Tulane University students entered the 2025-26 academic year with a mix of political urgency and unease, according to results from The Hullabaloo’s fall 2025 student survey. Responses to questions on democracy, national issues and presidential approval reveal consistent concern about the nation’s political direction, especially surrounding social and economic rights, mirroring trends in national polling. 

When The Hullabaloo asked Tulane students how confident they felt about the continuation of democracy in the United States, the largest share of respondents said they were “somewhat unconfident.” Another 46 reported being “mostly unconfident.” Only 11.8% of students said they were “mostly confident.” 

Tulane students’ lack of confidence in democracy aligns with national findings.  

The Harvard Youth Poll’s fall 2025 edition reported that young Americans are experiencing “eroding trust in democratic institutions” and widespread political instability. Only 13% of respondents thought the country was headed in the right direction.  

Similarly, the Harvard Youth Poll for spring 2025 found that young people “continue to lose faith in government institutions” and reflects deep skepticism across all three branches of government. 

The Hullabaloo survey also asked students which social, political or economic issues concern them most, allowing them to select more than one response. Health care emerged as the top priority, with women’s rights and immigration following closely behind.  

Other issues, including the economy, climate change, gun policy and racial and ethnic equality, clustered just below the top tier, each receiving between 74 and 98 responses, out of 212 respondents.  

The Harvard Youth Poll notes that economic, political and social instability has become a defining feature of daily life for many 18- to 29-year-olds.  

The Hullabaloo survey also asked students whether they approve of President Donald Trump’s administration. The results show nearly unanimous disapproval, with 176 respondents selecting “strongly disapprove,” dwarfing every other category. Only two students selected “mostly approve,” while five students reported being neutral or unsure. 

The Yale Youth Poll’s fall 2025 results found similar national trends, reporting that young voters have “turned on Trump,” with strong disapproval dominating among respondents aged 18-34.  

A separate breakdown of approval by household income shows that a similar number of students in each annual pre-taxation household income range strongly disapprove of the Trump administration. In other words, most Tulane students disapprove of Trump, regardless of their household income.  

While national polling often shows some variation in political attitudes by income, recent analyses suggest that young adults across economic backgrounds share similar concerns. The American Enterprise Institute’s review of late 2025 youth polling found that young Americans, regardless of income, are united by concerns about the cost of living, institutional trust and basic stability rather than by traditional partisan divides.