Survey of Religious Beliefs

Entering freshmen showed no distinct religious trends over the last decade, but follow-up surveys of seniors show substantial declines in religious belief and behavior during college. The number of students identifying themselves as Protestant, Catholic, or Jewish declined by about 20 percent each, while the "no preference" category increased by more than 50 percent. Declines in religious interest occur more often among men than women, and most often among the brighter students. Those who lived on campus showed greater declines than those living at home. And those who stay in college show greater declines than those who drop out.