Mercenary 1987

We are the generation of the franc, the pound, the lire and the dollar.

That, at least, seems to be the message of the results of a survey of 185,000 college freshman released by the education department at U.C.L.A. late last month.

The survey, sponsored by the American Council of Education, compared freshman in 1983 with their counterparts on college campuses in 1967. Of students this year, 70 percent considered "being very well-off financially very important." Fewer than 50 percent felt the same way in 1967.

Contrasting their increased concern for financial independence was their decreased concern for the environment and for legalizing marijuana. Cleaning up the environment was an important goal for only 23 percent of the freshman, compared to 45 percent in 1972 And only 29 percent felt that pot should be legalized, down from 34 percent last year.

The survey also found that only 46 percent of today's freshman value developing a meaningful philosophy of life, compared to 83 percent in 1967. Not surprisingly, most of today's freshman are opting for science and computer-related courses. American University Eagle, February 28