2000s , it was really cool to work for a consulting company and work like 80 hours a week , and I did that , and I remember talking to my friends and bragging about that . Right , this is not what young graduates want today . This burnout , all of that is out , and so that is really a meaningful finding . As we think about how to support students coming out of college and as employers , that is something that we should think about as well when we set expectations and hire ,

Dr. Lisa Hassler 13:20

able to count how many hours I had on my two hands and I just was exhausted , right .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 13:26

But I was a mother and I had little kids and I was traveling an hour and a half to work every day and it was just a lot on me , a lot on everybody , let's face it . And so I could see where striking that balance , not having to like oh , I've been working so many hours , it's kind of refreshing , honestly , and so it's kind of like , oh , that's nice , I hope they get it .

Annat Shrabstein 13:45

Yeah , I think we all want that . I don't think anybody likes to work 80 hours a week .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 13:49

That is very true , right ? You know you can start it when you're , like you know , starting to climb the ladder and it's just you . But after a while you're like I'm kind of done with it . Yeah , so the research shows that many graduates or I wish I would have known moments what were some of the most common things that they said they wish they would have done differently to feel more prepared for life after college ?

Annat Shrabstein 14:09

This was actually another area where I thought the results would look different . There is definitely an element of hindsight . What we found is that 64% of recent grads wish that they had fully engaged in all of their college experience , in all that their school had to offer , and that was the largest category of regrets . And so what that includes is about a third wishing they had spent more time building relationships , 33% regretting

"I Wish I Would Have Known"

Annat Shrabstein 14:41

not joining more activities , almost three in 10 wishing they used campus resources to prepare for that life after college , and about a quarter wishing that they had invested more time in studying . Very few people wish they socialized less . Let me tell you that . So nearly two-thirds of students wish that they just partook more on all of what their school had to offer , which I thought was really surprising , I guess , until I thought what do I regret about my college experience ? And I had a great one , except I never lived on campus , and it would certainly fit square in this category of oh , I wish I took full advantage of that college experience .

Annat Shrabstein 15:24

After this category , the largest item on the list , named by about a quarter , by 24% , was recent grads wishing that they had spent more time researching and applying for scholarships and grants . So paying for college regrets is not the first category , is not the largest category by far , and really looking for scholarships and looking for free money is an ever-present theme that we see in both How America Pays for College research and conversations with families , and in this research as well . What I think this means right is families are just figuring out how to make college more affordable . Right , and surfacing those opportunities is really important , yeah . But I think what students and families can take away from the hindsight of recent grads is really the importance of fully understanding and using the wide range of resources that may be available to them and make the most out of their time in school and increase even further the perception of that return on investment too , while also helping them get ready for a career after school and succeeding while in school .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 16:34

You know , when you're a kid and you're thinking I'm just , I want to pick out the college , or , you know , getting through high school , thinking about scholarships maybe more of an adult minded thing , you know , because they're not really paying for anything on their own at that age it makes you think about the parent side of this , to find sites that connect their child to those scholarships and then encouraging them to do this . Our local high school has a really great scholarship lab set up with people that really help students be able to find the different scholarships and apply for them . They do a really good job with that , but it is just one in the district . That becomes a little bit more challenging for people who are not on that campus . But you guys do some of that right ?

Annat Shrabstein 17:19

We do . We have a scholarship search tool on Sallie which is called Scholly Scholarships and it's a great free resource that doesn't have any paywalls , doesn't ask you to log in or create an account or anything like that , and it has thousands of well-vetted scholarships that families can filter through . So you can say , hey , I live in this state and I want to major in engineering , and the tool will show you scholarships that you are most likely to qualify for .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 17:50

There's some very unique ones out there . How do you find those odd , unique ones ? I mean obviously not the right word , but it's not something you would normally just think of . Like you know , you're thinking of all of your accomplishments , but sometimes it's something like I'm left-handed , I get a left-handed scholarship , or I have a problem with hearing . You know what I mean , and so there's something for that , and so sometimes they're really kind of out of the box . Are there any sort of filters that help students or families be able to find those kinds of niches ?

Annat Shrabstein 18:20

That is a great question , and you're definitely onto something , because in our How America Pays for College research , we find that about half of the families think that scholarships are only for exceptional students and exceptional athletes , when the reality is that there's millions of dollars of scholarships for pretty much anything from being tall to being left-handed , to something maybe less esoteric , and they're all in our database of scholarships . I don't know if I can answer if there are specific folders that will help you right , because it's very personalized , it's very individual to who you are . And one other thing that I want to mention is that scholarships are not just for high school seniors . About a third of families believe that you only apply for scholarships when you are an incoming freshman , which is entirely inaccurate . Families should look for scholarships every year while they're in school . There's hundreds or maybe even thousands of scholarships that anyone can apply for , as long as they're enrolled in college .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 19:21

Yeah , I was able to get one when I was doing my doctorate , but really it's hard to figure out , like how do I find it ? What's vetted ? What can I trust to give my information ? And to spend the time doing the requirements , because they're very to give my information and to spend the time doing the requirements Because they're very different what you need to provide , but I think it's exciting in that it's in one place . Do you have any idea how many scholarships ?

Annat Shrabstein 19:40

There are 4,564 scholarships .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 19:46

Wow , there's a lot of people out there wanting to help people out , a lot of encouragement going out there to say let's get an education right , we're going to help you . So what kind of steps do you recommend students take for the best post-college success ?

Annat Shrabstein 19:59

That's a really big question , so I'll try to answer it concisely . Okay , looking across all of the research that we conduct and all of the experience that Sallie has helping students over the years , there's five things that we have identified that really can help set a student up for success after graduation , which is really what we want , right ? It's not about just getting into college , not just getting to

Five Steps to Post-College Success

Annat Shrabstein 20:24

graduation , but realizing the fruits of your labor afterwards . So the first is start with outcomes , right ? So we talked about college choices , school decisions , as being really hard decisions , but what we know is fewer than four in 10 families are actually researching outcomes of that education or for a specific school , and what I mean is job placement rates , graduation rates , potential earning in the field that you are interested in , because the math has to work right . So what you're paying for school has to give you something that's more than that , and so we would encourage families to focus on those outcomes . The second item is talking about finances as early and often as possible , so that you can get the best deal for you . Why pay more for education than you have to ? And part of this equation is figuring out what school will cost over all of the years of education , and that's not always easy , but we know that families are really zeroed in on what's right in front of us , which is maybe one semester , one year . We highly encourage folks to consider hey , you'll be in school for at least four years , so consider that budget , understanding what you can afford , which , again , these things are not very easy to do , but we provide information about how to go about that and we're planning to do even more of that to help families getting the best deal for you , which also includes looking for those scholarships , applying for financial aid and borrowing only what you need right , Cutting as much cost as possible to minimize borrowing . So start with outcomes in mind . Talk about finances to get the best deal . Mind , talk about finances to get the best deal .

Annat Shrabstein 22:14

The third piece is going back to the hindsight . That we discussed is just engaging in all that school has to offer . I talked to one research participant and she was like everybody's telling me to think about the future and think ahead and think about success . But I'm in college now , like this is my life now , so I need to really lean into this , which is absolutely right , right . So when you're in school , think about what resources are available . Build relationships , find a mentor . Our research actually found that having a mentor is the most highly associated attribute with success after graduation . Building those relationships and finding your champions , finding people who can help you plan out your life , who can help you think and make plans , is really important . Start with outcomes in mind , talk about finances early and often to get the best deal and engage in all that school has to offer . Two more left .

Annat Shrabstein 23:03

The fourth one is like finish what you started . This is super obvious for many , many people . This is super obvious for many , many people . But what's not obvious is that almost four in 10 students who start college do not graduate in six years . There's life changes . Finances stand in the way , motivation changes . Mental health is one of the reasons . But when you are on that road like , do everything that you can to finish , education pays off only when you get it . And then finally back to planning . You got to build and execute a launch plan , and so this goes back to get the internship really commit to a career that you want to pursue and start building your resume while you're still in school .

Annat Shrabstein 23:46

The other piece of that is financial habits . Most grads who feel very successful say that they have learned how to manage money before they left college , and so that's actually another topic for conversation around parental support and school support as well , around how do we work with students to get them ready for managing money right , because those , once you're out of school , many , many folks move back with parents , which I think is sort of the reality of today . Almost two thirds of grads within the past two years actually living with parents two thirds right . So that's much more than it used to be , but managing finances is a reality that all of them will have to face when they're out of school . So start with outcomes, Talk about finances to get the best deal for you, Don't pay more than you have to, Engage in all of the school has to offer, Finish what you started, and build and execute that launch plan . That's the advice that all of our research and all of our experience would suggest that we give to every student who wants to succeed with higher education .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 24:48

So your report paints a clear picture of how today's young adults are experiencing life after college . What can educators and school counselors , even college advisors , do differently to help students prepare not just for college but for the realities they'll face after graduation ?

Annat Shrabstein 25:05

I think there is a couple of pieces that connect the themes that we have discussed . The first is based on the definition of success for this new generation , and that goes back to supporting the whole student , and helping students plan for the life that they have ahead

Resources for College Planning

Annat Shrabstein 25:22

of them is , I think , critical . The other piece of this is financial awareness . Making sure that our students have the skills and knowledge that they need to manage money before they need to start doing that independently is really important . Development and post-college success that helps students transition from college life to after college life , I think , is something that would be helpful for students . And I thought of a fourth thing , I think for students themselves , there's something about actively managing your life . So actively managing your finances , actively managing your career and continuing to grow as an individual , engaging in continuous learning . That , just you know , makes you an interesting human being and , I think , sets you up for a better life .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 26:19

So where can listeners access Sallie Mae research and planning tools to help start their plan for college ?

Annat Shrabstein 26:27

So our college planning tools , the Scholly Scholarship Search and Scout College Search , are on Sallie . Those are resources for families who are starting their college journey but also who are already paying for school . Our financial products are on Sallie and that's where our research lives as well , under leading research . Your listeners can find the wealth of our published research there . We have a step-by-step FAFSA guide , the gatekeeper for federal financial aid , both grants and loans and many colleges use the FAFSA to determine scholarships , amounts , need-based and sometimes even merit , and so we provide a step-by-step guide that many families use as they are filling out the FAFSA .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 27:17

And then this is where grants would come in .

Annat Shrabstein 27:20

That's exactly right .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 27:21

And then how do you fill the gap between grants and scholarships ? We had the federal government , and now there's a lot of uneasiness about how that whole thing is going . But that's not their only option . Families can go to other places for loans as well .

Annat Shrabstein 27:38

That's exactly right , and Sallie Mae is one of the largest providers of private student loans , which should be used exactly as you mentioned . Right so , first free money , right so , scholarships and grants , then federal aid and then , if there's still a gap that remains between that what the family can afford and what the bill is we're here with private student loans as well .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 28:02

Yeah , and it's good for them to be able to know that there's options for that . It's not just like one place that they have to go , but to really be considering their options and what fits for their family best . That's exactly right , so it's good to know that there's those kind of resources out there . So I really appreciate all of the insights that you shared and for helping us better understand what success looks like for today's graduates . Your research is not only a fresh perspective , but also a clear practical guide for families and educators trying to support students in meaningful , future-focused ways .

Annat Shrabstein 28:37

I'm thrilled to have been part of this , and I do hope that your listeners take a moment to check out our resources and our research . College planning can be incredibly overwhelming , and so using resources such as the ones that we've discussed available on Sallie can really help families through this journey and navigate that with confidence .

Dr. Lisa Hassler 29:02

Well , thank you so much .

Annat Shrabstein 29:03

Thank you

Dr. Lisa Hassler 29:03

If today's conversation resonated with you . I encourage you to explore the How America Succeeds After College 2025 report and the planning resources offered by Sallie Mae . As always , the more informed we are , the better equipped we'll be able to guide the next generation through a changing educational landscape . If you have a story about what's working in your schools that you'd like to share , you can email me at lisa@ drlisarhassler . com , or visit my website at www . drlisarhassler . com and send me a message . If you like this podcast , subscribe and tell a friend . The more people that know , the bigger impact it will have . And if you find value to the content in this podcast , consider becoming a supporter by clicking on the supporter link in the show notes . It is the mission of this podcast to shine light on the good in education so that it spreads , affecting positive change . So let's keep working together to find solutions that focus on our children's success .