Student Well-being Survey
Well-being Improvement Survey for Higher Education Settings
The Well-being Improvement Survey for Higher Education Settings (WISHES) is a quick, 5-minute check-in that helps UC Santa Cruz better understand and support the student experience. Your input fuels real change—shaping campus policies, programs, and environments that empower all students to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
WISHES is administered each quarter to a random sample of students. Key findings are shared with the campus community by SHOP (Student Health Outreach & Promotion) to inform collaborative efforts and drive improvements across UCSC. Every response matters.
Survey results help advance student success
The WISHES survey is more than a check-in—it’s a tool for action. By capturing timely insights from students, it helps UCSC understand what’s working, what needs attention, and how to create a healthier, more equitable campus environment. Through WISHES, we’re able to:
- Inspire collaboration among students, faculty, staff, and leaders to improve campus systems
- Identify connections between student experiences and equitable well-being
- Understand the root causes of well-being gaps among historically marginalized groups
- Learn quickly when changes aren’t working—and adapt
- Track how student well-being shifts throughout the year
- Respond in real time to emerging student needs
- Monitor trends over time to guide long-term planning
- Compare our data with other colleges and universities for context and insight
What WISHES measures: A holistic view of student well-being
The WISHES survey tracks a range of factors that influence student well-being and success. These insights fall into three key categories:
Conditions that support well-being
These are the experiences and environments that help students thrive:
Financial security – Feeling stable and able to meet basic needs
No experiences of discrimination – Feeling safe and respected on campus
Excited about learning – Intrinsic motivation and academic engagement
Engagement in extracurricular activities – Participating in campus life
Mentorship – Access to guidance and support from trusted individuals
Supportive friend – Having meaningful peer relationships
Caring professors – Feeling supported and valued by instructors
Intermediate outcomes
These reflect how students are doing in day-to-day campus life:
Loneliness – Sense of social isolation or connection
Belonging – Feeling connected and included at UC Santa Cruz
Mental health treatment engagement – Accessing help when it’s needed
Binge drinking – Risk behavior tracked to improve prevention strategies
Long-term outcomes
These represent how well students are flourishing overall:
Flourishing – A sense of purpose, happiness, and personal growth
Psychological distress – Emotional and mental strain
Self-reported overall health and mental health – How students rate their own physical and mental wellness
Health and academic risk – Combined indicators that may impact success
Life evaluation – How students view their lives now and in the future