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University of Texas students walk through campus on the first day of classes
- One in 10 college students lacks a sense of belonging on campus, according to Gallup and Lumina Foundation’s 2026 report, “The College Reality Check.”
- Hispanic, Asian and Black students report higher levels of isolation (in that order), while white students report higher levels of belonging. Students who identify politically as independents report higher levels of isolation compared to Democrats and Republicans.
- Students who do not feel they belong on campus are most likely to attribute their isolation to their own personality type (50%) or a mental health condition (30%), representing about 4% and 3% of all college students, respectively. Just 21% (or about 2% of all college students) who feel they do not belong say their political views are the driver of their isolation.
