No offense to Regis Philbin but it’s one thing to ask, “Who wants to be a millionaire?” and quite another to ask, “Who expects to be a millionaire?” A recent survey by accounting firm Ernst & Young revealed that most college students do, in fact, expect to rake in the big, big bucks.
     In August, Ernst & Young conducted a survey at its intern convention at Disney World in Orlando, Fla., in which the firm polled 800 college students from around the world. The survey sought to learn the financial expectations and future priorities of today’s college students.
     Of the students that responded, 75 percent expect that they will someday be millionaires.
     More highlights of Ernst & Young’s survey:
     When do you expect to be a millionaire?
     Of 797 surveyed:
     30 percent expect to become millionaires in their 40s
     19 percent think they will become millionaires in their 50s
     17 percent expect to become millionaires in their 30s
     5 percent expect to become millionaires in their 60s
     5 percent expect to become millionaires in their 20s
     25 percent think they will never become millionaires.
     Do you expect to be better off than your parents?
     Of 796 surveyed:
     76 percent think they will be better off than their parents
     19 percent expect to have the same level of income and quality of life as their parents
     5 percent think they will be worse off than their parents
     How do you plan to invest your money?
     Of 796 surveyed:
     30 percent plan to invest in long-term conservative stocks or mutual funds
     29 percent plan to invest in high-risk, aggressive stock investments (such as World Funds)
     10 percent plan to invest in their company’s retirement plan
     10 percent will invest in an individual retirement plan
     2 percent plan to invest in bonds or CDs
     17 percent don’t know how they will save for the future.
     When do you think you will retire?
     Of 703 surveyed:
     49 percent think they will retire in their 50s
     22 percent expect to retire in their 60s
     14 percent think they will retire in their 40s
     5 percent think they will retire in their 20s
     4 percent think they will retire in their 30s
     7 percent expect to never retire.
     What is your top priority in the next 3 years?
     Of 703 surveyed:
     47 percent say that balancing their career with their personal lives is a priority
     25 percent place an emphasis on career development
     8 percent want to build a sound financial base
     7 percent want to pursue continuous learning opportunities
     6 percent want to pursue work opportunities in other countries
     6 percent want to become dot-com billionaires
     What will be your top priority when managing work and personal life?
     Of 703 surveyed (42 percent male, 57 percent female):
     81 percent view family and friends as top priority in balancing work and personal life      9 percent view their career as their top priority
     3 percent place an emphasis on sports or outdoor activities
     3 percent place continuing education as a priority
     None view community service as a priority
     4 percent have other priorities.