College students: So you think you're special?

(NECN) - Mom is no longer the only one calling her little star "special" - a new survey shows that more young people think of themselves as a pretty great gift to Earth.

The American Freshman Survey has had nearly 9 million youths participate in the study over the past 47 years.

In the past four decades, data has seen a rise in the number of students who describe themselves as "above average" in areas including: academic ability, drive to achieve, mathematical ability, and self-confidence.

Read more about the study here.