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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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