North Carolina State University
2007 First-Year Student Survey:
Gender and Racial/Ethnic Comparisons of
Background Characteristics

This document reports gender and racial/ethnic differences in respondents' general background characteristics, such as financial aid, parent/guardian education, employment plans, and other personal information. For information about the survey and analysis methods see "2007 First-Year Student Survey: Introduction, Methods, and Student Demographic Profile." Exact question wording is available on the web or by clicking on the "Q" next to the table heading.

Financial Aid | Parent/Guardian Income | Parent/Guardian Educational Attainment | First Generation Students | Household Dependents | Respondents' Home Community | Religious Preference | Musical Interests | Preparation for College | Participation in Pre-College Programs | Personal Computers | Intended Work Community

Q Financial Aid

		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Expect Financial Aid	%	62.0%	63.9%	60.4%	89.2%	58.9%	61.7%
Total	N	4345	1960	2385	390	3464	491

		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Academic	%	31.4%	33.2%	30.0%	47.0%	29.8%	30.9%
Financial need	%	37.5%	39.9%	35.5%	66.9%	33.2%	44.8%
Athletic based	%	2.7%	2.8%	2.7%	5.4%	2.6%	1.2%
Other - dance, music, etc.	%	1.2%	1.9%	0.7%	0.8%	1.4%	0.4%
Other aid than listed above	%	12.2%	12.5%	11.9%	14.4%	12.4%	9.2%

Note: Respondents could list more than one type of aid.
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Q Parent(s)/Guardian(s) 2006 Combined Income

Parent's income		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
$10,000 or less	%	2.0	2.0	2.0	7.9	1.2	3.2
$10,001-$15,000	%	1.1	1.1	1.0	1.8	0.8	2.1
$15,001-$20,000	%	1.4	1.8	1.1	5.6	0.9	1.6
$20,001-$25,000	%	2.1	2.5	1.8	6.7	1.3	4.3
$25,001-$30,000	%	2.6	3.0	2.4	5.9	1.6	7.1
$30,001-$35,000	%	2.9	3.2	2.6	7.6	2.3	3.4
$35,001-$40,000	%	4.4	4.7	4.2	10.0	3.8	4.3
$40,001-$50,000	%	5.6	5.9	5.4	6.7	5.3	7.5
$50,001-$60,000	%	8.0	8.3	7.8	10.9	7.5	9.1
$60,001-$75,000	%	12.4	12.7	12.2	10.6	12.7	11.6
$75,001-$100,000	%	18.3	17.6	18.8	12.0	19.2	16.4
$100,001-$150,000	%	21.6	19.3	23.3	8.2	23.4	18.7
$150,001-$200,000	%	9.0	8.9	9.1	3.8	9.8	7.3
$200,000 plus	%	8.6	9.1	8.1	2.3	10.0	3.4
Total	N	3903	1693	2210	341	3123	439

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Q Father/Male Guardian Educational Attainment

Father Education		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Less than high school	%	2.1	2.6	1.7	4.2	1.3	6.5
High school graduate	%	13.6	14.0	13.3	27.2	12.2	13.0
Some college/no degree	%	12.0	13.2	11.0	20.5	11.3	10.4
2-4 yr. associate degree	%	10.0	10.1	10.0	12.1	10.3	6.7
4 year baccalaureate degree	%	33.8	32.5	35.0	21.3	36.2	26.7
Some graduate or prof. coursework/no degree	%	3.3	3.3	3.4	2.8	3.4	3.3
Master's degree	%	16.2	16.9	15.6	8.4	16.6	19.3
Doctorate or other professional degree	%	8.8	7.4	10.0	3.4	8.7	13.9
Total	N	4068	1829	2239	356	3252	460

Q Mother/Female Guardian Educational Attainment

Mother Education		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Less than high school	%	1.5	1.5	1.5	3.5	0.5	6.9
High school graduate	%	11.4	11.3	11.5	17.0	10.5	13.7
Some college/no degree	%	13.2	14.1	12.5	21.0	12.3	13.9
2-4 yr. associate degree	%	14.6	15.9	13.6	17.3	14.7	12.4
4 year baccalaureate degree	%	36.5	34.2	38.3	27.7	38.5	28.3
Some graduate or prof. coursework/no degree	%	3.4	3.1	3.6	2.3	3.5	3.2
Master's degree	%	15.8	16.4	15.2	9.5	16.5	15.0
Doctorate or other professional degree	%	3.6	3.4	3.7	1.7	3.4	6.4
Total	N	4113	1856	2257	347	3300	466

First Generation Students

		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
First generation college student	%	6.9	6.4	7.2	14.3	5.2	12.4
At least one parent some college/no degree	%	20.2	21.7	18.9	35.5	18.8	17.6
Not first generation	%	73.0	71.9	73.9	50.3	76.0	70.0
Total	N	4352	1961	2391	392	3467	493

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Q Dependents in Respondent???s Household

Number in household		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
One	%	3.4	2.8	3.9	6.4	2.8	5.1
Two	%	10.1	9.4	10.7	18.8	9.1	10.6
Three	%	22.6	23.2	22.2	24.7	22.9	19.0
Four	%	39.6	39.9	39.3	28.4	40.8	40.0
Five or more	%	24.3	24.8	23.9	21.6	24.5	25.3
Total	N	4343	1960	2383	388	3465	490

Q Household Dependents in College

Number of dependents in college		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Only self	%	65.8	64.0	67.3	67.4	65.6	66.0
Two	%	29.7	31.3	28.4	28.1	30.1	28.4
Three or more	%	4.5	4.7	4.3	4.4	4.3	5.6
Total	N	4292	1940	2352	384	3422	486

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Q Respondent???s Home Community

High school area population		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Rural area	%	13.1	12.1	13.9	14.3	13.9	6.6
Small town	%	24.9	26.5	23.6	24.7	25.8	19.2
Moderate city	%	30.3	32.3	28.6	29.4	30.2	31.4
Large city	%	15.8	15.6	15.9	15.9	15.3	19.0
Urban area	%	15.9	13.4	17.9	15.6	14.8	23.7
Total	N	4158	1862	2296	377	3313	468

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Q Religious Preference

		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Assemblies of God	%	1.1%	1.0%	1.2%	0.7%	1.0%	2.0%
Baha'i	%	0.2%	0.2%	0.3%	0.0%	0.2%	0.4%
Baptist	%	27.0%	27.8%	26.2%	51.6%	26.1%	13.1%
Buddhist	%	1.0%	0.8%	1.1%	0.0%	0.5%	4.8%
Catholic	%	14.4%	14.8%	14.1%	3.2%	14.6%	21.8%
Disciples of Christ	%	0.9%	1.0%	0.8%	1.2%	0.8%	1.0%
Episcopal	%	2.8%	2.9%	2.7%	2.0%	3.1%	1.4%
Hindu	%	1.2%	1.4%	1.2%	0.2%	0.2%	9.7%
Jewish	%	1.0%	1.4%	0.7%	0.5%	1.2%	0.2%
Latter-Day Saints	%	0.3%	0.3%	0.3%	0.0%	0.3%	0.6%
Lutheran	%	2.7%	2.9%	2.6%	0.0%	3.2%	1.4%
Moravian	%	0.4%	0.7%	0.2%	0.0%	0.5%	0.0%
Muslim	%	0.8%	0.6%	1.0%	1.0%	0.3%	4.2%
Presbyterian	%	8.0%	8.4%	7.7%	1.7%	9.3%	3.4%
Unitarian	%	0.3%	0.3%	0.3%	0.0%	0.3%	0.2%
United Methodist	%	14.5%	13.8%	15.0%	3.2%	17.3%	3.8%
Non-denominational	%	10.6%	12.5%	9.0%	10.9%	11.1%	6.3%
No religious preference	%	16.5%	15.4%	17.4%	12.7%	15.8%	25.2%
Other religious preference	%	9.0%	9.1%	8.9%	17.4%	8.0%	8.9%
Total	N	4415	1988	2427	403	3516	496

*Note: Respondents were able to select multiple religious preferences.
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Q Musical Interests

		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Play musical instrument(s)	% yes	35.1%	30.7%	38.6%	34.9%	35.0%	35.5%
Total	N	4395	1978	2417	395	3504	496

		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Recent participation in choral group	% yes	19.3%	25.7%	14.1%	32.7%	17.8%	18.9%
Total	N	4383	1971	2412	394	3497	492

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Q Preparation for College by High School

HS preparation for college		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Well prepared	%	43.2	43.2	43.3	38.2	43.1	47.9
Adequately prepared	%	48.1	48.6	47.7	51.1	48.2	45.1
Poorly prepared	%	8.7	8.2	9.1	10.7	8.7	7.1
Total	N	4405	1982	2423	401	3509	495

Q Preparation for College by Self

Self preparation for college		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Well prepared	%	40.2	40.9	39.7	38.9	40.8	37.4
Adequately prepared	%	55.3	55.8	54.8	55.4	55.0	57.4
Poorly prepared	%	4.5	3.2	5.5	5.7	4.3	5.3
Total	N	4400	1979	2421	401	3504	495

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Q Participation in Pre-College Programs

		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Participated in Educational Talent Search	%	3.1%	2.6%	3.5%	6.5%	2.5%	4.2%
Participated in Upward Bound	%	1.3%	1.4%	1.2%	4.0%	1.0%	1.6%
Total	N	4415	1988	2427	403	3516	496

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Q Extent and Types of Personal Computers

Have personal computer		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Yes, Laptop	%	88.1	91.0	85.6	73.0	90.4	83.6
Yes, Desktop	%	2.7	2.3	3.0	4.1	2.4	3.4
Yes, Laptop and Desktop	%	5.3	2.1	8.0	3.8	5.1	7.9
No	%	0.6	0.7	0.5	3.1	0.3	0.6
Do not know	%	3.3	3.8	2.9	16.0	1.7	4.4
Total	N	4371	1969	2402	393	3483	495

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Q Intended Work Community

Location of future employment		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
In North Carolina only	%	14.3	14.8	13.9	13.1	15.3	7.7
Anywhere in the USA	%	29.4	27.8	30.7	34.4	29.5	24.4
Outside the USA only	%	0.8	1.1	0.6	1.3	0.7	1.0
Anywhere; location is not important	%	22.1	22.2	22.0	19.7	22.1	24.4
Do not plan to be employed (e.g., grad school, travel)	%	33.4	34.2	32.8	31.5	32.4	42.4
Total	N	4211	1903	2308	381	3351	479

Intended Work Community (Among those seeking employment, N=2,803)

Location of future employment		NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
In North Carolina only	%	21.4	22.4	20.6	19.2	22.7	13.4
Anywhere in the USA	%	44.1	42.2	45.7	50.2	43.6	42.4
Outside the USA only	%	1.2	1.6	0.9	1.9	1.1	1.8
Anywhere; location is not important	%	33.2	33.8	32.8	28.7	32.6	42.4
Total	N	2803	1253	1550	261	2266	276

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For more information on the 2007 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
Email: Nancy_Whelchel@ncsu.edu

Posted: March, 2008

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