This overview presents findings from all first-year students participating in the 2000 First-Year Student Survey. For information about the survey and analysis methods, see "2000 First-Year Student Survey: Introduction, Methods, and Student Demographic Profile."

• Financial Aid
• Parent/Guardian Income
• Parent/Guardian Education Attainment
• Household Information
• Home Community
• Religious Preference
• Disabilities
• Musical Instruments Played
• Preparation for College
• Personal Computers
• Intended Work Community

Application Process:

• Number of Schools To Which Respondent Applied
• Factors Influencing Attendance Decision
• Satisfaction with Admissions
• Virtual Advising Center
• Contacts During the Admissions Process

Educational Intent and Interests:

• Student Affairs
• First Semester Enrollment Status
• Time to Complete Degree
• Intended Highest Level of Education
• Goals and Objectives at NC State
• First Semester Employment Plans

Goals for Undergraduate Education:

• General Education Goals/Personal Development Goals/World View Goals
• Comparison of Development and Importance of Goals

This section presents background information provided by first-year students who responded to the survey, including whether they expect to receive financial aid, information about their households, their employment plans, and other personal information.

Financial Aid (Table 3-1)

First-year students indicated whether they expected to receive financial aid, including work-study, grants, loans, and scholarships. The majority (56.2%) said they expected some sort of financial aid. Nearly equal proportions of survey respondents anticipated receiving aid based on academic achievement and on financial need. Table 3-1 presents the breakdown of the types of aid respondents expected to receive.

Parent/Guardian Income (Table 3-2)

Students were given 14 income brackets ranging from under $10,000 to over $200,001 per year and asked to indicate which best described their parents' or guardians' combined 1999 pre-tax income. Nearly three-quarters (73.5%) of those responding to this item reported family incomes over $50,000, with over one-quarter (28.0%) stating that their combined family income was over $100,000.

Parent/Guardian Education (Tables 3-3 and 3-4)

Students were asked to report the educational attainment of their father/male guardian and mother/female guardian. A majority of respondents (63.6%) reported that the educational attainment of their father/male guardian was a four-year baccalaureate degree or higher. Slightly more than half of respondents (56.8%) reported that their mother/female guardian had at least a four-year baccalaureate degree. Respondents indicated that slightly more of their fathers than mothers did not complete a high school degree.

Similar proportions of respondents' fathers and mothers reportedly had no college education. Less than ten percent (8.3%) of survey respondents are first generation college students, with neither parent/guardian having attended college.

Household Information (Tables 3-5 and 3-6)

Almost two-thirds of respondents (64.8%) indicated they came from a household with four or more members, including themselves. More than two-thirds of the respondents (68.5%) indicated that they were the only dependent of the household currently enrolled in college.

Home Community (Table 3-7)

First-year survey respondents were asked to describe the size of their home community. The majority of respondents (59.2%) reported having come from a "moderate sized" or larger city. Less than one-fifth (16.0%) come from a rural area.

Religion (Table 3-8)

The religious preference most often reported was Baptist (25.4%), followed by Methodist (15.2%) and Catholic (12.7%). About 13 percent of respondents selected the "no preference" option.

Disabilities (Table 3-9)

Respondents were given a list of disabilities and asked to indicate any they have. While relatively few students (6.0%) indicated any disability, the most frequently named was a learning disability/ADD.

Musical Instruments Played (Table 3-10)

Survey respondents were given a list of various musical instruments (grouped in small categories), and asked to indicate which, if any, they play. Almost one-fourth (24.5%) of respondents play at least one of the instruments listed. The most common of these instruments played by first-year students was clarinet/saxophone, followed by french horn/trumpet/cornet.

Preparation for College (Table 3-11)

Over 40 percent of respondents reported that they had been "well prepared" for college by their high school (44.9%) and on their own (43.7%). However, respondents were over twice as likely to report that high school preparation was poor as compared with their personal preparation (8.1% vs. 3.3%). In all, the vast majority of students (over 90 percent) report being at least adequately prepared for college both by their high school and their personal efforts.

Personal Computers (Tables 3-12 and 3-13)

Nearly 80 percent of respondents (79.7%) reported that they will have a computer for personal use at NC State beginning with the Fall 2000 semester. While 15.7 percent were unsure whether they would have a personal computer, less than 5 percent (4.6%) said they definitely would not. Of those students expecting to bring computers (N=2548), over 90 percent (92.6%) expect to be able to connect to the Internet at NC State.

Intended Work Community (Table 3-14)

Respondents were asked to indicate the general location in which they intend to seek employment after graduation. One-sixth (16.6%) said they intend to look for work only in North Carolina. About one-third (32.5%) claimed they would seek work anywhere it is available.

Respondents were instructed during administration of the survey to select "will not seek employment" if they plan to pursue graduate education upon completion of their baccalaureate degree. Over one-fifth (22.5%) claimed they would not seek employment after graduation. Of the 734 respondents who selected this option, 690 (94.0%) reported in another survey item (discussed below) that they sought a Bachelor's degree as preparation for graduate school.

This section of the report explores new students' experiences with the application process, and examines those factors students considered influential in their decision to attend NC State.

Number of Schools to Which Students Applied (Table 3-15)

When asked to indicate the number of schools to which they had applied, 24.8 percent of respondents said they only applied to NC State. Another 24.6 percent applied to only one other school. About half of first-year students surveyed (50.7%) applied to three or more colleges including NC State.

Factors Influencing Decision to Attend (Table 3-16)

Respondents indicated the extent to which each of 19 factors influenced their decision to attend NC State. The rating scale ranged from 5 = "very strong influence" to 1 = "very weak influence." Respondents who selected "not applicable" were not used in the calculations of average ratings. On average, respondents reported that the academic reputation of NC State (mean rating = 4.1), the availability of the program of interest (3.8), the level of support for intended major (3.8), and facilities and resources available (3.7) were strong influences on their decision to attend NC State.

Responses to this item can be regrouped to reflect the relative influences of the academic qualities of NC State, the physical qualities, contacts with NC State affiliated individuals or NC State promotional material, and other influences. As expected, academic qualities (academic reputation, availability of program, support for major, and acceptance into first-year college) top the list of influences on the decision to attend (group mean of items = 3.8). The influence of the physical factors (cost, location, size, and facilities/resources) rated second highest with a group mean of 3.4. Contacts with affiliated individuals/NC State promotional material and other listed influences were somewhat less important in the decision to attend State (group means of 2.5 and 2.7, respectively).

Respondents were also asked to indicate the single most influential factor in their decision to attend. Responses to this item reflect the importance of academics in the decision to attend NC State. Over one-fifth said academic reputation was most influential (23.5%), followed by level of support for my intended major (18.5%), availability of program (12.3%) and location (11.3%).

Satisfaction with Admissions (Table 3-17)

Survey respondents were asked to rate their satisfaction with the quality of various aspects of the NC State admissions process on a scale from 4 = "very satisfied" to 1 = "very dissatisfied." Respondents who checked "don't know/did not use" were not included in the calculation of mean ratings. Almost all respondents said they were either "very" or "moderately satisfied" with university and departmental admissions (93.1% and 93.0%, respectively). Less than two-thirds reported being "very" or "moderately satisfied" with the financial aid process (66.3%).

Virtual Advising Center (Table 3-18)

Students who used the NC State Virtual Advising Center were asked to rate the Web site on a scale from 4 = "excellent" to 1 = "poor." About half of survey respondents (51.7%) said they did not know about the Virtual Advising Center, and another 14 percent knew about the Center but did not use it. Of those students who used the Center, most reported it to be "good" (712 of 1144, or 62% of those aware of it).

NC State Contacts During the Admissions Process (Table 3-19)

About two-thirds of the respondents (65.2%) reported receiving a letter from someone connected to the University other than the Admissions Office after applying for admission to NC State. Less than one-fifth of respondents reported receiving calls from an NC State faculty/staff member (17.2%) and/or a current student (17.0%). Few respondents (7.2%) got calls from an NC State alumnus.

This section of the report focuses on respondents' educational intent and interests. Specifically, it explores their interest in various student programs and activities, their enrollment status, how long they expect it will take them to complete their degree, and plans for further education. How certain the respondents are of the academic major they would pursue, and the number of hours they expect to be employed while in school, are also reported.

Student Affairs (Table 3-20)

Survey respondents identified the co-curricular programs and activities in which they were interested from a list of 27 such options at NC State. Over half (52.7%) of students indicated interest in intramurals (basketball, golf, table tennis, etc.) A large percentage of students also indicated interest in fitness (aerobics, walking, etc.) and outdoor adventures (backpacking, camping, rock-climbing, etc.) (45.1% and 39.5%, respectively). About one-third of students reported interest in club sports (34.8%), social fraternities/sororities (34.0%), volunteer services (33.8%), student exchange programs (32.6%), and the Co-op (Cooperative Education) program (32.3%).

First Semester Enrollment (Tables 3-21 and 3-22)

Respondents were asked to report the number of credit hours for which they were enrolled. The vast majority (88.7%) reported planning at least 15 credit hours; only one respondent planned to take less than 12 credit hours during her or his first semester.

Of those students reporting less than a 15 credit hour enrollment status in their first semester (n=341), the most common reason given was that the respondent wants better grades (53.1%). Over one-quarter (31.1%) of those taking less than 15 hours cited courses unavailable as a reason.

Amount of Time to Complete Degree (Table 3-23)

Respondents were asked to estimate the amount of time they intended to take to earn their Bachelor's degree at NC State. While 73.6 percent said they expect to graduate from NC State in four years, another 19.9 percent said it would take up to five years to finish. About four percent of first-year students anticipate finishing in less than four years.

Highest Level of Education (Table 3-24)

A large majority of respondents indicated a desire to continue their education beyond a Bachelor's degree. Over forty percent (43.3%) anticipated pursuing a master's degree while another 30.2 percent planned to pursue some higher degree (Ph.D., M.D., etc.) About one-fourth of respondents (26.4%) anticipated stopping at the Bachelor's degree.

Goals and Objectives at NC State (Tables 3-25 and 3-26)

Slightly more than half (55.8%) of respondents stated that their primary goal for attending NC State was to obtain a bachelor's degree as "preparation for graduate or professional school." Nearly three-fourths of respondents indicated at the time they were completing the survey during New Student Orientation that they were either "certain" (42.6%) or "very certain" (28.6%) of their choice in college major.

Semester Employment Plans (Table 3-27)

Respondents were asked to report the number of hours they intended to work during their first semester at NC State. Few respondents (6.1%) said they plan to work 20 hours or more each week, whereas two-thirds (66.1%) did not plan to work at all their first semester.

This section presents information about respondents' educational goals. The 35 goals asked about related to either personal development, general education, or world views (see Tables 3-28 and 3-29).

Respondents were asked to rate their current level of development on each goal and how important the goal is to them right now. Current development was rated on a scale from 1 = "very low" to 5 = "very high." Goal importance was rated on a scale from 1 = "not important" to 5 = "very important." "Don't know" responses in both lists were excluded from the analysis.

Overall, personal development goals tended to receive higher mean ratings on current development than did the other areas, with 6 of the 10 highest mean ratings. Current development of two of the world view goals, however, had the second and third highest mean ratings. The four highest mean ratings were for taking responsibility for my own behavior (4.30), valuing racial equity (4.20), valuing gender equity (4.15), and viewing learning as a lifelong process (4.04).

Ratings of goal importance were consistently higher than ratings of current development. Again, personal development goals were given higher ratings than those related to general education and world views (8 of 10 highest mean ratings for importance).The four highest average ratings were for managing my time (4.63), taking responsibility for my own behavior (4.59), having self-confidence (4.59), and having self-discipline (4.59).

Table 3-28: Current Development

General Education Goals	Mean Development*
Good listening skills	3.79
Apply math skills	3.75
Plan/carry out project independently	3.74
Broad general education	3.72
Understand influence of science/technology	3.62
Critically analyze information	3.61
Communicate ideas orally	3.55
Develop computer skills	3.55
Good reading comprehension skills	3.54
Understand diverse cultures	3.46
Communicate ideas in writing	3.42
Apply scientific principles	3.37
Personal Development Goals	Mean Development*
Responsibility for own behavior	4.30
Viewing learning as lifelong	4.04
Ability to function as part of a team	3.96
Being independent	3.95
Acting on ethical principles	3.93
Understanding own abilities/interests	3.91
Realizing potential for success	3.81
Having self-confidence	3.77
Having self-discipline	3.77
Clarifying personal identity	3.76
Coping with change	3.65
Commit to health and fitness	3.62
Leadership/management skills	3.58
Handling stress	3.52
Managing my time	3.35
Involved with public/community affairs	3.32
World View Goals	Mean Development*
Valuing racial equity	4.20
Valuing gender equity	4.15
Work w/ people from diverse backgrounds	3.84
Tolerance for different views	3.81
Appreciate arts/music/literature	3.42
World problems/issues	3.31
Present as it relates to history	3.26

* Means based on a scale from 5 = "very high" to 1 = "very low."

Comparing Average Ratings for Current Development and Importance of Goals (Chart 3-1)

Considerable variation exists in mean ratings of importance and development for each goal rated by survey respondents. These differences reveal potentially important aspects of students' goal orientation. Chart 3-1 graphically displays the inconsistencies in mean ratings of importance and development. The data points cluster on the lower right side of the chart, reflecting the fact that importance was consistently rated higher than current development.

The upper right quadrant contains goals that are rated relatively high in both importance and development. Thus, goals falling in this quadrant are those that respondents feel are particularly important and on which they feel they have made a good start. Especially noteworthy is number 13, taking responsibility for my own behavior.

Goals in the lower right quadrant were rated high in importance but comparatively lower in development. These are goals that are important for students, but which they feel have not been developed to the same extent as other goals. Most prominent is number 27, managing my time. Other goals in this quadrant include developing computer skills (9) and handling stress (26). In general, these items represent areas which students value and wish to improve upon.

Goals in the lower left quadrant were rated lower in both importance and development than many of the other goals. In general, the respondents are less concerned about these areas. Understanding the present as it relates to history (30) and appreciation of the arts (32) have noticeably lower average development and importance ratings compared to the other goals.

Goal development and importance by rank order: Gender/Ethnicity
Comparisons and Frequencies: Gender/Ethnicity
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