Youth

CNBC - Leading happiness expert Arthur C. Brooks partnered with Gallup and Walton Family Foundation to survey over 2,000 Gen Zers from ages 12 to 26 years old, and get a closer look at what makes them happy. Seventy-three percent of Gen Zers consider themselves to be very happy or somewhat happy, the survey found. But “when Gen Z reaches adulthood, 18 and older, we see these pretty big differences in happiness,” says Zach Hrynowski, the author of the survey’s report and a senior researcher at Gallup. There are also declines for members of Gen Z over the age of 18, compared to those younger than 18, for things like “feeling like your life matters, and like your life has direction,” he adds.

NPR - Changes to the government's federal student aid form, or FAFSA, could mean that fewer high school seniors will go to college this fall. The Education Department launched a new form this year. Delays and errors have plagued the process, and as a result, almost half a million fewer students have applied to FAFSA this year compared to 2023.High FAFSA completion numbers have historically meant higher college enrollment numbers, NPR's Elissa Nadworny says. Students who have been accepted to college tell her it's not real until the schools send them financial aid packages. In many cases, that hasn't happened yet. For low-income students, these packages are crucial so they can make a decision about whether they can afford college.