The growth mindset describes the idea that ability and confidence develop through effort and reflection rather than being fixed. It is one of the principles behind our residential summer school, where students take on unfamiliar subjects and discover how much they can grow when they are stretched. How teenagers think about their futures shapes the way they approach the work in front of them today, from a difficult exam to a decision about what to study next.
Key Takeaways
- Success is seen as shared. 35 Panellists said future success depends on a combination of their own effort and external opportunities, compared with just 7 who credited effort alone and 2 who pointed to timing or luck.
- Most teens feel moderately optimistic. 18 respondents were moderately optimistic and 13 very optimistic about their personal future, while only 3 said they were not at all optimistic.
- Achievements and preparation build confidence. Academic or personal achievements, alongside preparation and practice, were cited far more often than encouragement from others.
- Balance leads future hopes. The most common main hope for the future was a balanced and personally fulfilling life (47%), followed by contributing positively to society or the world (33%).
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How Optimistic Do Teens Feel About Their Future?
Asked about their personal future outlook, most respondents leaned positive. The overall pattern shows a tendency towards a moderate-to-high belief in their own prospects rather than strong views at either end of the scale.
Moderately optimistic was the most common response, followed by very optimistic. Fewer Panellists chose the extremes: five said they were extremely optimistic, while three said they were not at all optimistic and two felt only slightly optimistic.
For parents, this measured perspective may be quietly reassuring, since most of these students expect their own lives to go reasonably well without leaning towards either extreme. The chart below shows how responses were spread across the five points of the scale.
HOW OPTIMISTIC PANELLISTS FEEL ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL FUTURE
5
13
18
2
3
What Do Teens Think Future Success Depends On?
When asked what future success depends on, Panellists gave a clear answer. 35 chose a combination of personal effort and external opportunities, well ahead of the seven who credited their own effort alone. Only three pointed to access to external opportunities on its own, and timing and luck was the least selected option, with two responses.
Overall, Panellists reported a total sense of agency of 83%. These students see their own contribution as essential while recognising that it works best when the right opportunities are available to them. Across the survey, the group tended to emphasise controllable factors such as effort, preparation and achievements over chance or outside encouragement when explaining both success and confidence.
Similarly, when we asked Panellists to define optimism, the most common singular answer reflected optimism as a mindset you can develop (13 responses). Six saw it as the result of experiences and success, and just four believed it was influenced mostly by environment.
The relatively small number who linked optimism mainly to their surroundings fits the wider pattern in the data. For many of these students, a positive outlook appears to be something they can work on rather than something that simply happens to them.
Where Does Teen Confidence Come From?
Concrete achievements and thorough preparation emerged as the main drivers of confidence. Academic or personal achievements were cited by 15 respondents and preparation and practice by 11, while internal and social sources came up less often: a positive mindset was mentioned by six, developing a sense of purpose or direction by five and encouragement from others by two.
As the chart below shows, tangible outcomes and readiness sit well ahead of encouragement from others.
WHERE PANELLISTS SAY THEIR CONFIDENCE GROWS MOST
15
11
6
5
2
A selection of Panellists shared how they best build confidence. Kiragu, from Kenya, described how dealing with tough situations over the past two years has helped her develop confidence, explaining that getting through difficult moments "proved I was stronger than I realised". Sara, from the United States, wrote of confidence strengthened by the knowledge "that every failure isn't finite", and Rostyslav, from Cyprus, credited taking part in activities that actually require confidence, such as public speaking or playing a part in a musical.
"Confidence to me is closely tied to self-awareness and – resulting from that – self-certainty. What helps me gain confidence is to actively reflect on who I am. I like to do that with a diary and by journalling about specific questions I ask myself."
Support from others was also highlighted, even if it ranked lower in the poll. Celia, from Germany, mentioned family support and a teacher who began seeing previously unrecognised capabilities, while Neha, from the United Kingdom, described the reassurance of being surrounded by people who offer consistent support and encouragement.
Panellists most often returned to self-improvement and mastery as the source of lasting confidence. Celia wrote that confidence "grows strongest through self-improvement", adding that competition "can sharpen that edge, but it isn't the foundation". Others described collaboration as helpful for social confidence and perspective, and some noted that competition can sharpen skills but may also encourage negative traits. Natalie, from Jordan, cautioned against depending on others for confidence, and several respondents pointed instead to steady personal progress and small wins.
How Do Teens Plan for the Years Ahead?
The most common planning style was to have a plan but stay flexible. Few respondents described themselves as either strictly unplanned or rigidly organised, which suggests that most prefer some structure with room to adjust as circumstances change.
Several Panellists described future-focused thinking as a way of keeping perspective on what they are doing now. Arisha, from the United Kingdom, observed that many students don't see learning as fun and feel overwhelmingly pressurised as a result, adding that having a clear aim "makes me able to have a positive and concentrated mindset".
Panellists also described a range of personal strategies that help them maintain optimism in the face of challenges. Vedika, from India, spoke about letting go of things beyond a certain point of control and about spending time with loved ones. Homam, from Syria, relies on small wins: "I don't need to solve everything at once; I just need to move."
"The practice of letting go of the things you can't control beyond a certain limit, like college decisions or job applications, is something that grounds me whenever I'm struggling or fixating on something unnecessarily. Also essential is surrounding yourself with people who love you and are rooting for you."
What Makes the Future Feel Meaningful to Teens?
When asked about their main hope for the future, the most selected answer was to have a balanced and personally fulfilling life, chosen by 47%. Contributing positively to society or the world followed at 33%, while making a meaningful impact in a professional field (13%) and achieving high academic or career success (7%) together made up less than a quarter of responses.
Written responses about what makes the future feel meaningful often emphasised contribution beyond oneself. Vedika described the future as meaningful "when what I'm building doesn't stop at me", and Kaashvi, from Malaysia, pointed to the many different ways of contributing to the community. Others highlighted relationships and support; Mais, from Saudi Arabia, pointed to being surrounded by the people you love. Practical outcomes such as financial stability and making a difference were mentioned too, alongside personal goals and opportunities to travel and learn.
What Does This Mean?
Taken as a whole, the survey describes young people who are hopeful about their futures in a grounded way. Most hold moderate-to-high optimism and see success as a mix of their own effort and the opportunities available to them, with achievements and preparation forming the main foundations of their confidence.
The findings also show where that confidence is tested. For parents and educators, helping teenagers prepare well and treat failure as something to learn from aligns closely with what these students say already works for them, and with the advice they would pass on to those coming up behind them.
Discover how Oxford Scholastica Academy's summer programmes help students grow in confidence and think ambitiously about their futures.
Methodology.
Oxford Scholastica Academy collected original data from students on The Panel. All findings are based on participant responses, and the number of responses varied between questions.
By Oxford Scholastica Academy
Since 2013, Oxford Scholastica's award-winning programmes have empowered thousands of students to seize the future. We have welcomed bright students from around the globe for more than a decade, giving them the edge to help them succeed, find their purpose and make a difference in the world.
