2009 National Survey of Student Engagement
North Carolina State University
Results by Academic Class


The following tables provide results to the 2009 National Survey of Student Engagement broken down by academic class. Statistically significant differences (p>.05) are noted with an asterisk (*).


Academic Engagement | Coursework Emphasis | Reading and Writing | Homework | Examinations | Personal Development | Curricular and Co-Curricular Activities | Quality of Relationships | Hours Spent on Various Activities | Academic and Non-Academic Support | Knowledge, Skills, and Personal Development | Evaluation of Educational Experience

Academic Engagement

  Mean Rating:
(4=Very often, 3=Often, 2=Sometimes, 1=Never)
First-Year Senior
Asked questions in class or contributed to class discussions* 2.71 2.93
Made a class presentation* 2.15 2.72
Prepared two or more drafts of a paper or assignment before turning it in* 2.67 2.22
Worked on a paper or project that required integrating ideas or information from various sources* 3.17 3.36
Included diverse perspectives in class discussions or writing assignments 2.74 2.71
Come to class without completing readings or assignments* 2.03 2.22
Worked with other students on projects during class 2.45 2.48
Worked with classmates outside of class to prepare class assignments* 2.60 3.05
Put together ideas/concepts from different courses when completing assignments/class discussions* 2.63 2.98
Tutored or taught other students (paid or voluntary) 1.82 1.88
Participated in a community-based project as part of a regular course* 1.51 1.59
Used an electronic medium to discuss or complete an assignment* 2.88 3.05
Used e-mail to communicate with an instructor* 3.32 3.52
Discussed grades or assignments with an instructor* 2.60 2.78
Talked about career plans with a faculty member or advisor* 2.41 2.50
Discussed ideas from readings/classes with faculty members outside of class* 1.79 2.00
Received prompt written or oral feedback from faculty on academic performance* 2.67 2.78
Worked harder than you thought you could to meet instructor's standards/expectations 2.67 2.65
Worked with faculty members on activities other than coursework* 1.60 1.86
Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with others outside of class* 2.77 2.87
Had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity than your own 2.67 2.74
Had serious conversations with students with different religious beliefs, political opinions, personal values 2.77 2.84
View Frequency Distributions
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Coursework Emphasis on Various Mental Activities

  Mean Rating:
(4=Very much, 3=Quite a bit, 2=Some, 1=Very littler)
First-Year Senior
Memorizing facts, ideas, or methods from courses/readings for repetition* 2.94 2.81
Analyzing basic elements of an idea, experience, or theory* 3.22 3.34
Synthesizing and organizing ideas/info/experiences into new, more complex interpretations/relationships* 3.01 3.08
Making judgments about the value of information, arguments, or methods 2.91 2.98
Applying theories or concepts to practical problems or in new situations 3.23 3.26
View Frequency Distributions
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Reading and Writing During Current School Year

Number of assigned textbooks, books, or book-length packs of course readings* First-Year Senior
More than 20 9.5% 13.2%
11-20 21.2% 16.1%
5-10 45.9% 39.4%
1-4 21.9% 28.8%
None 1.6% 2.5%
Total (N) 1,040 957


Number of books read for personal enjoyment or academic enrichment (not assigned)* First-Year Senior
More than 20 2.4% 4.5%
11-20 3.9% 5.4%
5-10 15.5% 15.0%
1-4 52.2% 55.4%
None 26.0% 19.8%
Total (N) 1,038 960


Number of written papers or reports of 20 pages or more* First-Year Senior
More than 20 0.3% 1.0%
11-20 1.0% 1.8%
5-10 2.6% 8.1%
1-4 9.6% 42.2%
None 86.5% 46.9%
Total (N) 1,038 960


Number of written papers or reports between 5 and 19 pages* First-Year Senior
More than 20 0.7% 4.1%
11-20 5.2% 12.1%
5-10 33.7% 33.6%
1-4 54.6% 42.0%
None 5.8% 8.2%
Total (N) 1,036 958


Number of written papers or reports of fewer than 5 pages* First-Year Senior
More than 20 6.8% 11.3%
11-20 12.7% 15.3%
5-10 31.7% 28.9%
1-4 45.7% 38.8%
None 3.0% 5.7%
Total (N) 1,040 958
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Homework During a Typical Week

Number of problem sets that take you more than an hour to complete* First-Year Senior
More than 6 12.5% 11.8%
5-6 12.4% 5.6%
3-4 32.1% 28.9%
1-2 36.8% 33.8%
None 6.2% 19.9%
Total (N) 1,040 958


Number of problem sets that take you less than an hour to complete* First-Year Senior
More than 6 15.9% 6.2%
5-6 12.6% 5.3%
3-4 30.7% 18.4%
1-2 35.0% 35.3%
None 5.7% 34.7%
Total (N) 1,037 955
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Examinations

Extent to which examinations have challenged you to do your best work* First-Year Senior
Mean Rating 5.71 5.46
7: Very much 20.4% 18.4%
6 44.3% 36.7%
5 25.6% 28.4%
4 6.7% 9.6%
3 2.2% 3.7%
2 0.3% 2.2%
1: Very little 0.4% 1.0%
Total (N) 1,039 958
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Personal Development

  Mean Rating:
(4=Very often, 3=Often, 2=Sometimes, 1=Never)
First-Year Senior
Attended an art exhibit, play, dance, music, theater, or other performance* 2.14 1.96
Exercised or participated in physical fitness activities* 3.11 3.02
Participated in activities to enhance your spirituality (worship, meditation, prayer, etc.) 2.18 2.12
Examined the strengths and weaknesses of your own views on a topic or issue 2.67 2.71
Tried to better understand someone else's views by imagining issue from his/her perspective 2.81 2.83
Learned something that changed the way you understand an issue or concept 2.85 2.92
View Frequency Distributions
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Participation in Curricular and Co-Curricular Activities

Practicum, internship, field experience, co-op experience, or clinical assignment* First-Year Senior
Done 5.9% 67.9%
Plan to do 82.6% 10.5%
Do not plan to do 2.5% 16.4%
Have not decided 8.9% 5.2%
Total (N) 1,027 942


Community service or volunteer work* First-Year Senior
Done 44.6% 71.3%
Plan to do 40.4% 9.5%
Do not plan to do 4.6% 13.8%
Have not decided 10.4% 5.4%
Total (N) 1,025 934


Participate in a learning community or other formal program* First-Year Senior
Done 18.4% 28.5%
Plan to do 24.1% 4.5%
Do not plan to do 23.7% 58.9%
Have not decided 33.8% 8.2%
Total (N) 1,026 936


Work on a research project with a faculty member outside of course or program requirements* First-Year Senior
Done 4.4% 29.8%
Plan to do 41.4% 9.0%
Do not plan to do 16.9% 51.1%
Have not decided 37.3% 10.1%
Total (N) 1,030 942


Foreign language coursework* First-Year Senior
Done 27.9% 54.2%
Plan to do 24.0% 4.5%
Do not plan to do 32.3% 39.4%
Have not decided 15.8% 1.9%
Total (N) 1,030 941


Study abroad* First-Year Senior
Done 0.4% 17.4%
Plan to do 48.1% 5.5%
Do not plan to do 21.7% 69.7%
Have not decided 29.7% 7.3%
Total (N) 1,030 934


Independent study or self-designed major* First-Year Senior
Done 1.7% 14.8%
Plan to do 11.5% 5.0%
Do not plan to do 56.2% 74.1%
Have not decided 30.6% 6.1%
Total (N) 1,024 935


Culminating senior experience (capstone course, senior project/thesis, comprehensive exam, etc.)* First-Year Senior
Done 0.8% 42.6%
Plan to do 46.6% 20.0%
Do not plan to do 11.6% 30.8%
Have not decided 41.0% 6.5%
Total (N) 1,030 942
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Quality of Relationships

Relationships with other students First-Year Senior
Mean Rating 5.63 5.71
7: Friendly, Supportive, Sense of belonging 26.2% 29.8%
6 35.9% 35.3%
5 22.4% 21.0%
4 9.3% 7.4%
3 3.2% 4.0%
2 2.7% 1.5%
1: Unfriendly, Unsupportive, Sense of alienation 0.3% 1.0%
Total (N) 1,024 938


Relationships with faculty members* First-Year Senior
Mean Rating 5.18 5.31
7: Available, Helpful, Sympathetic 14.0% 17.4%
6 28.5% 34.8%
5 29.8% 24.4%
4 20.0% 13.9%
3 5.2% 5.0%
2 1.7% 2.8%
Unavailable, Unhelpful, Unsympathetic 0.8% 1.7%
Total (N) 1,023 938


Relationships with administrative personnel and offices First-Year Senior
Mean Rating 4.79 4.67
7: Helpful, Considerate, Flexible 11.0% 11.6%
6 21.8% 25.1%
5 26.9% 21.5%
4 24.8% 19.8%
3 9.1% 8.9%
2 4.4% 8.2%
1: Unhelpful, Inconsiderate, Rigid 2.1% 4.9%
Total (N) 1,021 938
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Hours Spent on Various Activities During a Typical Week

Preparing for class (studying, reading, writing, homework, etc.)* First-Year Senior
More than 30 hours 5.0% 8.8%
26-30 6.5% 6.3%
21-25 13.4% 12.7%
16-20 22.9% 18.4%
11-15 25.2% 18.5%
6-10 18.6% 22.2%
1-5 8.3% 12.5%
0 hours per week 0.1% 0.5%
Total (N) 1,015 936


Working for pay on campus* First-Year Senior
More than 30 hours 0.3% 1.4%
26-30 0.2% 0.3%
21-25 0.2% 0.8%
16-20 1.5% 4.1%
11-15 2.1% 4.2%
6-10 3.3% 8.7%
1-5 2.0% 4.4%
0 hours per week 90.2% 76.0%
Total (N) 1,013 935


Working for pay off campus* First-Year Senior
More than 30 hours 0.2% 5.3%
26-30 0.5% 3.6%
21-25 1.1% 6.8%
16-20 2.2% 11.8%
11-15 3.3% 10.7%
6-10 3.3% 9.0%
1-5 4.5% 4.6%
0 hours per week 84.9% 48.1%
Total (N) 1,015 935


Participating in co-curricular activities First-Year Senior
More than 30 hours 1.7% 2.1%
26-30 0.9% 0.7%
21-25 2.6% 1.5%
16-20 4.5% 3.9%
11-15 7.6% 7.2%
6-10 16.3% 16.5%
1-5 37.2% 34.0%
0 hours per week 29.3% 34.2%
Total (N) 1,019 940


Relaxing and socializing (watching TV, partying, etc.) First-Year Senior
More than 30 hours 4.0% 5.4%
26-30 2.8% 2.6%
21-25 6.1% 5.9%
16-20 14.3% 12.9%
11-15 24.1% 24.0%
6-10 31.3% 29.9%
1-5 17.2% 18.4%
0 hours per week 0.3% 0.9%
Total (N) 1,015 935


Providing care for dependents living with you* First-Year Senior
More than 30 hours 0.3% 2.8%
26-30 0.2% 0.9%
21-25 0.3% 0.4%
16-20 0.5% 0.6%
11-15 1.9% 2.7%
6-10 2.3% 4.0%
1-5 7.9% 8.1%
0 hours per week 86.6% 80.5%
Total (N) 1,011 934


Commuting to class (driving, walking, etc.) First-Year Senior
More than 30 hours 0.4% 0.5%
26-30 0.2% 0.3%
21-25 0.4% 0.1%
16-20 1.7% 0.8%
11-15 4.3% 4.5%
6-10 15.7% 18.4%
1-5 72.6% 72.7%
0 hours per week 4.8% 2.6%
Total (N) 1,015 935
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Institutional Emphasis on Academic and Non-Academic Support

  Mean Rating:
(4=Very much, 3=Quite a bit, 2=Some, 1=Very little)
First-Year Senior
Spending significant amounts of time studying and on academic work 3.28 3.23
Providing the support you need to help you succeed academically* 3.24 3.01
Encouraging contact among students from different economic, social, and racial or ethnic backgrounds* 2.92 2.53
Helping you cope with your non-academic responsibilities (work, family, etc.)* 2.33 1.93
Providing the support you need to thrive socially* 2.59 2.22
Attending campus events and activities* 3.08 2.81
Using computers in academic work* 3.53 3.62
View Frequency Distributions
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Institution's Contribution to Knowledge, Skills, and Personal Development

  Mean Rating:
(4=Very much, 3=Quite a bit, 2=Some, 1=Very little)
First-Year Senior
Acquiring a broad general education 3.24 3.23
Acquiring job or work-related knowledge and skills* 2.94 3.14
Writing clearly and effectively 3.00 3.02
Speaking clearly and effectively* 2.75 2.94
Thinking critically and analytically* 3.31 3.42
Analyzing quantitative problems 3.21 3.25
Using computing and information technology* 3.29 3.38
Working effectively with others* 3.08 3.28
Voting in local, state, or national elections* 2.74 2.36
Learning effectively on your own 3.11 3.11
Understanding yourself 2.87 2.81
Understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds* 2.73 2.57
Solving complex real-world problems* 2.86 2.95
Developing a personal code of values and ethics* 2.72 2.59
Contributing to the welfare of your community* 2.60 2.47
Developing a deepened sense of spirituality* 2.10 1.76
View Frequency Distributions
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Evaluation of Educational Experience

Evaluate the quality of academic advising you have received at your institution* First-Year Senior
Mean Rating 3.20 2.91
Excellent 40.0% 31.6%
Good 43.6% 38.0%
Fair 12.7% 20.1%
Poor 3.7% 10.2%
Total (N) 988 919


Evaluate your entire educational experience at this institution First-Year Senior
Mean Rating 3.35 3.38
Excellent 44.9% 49.5%
Good 46.4% 40.8%
Fair 7.9% 7.8%
Poor 0.7% 1.8%
Total (N) 986 918


If starting over, would you go to the same institution?* First-Year Senior
Definitely yes 55.4% 57.0%
Probably yes 37.2% 31.4%
Probably no 5.5% 8.5%
Definitely no 1.9% 3.1%
Total (N) 989 922
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