North Carolina State University
2009 First-Year Student Survey:
Highlights
NC State conducted its annual survey of entering first-year students during the summer of 2009. For the first time since the survey was first administered in 1972, the survey was conducted entirely online. After attending New Student Orientation students were e-mailed an invitation to complete the survey. At the start of the Fall semester students who had not attended orientation were also invited to participate. The survey response rate was 68.8 percent (N=3,287 of 4,778). The margin of error for survey results is ±0.5 percentage points at a 95% confidence interval.
NC State's academic reputation is very influential in the decision to attend NC State. Two-thirds of respondents applied to three or more colleges including NC State. A majority said that NC State was their first or only choice among colleges to attend. Level of support for intended major was most frequently reported as the single most influential factor in the decision to attend NC State, followed by academic reputation.
Students felt well prepared for college by their high school and by their own efforts. The vast majority of incoming students said they were at least "somewhat well" prepared for college both by their high school and by their own efforts. Although respondents were only slightly more likely to report being "very well" prepared for college by their own efforts than by their high school, they were three times as likely to say they were "not very well" prepared by their high school as they were by their own efforts.
High achievement is important to incoming students. More than half of incoming students say their primary goal or objective for attending NC State is to "obtain a bachelor's degree as preparation for graduate or professional school." Three-fourths of respondents have plans for post-baccalaureate studies leading to a Master's degree or higher. The majority of respondents reported that they do not intend to work during their first year at NC State. Among those planning to work for pay during the school year less than 10 percent think they will work more than 20 hours per week.
Incoming students report room to grow on various knowledge, skills, and personal development goals. Respondents consistently gave higher ratings to the importance of each of 34 different knowledge, skills, and personal development goals that the University has for them than to their current level of development of the goal. Appreciating gender equity, appreciating racial equity, and ability to function as part of a team were among the highest rated goals in terms of both development and importance. Ability to handle stress and time management ranked high in importance, but low in development. Several goals central to the University's core general education curriculum received low importance and development ratings, including applying scientific methods of inquiry and writing skills.
Location is not a determining factor in future employment plans of incoming students. Among those planning to seek employment after graduation, respondents were much more likely to report that they will seek employment "anywhere" or "anywhere in the United States" than to report that they will seek work "in North Carolina only."
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: May, 2010
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