Usage habits

Over 50 percent of US college students now surf the Net from their dorm room, while 84 percent access the Net from another campus location, according to Greenfield Online. In terms of usage habits, the study found that 84 percent of US college students surf the Net, up from 79 percent last year. 71 percent go online more than once per day, up from 54 percent last year, while 61 percent of students now spend between one and four hours online daily, up from 52 percent last year. 61 percent of students surveyed reported regularly visiting entertainment sites, while 32 percent said they regularly visit shopping sites and 18 percent regularly visit travel sites. In addition, the study found that 40 percent of US college students maintain a personal Web page, up from 36 percent last year. 62 percent of college students who visit shopping sites say they have made a purchase. Music is the most popular product and 84 percent of online student shoppers planned to purchase a CD online in the month subsequent to the survey. In terms of spending power, over 50 percent of US students have a monthly disposable income of USD100 or less, with 13 percent reporting a monthly disposable income of USD25 or less. The findings are based on a survey of 1,300 US four-year college students, which was conducted in May 1999.