North Carolina State University
2002 First-Year Student Survey Data Tables:
Frequency Distributions of Survey Item #5
(Factor Influence)

This document reports the frequency distributions by gender and race/ethnicity of survey item #5 of the Fall 2002 First-Year Student Survey. The exact wording of the survey item is as follows:

To what extent did each of the following factors influence your decision to attend NC State? Using the scale below, please enter the number closest to your opinion for each factor listed.

Scale: 5=very strong influence, 4=strong influence, 3=moderate influence, 2=weak influence, 1=very weak influence, 0=not applicable

Note: "Not applicable" responses were excluded from the analyses.

Frequency Distributions of Survey Item #5

Academic reputation All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 34.3% 35.4% 33.4% 49.8% 32.6% 31.1%
4: Strong influence 43.4% 42.1% 44.3% 35.0% 44.7% 40.0%
3: Moderate infl. 19.7% 19.9% 19.6% 12.6% 20.0% 26.2%
2: Weak influence 1.6% 1.7% 1.6% 1.6% 1.6% 1.8%
1: Very weak infl. 1.0% 0.9% 1.1% 0.9% 1.0% 0.9%
Availability of program All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 30.7% 32.4% 29.4% 37.4% 30.2% 26.7%
4: Strong influence 31.8% 30.7% 32.6% 28.5% 31.5% 39.6%
3: Moderate infl. 25.0% 24.0% 25.8% 24.9% 25.1% 24.0%
2: Weak influence 8.7% 9.1% 8.5% 6.2% 9.3% 5.5%
1: Very weak infl. 3.8% 3.8% 3.8% 3.0% 3.9% 4.1%
Level of support for my intended major All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 28.7% 26.7% 30.1% 30.6% 28.6% 27.3%
4: Strong influence 29.5% 28.2% 30.4% 30.6% 29.2% 30.7%
3: Moderate infl. 25.0% 24.8% 25.1% 26.6% 24.5% 27.8%
2: Weak influence 10.0% 11.9% 8.7% 5.3% 10.7% 8.8%
1: Very weak infl. 6.8% 8.4% 5.7% 7.0% 6.9% 5.4%
Facilities and resources available All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 20.3% 20.2% 20.4% 28.9% 19.7% 14.5%
4: Strong influence 36.0% 36.5% 35.7% 34.4% 35.9% 40.2%
3: Moderate infl. 30.3% 29.4% 31.0% 26.9% 30.8% 30.4%
2: Weak influence 8.7% 9.0% 8.5% 6.2% 8.8% 10.7%
1: Very weak infl. 4.6% 4.9% 4.4% 3.6% 4.8% 4.2%
Location All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 23.1% 25.0% 21.6% 31.9% 22.1% 20.8%
4: Strong influence 32.3% 33.0% 31.8% 31.2% 32.4% 32.1%
3: Moderate infl. 29.5% 29.9% 29.2% 28.1% 29.5% 32.1%
2: Weak influence 9.3% 7.3% 10.8% 5.0% 10.0% 7.2%
1: Very weak infl. 5.8% 4.9% 6.5% 3.8% 5.9% 7.7%
Acceptance into First Year College All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 23.5% 26.3% 21.0% 24.3% 23.0% 28.6%
4: Strong influence 29.6% 29.5% 29.7% 23.0% 31.1% 22.9%
3: Moderate infl. 27.6% 27.8% 27.4% 31.1% 26.6% 34.3%
2: Weak influence 7.8% 7.8% 7.7% 13.5% 6.8% 8.6%
1: Very weak infl. 11.5% 8.5% 14.2% 8.1% 12.4% 5.7%
Recommended All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 20.8% 19.8% 21.6% 25.0% 20.2% 22.4%
4: Strong influence 25.8% 27.0% 24.9% 22.1% 26.5% 22.9%
3: Moderate infl. 27.2% 27.1% 27.2% 27.2% 27.1% 28.4%
2: Weak influence 15.5% 14.1% 16.4% 12.7% 15.7% 16.9%
1: Very weak infl. 10.7% 11.9% 9.9% 13.0% 10.6% 9.5%
Campus visit prior to orientation All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 14.4% 18.4% 11.4% 26.6% 13.1% 12.3%
4: Strong influence 27.0% 29.9% 24.8% 29.5% 26.8% 25.2%
3: Moderate infl. 33.8% 31.7% 35.3% 25.7% 34.7% 33.5%
2: Weak influence 13.9% 11.2% 15.9% 9.5% 14.4% 14.2%
1: Very weak infl. 11.0% 8.9% 12.6% 8.7% 11.0% 14.8%
Cost All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 15.5% 14.1% 16.5% 19.2% 14.2% 24.5%
4: Strong influence 21.2% 19.8% 22.2% 11.3% 22.2% 23.6%
3: Moderate infl. 33.3% 34.7% 32.3% 39.1% 32.6% 32.9%
2: Weak influence 15.8% 15.9% 15.7% 12.9% 16.6% 11.6%
1: Very weak infl. 14.2% 15.5% 13.3% 17.5% 14.4% 7.4%
Contact with a current student All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 13.8% 16.9% 11.6% 18.6% 13.5% 10.2%
4: Strong influence 25.7% 25.2% 26.0% 25.5% 25.6% 27.4%
3: Moderate infl. 29.7% 27.6% 31.3% 24.5% 30.3% 29.9%
2: Weak influence 15.4% 14.8% 15.9% 15.5% 15.3% 16.6%
1: Very weak infl. 15.3% 15.5% 15.2% 15.9% 15.2% 15.9%
Size All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 10.0% 12.2% 8.3% 15.2% 9.5% 7.9%
4: Strong influence 22.6% 23.5% 22.0% 21.3% 22.3% 28.8%
3: Moderate infl. 33.8% 35.1% 32.9% 37.7% 33.5% 32.6%
2: Weak influence 20.6% 19.2% 21.7% 16.5% 21.3% 19.5%
1: Very weak infl. 12.9% 10.0% 15.1% 9.4% 13.5% 11.2%
Scholarships/financial aid available All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 18.6% 22.3% 15.8% 38.9% 15.2% 22.2%
4: Strong influence 15.9% 15.7% 16.0% 18.5% 15.4% 17.0%
3: Moderate infl. 24.3% 24.4% 24.2% 27.1% 23.7% 26.3%
2: Weak influence 21.5% 18.7% 23.5% 7.3% 23.7% 20.1%
1: Very weak infl. 19.8% 18.9% 20.5% 8.3% 22.0% 14.4%
Extracurricular opportunities All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 8.8% 9.3% 8.5% 15.1% 8.0% 9.1%
4: Strong influence 20.0% 21.3% 19.0% 28.7% 19.4% 13.9%
3: Moderate infl. 32.5% 32.5% 32.4% 31.6% 31.9% 39.6%
2: Weak influence 20.0% 19.9% 20.0% 14.0% 20.7% 20.9%
1: Very weak infl. 18.7% 17.0% 20.0% 10.7% 19.9% 16.6%
Contact with a graduate All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 10.6% 11.0% 10.3% 13.7% 10.4% 8.6%
4: Strong influence 18.8% 18.4% 19.1% 20.3% 19.0% 13.3%
3: Moderate infl. 26.0% 24.6% 27.0% 24.8% 26.1% 27.6%
2: Weak influence 20.7% 19.0% 21.8% 22.2% 20.5% 20.0%
1: Very weak infl. 23.9% 27.0% 21.9% 19.0% 23.9% 30.5%
Contact with a faculty or staff member All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 6.8% 8.2% 5.9% 12.3% 6.1% 6.3%
4: Strong influence 14.4% 16.1% 13.2% 12.8% 14.4% 16.7%
3: Moderate infl. 24.6% 25.0% 24.2% 33.0% 23.3% 25.4%
2: Weak influence 24.1% 19.7% 27.3% 19.6% 25.0% 21.4%
1: Very weak infl. 30.1% 31.1% 29.4% 22.3% 31.2% 30.2%
Publications from NC State All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 2.5% 2.1% 2.8% 8.6% 1.8% 1.2%
4: Strong influence 9.5% 11.1% 8.3% 20.3% 8.1% 9.3%
3: Moderate infl. 29.5% 32.1% 27.5% 37.9% 28.4% 29.6%
2: Weak influence 27.2% 27.0% 27.3% 15.1% 28.9% 25.9%
1: Very weak infl. 31.3% 27.7% 34.2% 18.1% 32.8% 34.0%
Attendance at a College Fair All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 2.3% 2.3% 2.2% 5.4% 1.9% 1.7%
4: Strong influence 9.8% 11.2% 8.8% 13.2% 9.1% 12.5%
3: Moderate infl. 26.1% 28.6% 24.2% 38.3% 24.5% 26.7%
2: Weak influence 25.5% 25.3% 25.8% 18.6% 26.6% 23.3%
1: Very weak infl. 36.2% 32.7% 39.0% 24.6% 37.8% 35.8%
Number of hours transferred/credited All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 3.6% 3.5% 3.8% 2.4% 3.5% 6.6%
4: Strong influence 8.8% 8.5% 9.0% 11.3% 8.6% 8.0%
3: Moderate infl. 23.1% 22.3% 23.7% 26.8% 22.1% 29.2%
2: Weak influence 27.9% 28.8% 27.3% 26.2% 28.4% 25.5%
1: Very weak infl. 36.5% 36.9% 36.2% 33.3% 37.5% 30.7%
Letter from outside Admissions Office All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 3.5% 3.8% 3.3% 9.5% 2.9% 0.8%
4: Strong influence 8.2% 9.5% 7.2% 9.0% 8.1% 8.1%
3: Moderate infl. 22.5% 22.5% 22.6% 30.7% 20.9% 27.4%
2: Weak influence 25.4% 26.2% 24.7% 26.1% 24.8% 30.6%
1: Very weak infl. 40.3% 38.1% 42.1% 24.6% 43.3% 33.1%
Other All Female Male AfAm White Other
5: Very strong infl. 64.8% 74.1% 57.7% 75.0% 63.4% 60.0%
4: Strong influence 16.9% 17.0% 16.8% 11.1% 18.5% 10.0%
3: Moderate infl. 9.6% 4.5% 13.4% 8.3% 9.3% 15.0%
2: Weak influence 5.0% 2.7% 6.7% 5.6% 3.9% 15.0%
1: Very weak infl. 3.8% 1.8% 5.4% 0.0% 4.9% 0.0%
Back to Means by Gender/Ethnicity for Survey Item #5


For more information on the 2002 First-Year Student Survey contact:
Dr. Nancy Whelchel, Associate Director for Survey Research
Office of Institutional Planning and Research
Box 7002
NCSU
Phone: (919) 515-4184
E-mail: Nancy_Whelchel@ncsu.edu

Posted: April, 2003

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