As the November 2024 presidential election comes to its conclusion, a surprising number of Academy of American Studies students still remain undecided. A recent survey conducted by the school’s journalism class reveals a soaring level of uncertainty among these students, highlighting the variety of factors that influence young voters’ political awareness and decision-making.
In the survey, 31.1 percent of students across all grades reported being undecided, with 19.4 percent being male and 12 percent female. Sexual identity also appeared to influence political uncertainty, with 6 percent of LGBTQ+ students reporting doubtfulness, compared with 28.1 percent of their heterosexual peers.
“This is the most important election of our generation in my opinion, but so many of us still don’t know who to trust or what to believe,” said senior Jessica A. “It’s overwhelming to sort through all the information out there.”
One of the survey’s most revealing data points was that 16.2 percent of undecided students primarily get their news from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. The influence of these platforms, notorious for both accessibility and misinformation, may contribute to their uncertainty.
“I rely more on social media like TikTok to get my news because I am on there the most,” said Arianna A., a junior at Academy. “I believe this has an impact on people’s opinion because often on social media there is fake news that young people easily fall for without fact checking it first.”
Experts in media literacy emphasize the need for critical thinking when consuming news from social media—a skill high school students are still developing. For some students, the flood of conflicting messages online has resulted in more confusion than clarity.
The survey also explored other factors influencing indecision. Among respondents, 18.4 percent cited a lack of knowledge about the candidates’ platforms, and 27.2 percent said their family’s political differences discouraged open discussions about the election.
“I believe the reason as to why so many students are undecided in this election was because their political, social, and economic views weren’t being represented by either of the candidates, hence leaving them uncertain about which party could address their needs, and as a result left them struggling to vote for a candidate,” said junior Alesha O.
The outcomes of the survey highlight both the difficulties of this year’s election and the ability of young voters to influence American democracy in the future. Many students are getting close to the voting age, so their participation—or lack thereof—will have an impact on future political outcomes.