North Carolina State University
2008 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 "2008 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	66.6%	68.7%	64.7%	93.1%	63.5%	68.5%
Total (N)	4,113	1,899	2,214	347	3,284	482

	NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Academic	30.1%	31.3%	29.0%	42.6%	29.1%	28.0%
Financial need	42.5%	45.2%	40.3%	75.1%	37.9%	50.5%
Athletic based	2.5%	2.4%	2.6%	5.5%	2.4%	0.8%
Other - dance, music, etc.	2.0%	2.5%	1.6%	1.7%	2.1%	1.9%
Other aid than listed above	12.9%	12.7%	13.0%	13.5%	13.1%	11.0%

Note: Respondents could list more than one type of aid.
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Q Parent(s)/Guardian(s) 2007 Combined Income

Parent's income	NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
$10,000 or less	1.7%	1.5%	1.7%	5.3%	1.1%	3.1%
$10,001-$15,000	1.2%	1.1%	1.2%	4.2%	0.8%	1.7%
$15,001-$20,000	1.5%	1.6%	1.4%	5.6%	0.9%	3.1%
$20,001-$25,000	2.5%	2.5%	2.4%	4.9%	1.7%	6.3%
$25,001-$30,000	2.3%	3.2%	1.7%	8.1%	1.6%	3.4%
$30,001-$35,000	3.4%	3.6%	3.2%	8.5%	2.5%	6.0%
$35,001-$40,000	3.7%	4.2%	3.4%	6.0%	3.3%	5.3%
$40,001-$50,000	5.7%	6.2%	5.3%	8.8%	5.1%	7.7%
$50,001-$60,000	8.0%	8.4%	7.8%	8.1%	7.9%	8.9%
$60,001-$75,000	12.2%	12.3%	12.0%	13.0%	12.6%	8.7%
$75,001-$100,000	18.2%	17.2%	18.9%	13.4%	19.0%	15.2%
$100,001-$150,000	21.8%	21.1%	22.4%	9.5%	23.4%	19.5%
$150,001-$200,000	8.2%	8.0%	8.4%	2.1%	9.2%	5.5%
$200,000 plus	9.6%	9.0%	10.2%	2.5%	10.9%	5.5%
Total (N)	3,630	1,613	2,017	284	2,931	415

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Q Father/Male Guardian Educational Attainment

Father Education	NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Less than high school	2.8%	2.9%	2.7%	3.9%	2.1%	6.4%
High school graduate	13.5%	14.1%	12.9%	26.4%	12.4%	12.1%
Some college/no degree	11.9%	13.1%	10.9%	17.5%	11.7%	9.8%
2-4 yr. associate degree	10.3%	10.2%	10.4%	11.4%	10.5%	7.7%
4 year baccalaureate degree	33.1%	32.7%	33.5%	26.1%	34.9%	25.3%
Some graduate or prof. coursework/no degree	3.2%	3.1%	3.3%	2.5%	3.3%	3.4%
Master's degree	16.7%	16.1%	17.2%	8.6%	16.6%	23.5%
Doctorate or other professional degree	8.5%	7.9%	9.0%	3.6%	8.5%	11.9%
Total (N)	3,468	1,611	1,857	280	2,800	388

Q Mother/Female Guardian Educational Attainment

Mother Education	NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Less than high school	1.3%	1.5%	1.1%	1.0%	0.6%	6.1%
High school graduate	11.9%	12.0%	11.8%	13.8%	11.0%	16.3%
Some college/no degree	12.6%	14.8%	10.7%	23.8%	11.7%	10.7%
2-4 yr. associate degree	14.5%	13.9%	15.0%	17.4%	14.6%	11.5%
4 year baccalaureate degree	36.8%	35.3%	38.2%	29.3%	38.4%	31.5%
Some graduate or prof. coursework/no degree	4.2%	4.2%	4.1%	3.9%	4.3%	3.7%
Master's degree	15.2%	14.3%	16.0%	8.0%	15.7%	16.3%
Doctorate or other professional degree	3.6%	4.0%	3.2%	2.9%	3.6%	3.9%
Total (N)	3,912	1,814	2,098	311	3,141	460

First Generation Students

	NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
First generation college student	7.3%	7.6%	7.0%	10.5%	6.0%	14.1%
At least one parent some college/no degree	20.2%	21.5%	19.1%	37.2%	18.9%	16.8%
Not first generation	72.5%	70.9%	73.9%	52.3%	75.1%	69.1%
Total (N)	4,096	1,889	2,207	344	3,276	476

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Q Dependents in Respondent???s Household

Number in household	NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
One	3.4%	2.5%	4.1%	8.8%	2.8%	3.2%
Two	10.4%	10.2%	10.5%	15.5%	9.9%	10.3%
Three	22.4%	21.6%	23.1%	30.8%	21.6%	21.9%
Four	39.7%	39.7%	39.7%	25.2%	41.6%	37.5%
Five or more	24.1%	26.0%	22.5%	19.6%	24.2%	27.2%
Total (N)	4,103	1,892	2,211	341	3,287	475

Q Household Dependents in College

Number of dependents in college	NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Only self	66.6%	67.4%	66.0%	73.7%	65.6%	68.6%
Two	28.3%	27.0%	29.4%	21.3%	29.1%	27.8%
Three or more	5.1%	5.6%	4.6%	5.0%	5.3%	3.6%
Total (N)	4,069	1,879	2,190	338	3,257	474

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Q Respondent???s Home Community

High school area population	NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Rural area	14.4%	13.7%	14.9%	13.2%	15.5%	7.4%
Small town	26.1%	26.9%	25.5%	30.1%	26.6%	19.6%
Moderate city	30.9%	33.0%	29.2%	26.8%	30.5%	36.5%
Large city	14.3%	14.7%	14.1%	13.9%	13.9%	17.9%
Urban area	14.3%	11.8%	16.3%	15.9%	13.5%	18.6%
Total (N)	3,612	1,642	1,970	302	2,891	419

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Q Religious Preference

	NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Assemblies of God	1.4%	1.5%	1.2%	1.1%	1.3%	2.1%
Baha'i	0.2%	0.1%	0.3%	0.0%	0.2%	0.2%
Baptist	25.7%	26.5%	24.9%	51.1%	25.1%	11.1%
Buddhist	1.2%	1.1%	1.3%	0.0%	0.8%	4.7%
Catholic	14.3%	15.0%	13.7%	2.8%	14.5%	21.4%
Disciples of Christ	1.2%	1.2%	1.3%	2.6%	1.2%	0.6%
Episcopal	3.0%	3.4%	2.8%	3.1%	3.3%	1.0%
Hindu	1.5%	1.2%	1.8%	0.3%	0.2%	11.3%
Jewish	1.0%	1.1%	1.0%	0.0%	1.2%	0.8%
Latter-Day Saints	0.5%	0.5%	0.5%	0.0%	0.5%	0.4%
Lutheran	2.5%	2.8%	2.2%	0.3%	3.0%	0.6%
Moravian	0.4%	0.4%	0.4%	0.3%	0.4%	0.2%
Muslim	1.3%	1.1%	1.4%	0.6%	0.6%	6.8%
Presbyterian	7.3%	6.9%	7.7%	1.7%	8.3%	5.1%
Unitarian	0.6%	0.7%	0.6%	0.3%	0.7%	0.8%
United Methodist	14.4%	14.4%	14.5%	4.5%	16.8%	5.6%
Non-denominational	7.9%	9.7%	6.4%	8.0%	8.3%	5.6%
No religious preference	16.1%	16.3%	15.9%	12.8%	15.6%	21.6%
Other religious preference	8.9%	8.0%	9.6%	15.9%	8.0%	10.1%
Total (N)	4,169	1,921	2,248	352	3,331	486

*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)	37.3%	33.7%	40.4%	32.8%	36.9%	43.5%
Total (N)	4,148	1,915	2,233	351	3,314	483

	NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Recent participation in choral group	22.3%	26.9%	18.4%	38.5%	21.1%	19.6%
Total (N)	4,007	1,849	2,158	330	3,213	464

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Q Preparation for College by High School

HS preparation for college	NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Well prepared	46.2%	44.4%	47.7%	34.9%	46.7%	51.0%
Adequately prepared	46.0%	48.1%	44.2%	52.3%	46.0%	41.7%
Poorly prepared	7.8%	7.5%	8.1%	12.8%	7.3%	7.2%
Total (N)	4,157	1,918	2,239	352	3,321	484

Q Preparation for College by Self

Self preparation for college	NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Well prepared	46.5%	46.5%	46.4%	36.6%	47.6%	45.5%
Adequately prepared	49.9%	50.5%	49.4%	59.9%	48.9%	49.4%
Poorly prepared	3.6%	3.0%	4.2%	3.4%	3.4%	5.2%
Total (N)	4,155	1,917	2,238	352	3,319	484

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Q Participation in Pre-College Programs

	NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
Participated in Educational Talent Search	2.6%	2.1%	3.0%	4.5%	2.3%	3.5%
Participated in Upward Bound	1.8%	1.7%	1.9%	4.8%	1.5%	1.9%
Total (N)	4,169	1,921	2,248	352	3,331	486

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Q Extent and Types of Personal Computers

Have personal computer	NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
No	0.2%	0.2%	0.3%	2.0%	0.1%	0.0%
Yes, Laptop	91.2%	93.7%	89.1%	80.6%	93.1%	86.1%
Yes, Desktop	1.8%	1.5%	2.0%	3.2%	1.5%	2.5%
Yes, Laptop and Desktop	4.2%	1.6%	6.5%	1.2%	4.1%	7.5%
Do not know	2.5%	2.9%	2.1%	13.0%	1.2%	4.0%
Total (N)	4,114	1,905	2,209	345	3,288	481

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Q Intended Work Community

Location of future employment	NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
In North Carolina only	16.6%	17.7%	15.7%	11.5%	18.2%	9.1%
Anywhere in the USA	31.7%	28.7%	34.3%	39.4%	31.9%	25.3%
Outside the USA only	1.0%	0.6%	1.3%	1.0%	0.8%	2.0%
Anywhere; location is not important	29.2%	27.5%	30.6%	25.6%	28.7%	34.4%
Do not plan to be employed (e.g., grad school, travel)	21.6%	25.5%	18.2%	22.4%	20.4%	29.3%
Total (N)	3,787	1,750	2,037	312	3,024	451

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

Location of future employment	NCSU	Women	Men	AfAm	White	Other
In North Carolina only	21.2%	23.7%	19.1%	14.9%	22.9%	12.9%
Anywhere in the USA	40.5%	38.6%	41.9%	50.8%	40.0%	35.7%
Outside the USA only	1.2%	0.8%	1.6%	1.2%	1.0%	2.8%
Anywhere; location is not important	37.2%	36.9%	37.4%	33.1%	36.1%	48.6%
Total (N)	2,969	1,303	1,666	242	2,408	319

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For more information on the 2008 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, 2009

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