It’s that time of year, college and high school graduate gift-buying time. And guess what? Today’s graduates are not looking for the monogrammed pad folio, briefcase or even dorm room accessories their parents likely received. Asurion, the global leader in technology protection services, recently surveyed 1,000 upcoming graduates to find out what is on their technology gift list. In turn, we asked the same class to tell us what they thought they would need to be successful. Here is what we learned. Top Technology Wants
The most popular gadgets on graduate’s wish lists are:
- Laptops (52 percent)
- Smartphones (12 percent)
- Gaming systems (12 percent)
- Tablets (11 percent)
Top Technology Needs
In contrast, Asurion was curious if a graduate’s wants and needs would be the same. So we asked participants what technology they felt they needed to be successful. You may be surprised but there are no gaming systems on this list!
- Laptops (75 percent)
- Smartphones (66 percent)
- Printers (40 percent)
- Tablets (27 percent)
Top Technology Fails
So what happens when the critical technology your student needs for classes doesn’t work? This is something most students will face, with 60 percent of grads having had an issue with their technology at school. Some of the most common issues included:
- Internet connectivity (85 percent)
- Software or app malfunction (34 percent)
- Broken device (23 percent)
- Virus or malfunction (23 percent)
“As parents, it’s important to send your graduate into the next chapter of life with all the tools they’ll need to be successful,” said Bettie Colombo, an Asurion spokesperson. “But it’s equally important to have peace-of-mind that when they have an issue, your wallet is protected. Asurion, our retail and wireless company partners are focused on making sure your student is never held back because of a lost, stolen, broken or malfunctioning device.”
When purchasing graduation gifts this year, remember to add a protection plan to your graduate’s technology devices to make sure they have everything they need to be successful in school.
Survey Methodology:
Survey results based on responses from 1,000 participants ages 17-25 who are graduating from college or high school in May 2014. Data collected by Asurion in April 2014 via SSI.