To visualize public awareness and understanding of correspondence high schools, Premacyed conducted a "Perception Survey on Correspondence High Schools" from Friday, May 15, 2026, to Tuesday, May 19, 2026. This survey targeted 300 individuals aged 15-19 (child generation) and 300 individuals aged 40-59 (parent generation). The parent generation was asked to reflect on their own student days (Note 1). Based on the survey results, we consider issues related to the perception of correspondence high schools and measures to change their image.
Q1 Have you ever considered a correspondence high school as a future educational path? (Single answer/n=600)
Among teenagers, 4.3% are "currently considering" and 14.7% have "considered in the past," totaling 19.0%. On the other hand, among the parent generation, 3.0% "were considering at the time" and 4.7% "somewhat considered at the time," totaling 7.7%. Furthermore, 20.7% of teenagers have "attended/graduated from a correspondence high school," compared to 3.3% of the parent generation. The proportion of those who have considered or have experience attending is overwhelmingly higher among teenagers.
Q2 Please share your image of correspondence high schools. (Multiple answers/n=600)
In this question, "favorable image" accounted for 11.5% and "somewhat favorable image" for 29.5%, totaling 41.0%. There is a significant generational gap in perception, with teenagers having a nearly even split between favorable and unfavorable images, while the parent generation's unfavorable image exceeds 70%.
<Comment from Akito Iwata, Representative of Premacyed>
Regarding the image of correspondence high schools, teenagers were almost evenly split between "favorable" and "unfavorable," but the parent generation overwhelmingly holds an unfavorable image. As revealed in Q1, the parent generation has almost no experience considering correspondence high schools for their education. In an era where only full-time high schools were candidates for further education, correspondence high schools were not familiar, and their old image has likely not been updated.
On the other hand, teenagers have experience considering correspondence high schools as an option for themselves or their friends, and idols and influencers have publicly stated they attend (or attended) correspondence high schools. Therefore, they are a much more familiar presence compared to the parent generation, and knowing what kind of schools they are likely contributes to fostering a favorable image.
Q3 Please select the items that apply to your image of correspondence high schools. (Multiple answers/n=600)
The images of correspondence high schools were "many students have experienced school refusal" at 49.2%, "can learn at my own pace" at 48.5%, and "seems to have a high degree of freedom" at 31.7%. There was not much generational difference in the image of many students having experienced school refusal, but a generational gap was observed in the positive image related to freedom. (Details of generational data here)
<Comment from Akito Iwata, Representative of Premacyed>
Looking at the items in Q3 where the response rate differed by more than 10% between teenagers and the parent generation, most were benefits of correspondence high schools, such as "can learn at my own pace," "seems to have a high degree of freedom," and "seems to have less burden from human relationships." Teenagers seem to have a good understanding and recognition of the structure and benefits of correspondence high schools. On the other hand, the items where the parent generation's response rate was higher than teenagers were "many problematic students" and "difficult to self-manage." (In reality, students who are more serious and responsible are more likely to experience school refusal due to the pressure of "having to go to school," and learning and life support is also enhanced to increase graduation rates.) These responses suggest that "there are still many misunderstandings among the parent generation."
Comparing the items with generational differences, it is thought that teenagers feel correspondence high schools are familiar to them now, and therefore their understanding has progressed.
Q4 Do you think there are prejudices or misunderstandings in society regarding attending a correspondence high school? (Single answer/n=600)
In this question, "strongly agree" was 16.2% and "somewhat agree" was 54.7%, totaling 70.8%. Among teenagers, 77.7% answered "agree," indicating they feel more strongly than the parent generation that there are prejudices and misunderstandings about correspondence high schools.
Q5 Please select the items that apply to your impression of students attending correspondence high schools. (Multiple answers/n=600)
The highest response rate for impressions of students attending correspondence high schools was "have some kind of worries or circumstances" at 42.5%. This was followed by "living their school life at their own pace" at 31.0%, "working hard towards their passions or goals" at 24.7%, and "seem to be many flashy people like gals and yankees" at 23.5%. Positive images related to the high degree of freedom, such as "living their school life at their own pace," are being boosted by teenagers, leading to a large generational gap. (Details of generational data here)
<Comment from Akito Iwata, Representative of Premacyed>
In Q4, many teenagers answered that "correspondence high schools are misunderstood." The reason for this is reflected in the results of Q5. Looking closely at Q5, the items with high response rates among teenagers are positive impressions such as "living their school life at their own pace" and "working hard towards their passions or goals." The parent generation's response rate for these two items is more than 15% lower. On the other hand, the items where the parent generation's response rate was higher than teenagers were "seem to be many flashy people like gals and yankees" and "many students who have engaged in problematic behavior."
Is it not the case that teenagers answered in Q4 that there are prejudices and misunderstandings about attending correspondence high schools (Q4) because they feel a difference in perception between themselves and the parent generation regarding the image of correspondence high schools (Q3) and the impressions of students attending them (Q5)?
Q6 Do you feel that "the reality of correspondence high schools is not well known"? (Single answer/n=600)
In this question, "strongly feel" was 23.2% and "somewhat feel" was 51.8%, totaling 75.0%. There was almost no generational difference.
Q7 Please select what you can specifically imagine about correspondence high schools. (Multiple answers/n=600)
Regarding what can be specifically imagined, "characteristics of attending students" and "frequency of attendance/learning style" were both 19.3%, and "school atmosphere" was 17.3%.
Comparing the response rates between teenagers and the parent generation, teenagers had higher response rates in all items except "other" and "none in particular," indicating they are exposed to more information about correspondence high schools than the parent generation. (Details of generational data here)
<Comment from Akito Iwata, Representative of Premacyed>
Q6 revealed that both teenagers and the parent generation recognize that "the reality of correspondence high schools is not well known." Based on the previous answers, teenagers have a relatively favorable image of correspondence high schools, but the reality is that they feel "it's not well understood unless you are directly involved."
The reason for this is reflected in Q7, where the highest response rates for "characteristics of attending students" and "frequency of attendance/learning style" remained at 19.3% overall, not reaching 20%. When broken down by generation, teenagers' awareness and information acquisition rates are higher than the parent generation, and a certain level of information contact has progressed for teenagers, who are the parties involved in career choices. However, even when focusing solely on teenagers, no item exceeded a 30% response rate.
The difficulty in specifically imagining correspondence high schools may be influenced by the diverse environments and complex systems that vary by school. To help people understand what kind of schools correspondence high schools are, it is necessary to provide even more active information to teenagers and, at the same time, work to dispel the negative images held by the parent generation.
Regarding the results - Akito Iwata, Representative Director
There remained a significant generational gap in the perception of correspondence high schools. At the same time, it became clear that the reality of correspondence high schools is not sufficiently understood regardless of generation. However, analyzing this survey suggests that prejudices and misunderstandings about correspondence high schools are caused by a lack of awareness of "not knowing the reality." There is a possibility that the image of correspondence high schools can be improved by shining a spotlight on aspects that have not been well known until now, such as their learning methods, environment, career outcomes, and the characteristics and growth of current students, and by actively disseminating information. There is ample room to narrow the gap in perception between generations.
To deepen understanding of correspondence high schools, it is important to disseminate not only information about their systems and schools but also the experiences and growth of students actually attending them. The accumulation of such efforts will lead to the resolution of misunderstandings and prejudices regarding correspondence high schools, and contribute to the realization of a society where each individual can choose a path that suits them.
Premacyed has implemented a content called "Hearing from Seniors about the Reality of Correspondence High Schools" on "Go Correspondence High School," an information and search site that conveys the reality of correspondence high schools, by conducting internships for current and former correspondence high school students. This content features seniors who are (or were) attending correspondence high schools sharing their experiences and school life. Unlike social media or anonymous bulletin boards, interns provide their names and faces, and the content is published after careful review. Therefore, junior and senior high school students considering correspondence high schools can access reliable information that serves as a reference for their career choices.
Some students and guardians hesitate to enroll due to negative images of correspondence high schools, leading to misunderstandings and prejudices. However, career choice is an important decision that affects one's future life. Instead of judging career choices based on societal perceptions, we want students to obtain accurate information from those who are (or were) directly involved in attending correspondence high schools and make a choice they are satisfied with based on their own will.
<Survey Overview>
Survey Method: Online research
Target Audience Conditions: [Gender] Male, Female
[Age] 15-19 years old (child generation) + 40-59 years old (parent generation)
[Region] Nationwide
Allocation: 300 samples each for 15-19 years old and 40-59 years old
Survey Period: May 15, 2026 - May 19, 2026
Note 1) Survey results are displayed with the second decimal place truncated.
Go Correspondence High School
A portal site that introduces correspondence high schools, support schools, vocational training schools, and higher vocational schools from various angles. Instead of simply comparing specs like deviation values or name recognition, it aims to match the individuality of students, who have worries and desires, with the individuality of schools that can solve them.
https://go-highschool.com/
Official Website
There is a significant gap between the values young people aged 10-19 place on learning and society's recognition of the worries they face. To resolve this issue, we believe that if we can all discuss more freely, the world will become a slightly better place than it is now, and with that sentiment, we deliver real voices from various perspectives.
https://prmaceed.co.jp/
Company Profile
Company Name: Premacyed Inc.
Representative: Akito Iwata, Representative Director
Location: the Folks 3B/3F, 2-18-19 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Company URL: https://prmaceed.co.jp/
FACT BOX
- Source: PR TIMES
- Category: Survey結果