It is generally accepted that college students are more liberal thinkers than the rest of the population, but this trend is often associated with the stereotype that far-left professors proselytize their students with liberal views.

However, a recent study of nearly 7,000 students at 38 institutions published in PS: Political Science and Politics, the journal of the American Political Science Association, suggests that professors do not influence the views of college students. Though people in the 18 to 25 age range tend to vote according to much more liberal ideologies, it is still uncertain what role institutions of higher education play in shaping their political beliefs.