37.5% of students under the age of 17 engage in harmful drinking behavior
The gender gap on hazardous drinking is narrowing with male students at 30% and female
students at 26%
The percentage of students engaging in hazardous drinking increases at age 21 (33%) and peaks at age 23 (60%)
Graduate students surveyed had a higher rate of hazardous drinking (40%) than undergraduate drinkers (28%)
Hispanic students (37%) drink at higher levels, followed by American Indian (33%) and Caucasian (30%) students
African American students on campus drink in a hazardous fashion at the lowest rate (14%) Students living off-Campus, without parents, engage in hazardous drinking at a much higher
rate (41%) than students living on-campus (27%)
College students drink alcohol for various reasons. Some may feel pressured to drink at social gatherings, because others are drinking or they think it is the “cool” thing to do. Others may use alcohol as “an escape” from academic or social pressures, financial strain and/or relationship or family problems. Further, students may suffer from feelings of shyness, loneliness and low self- esteem, and they may use alcohol to try to compensate.