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A Profile Of 1997 Entering First-Year Students:
Marketing Research
Table of Contents
A total of 3,157 surveys (83.2% of the first-year students registered for fall 1997) were usable for this report. No significant differences were found between the survey group and the broader population of registered students; thus, the results may be regarded as representative of the entire first-year class. Significant differences were found in answers to some questions, however, when gender, baccalaureate academic units, and/or ethnicity were considered.
The data obtained from the first-year orientation sessions were analyzed using standard statistical methods. Responses were tested to determine whether there were significant differences when gender, and/or ethnicity were considered. Analysis was also done across baccalaureate academic units, however, only those factors that influenced decisions to attend NC State are addressed in this report. A full reporting across all academic units is available on the web. All questions requiring categorical responses were analyzed using chi-square tests, and all questions with numerically coded responses were analyzed using either T-tests or one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Duncan's multiple comparison procedure.
One-quarter of survey respondents (26.3%) indicated that they
applied only to NC State (see Chart 1). Another quarter (25.0%)
applied to only one other school in addition to NC State. Significant
differences (p=0.001) were found when both gender and ethnicity
were considered. Over half of the males (55.9%) applied to just
NC State or NC State and one other school. However, 55.6% of the
females applied to three or more institutions. More white students
(28.5%) than African-American (16.2%) or other minority students
(15.4%) indicated that NC State was the only college to which
they applied.
Factors Influencing Attendance Decision
First-year students indicated the extent that any of 19 factors
influenced their decision to attend NC State. The scale used was:
5 = Very Strong Influence, 4 = Strong Influence, 3 = Moderate
Influence, 2 = Weak Influence, and 1 = Very Weak Influence. Chart
2 illustrates the mean rating for each factor as well as the percent
marking that factor as "single most important factor"
in their decision to attend NC State.
Respondents recorded that academic reputation had the strongest
influence on their decision to attend NC State. They additionally
indicated that availability of program, support for my intended
major, facilities and resources available, and location
had strong influences on their decision. A second tier of influence
contained the factors recommended by a friend, family member,
teacher, counselor, etc., campus visit prior to orientation,
cost, and contact with a current student. Few first-year
students considered publications from NC State, letter
from someone other than Admissions Office, attendance at
a College Fair, or number of hours transferred to be
important influences in their decision to attend NC State.
Respondents listed "other" factors that influenced their
decision to attend NC State. The overall mean for this item was
4.24, which gave this item the highest mean score of all 19 factors.
There were, however, no significant differences for the "other"
factor when gender, academic unit, and ethnicity were considered.
Factors that respondents frequently listed in the "other"
category varied but included: athletics, having a reputable (specific
name) program, the university having a friendly environment, always
wanted to attend NC State, and have friends here.
When examining responses by gender, it was found that the female
students tended to rate nearly all of the factors as more influential
than did the male students. However, male respondents and female
respondents differed significantly (p=0.001) on only a few factors.
For each of the following, females rated the factor as having
greater influence: location, size, campus visit
prior to orientation, and contact with a current student.
Students rated most factors significantly different (p <
0.01) when looking across ethnic groups. In all but one instance
where there were significant differences, African-American students
rated the factor as more influential than did whites or other
minorities. The only significantly different factor where African-American
students rated the influence lower than another group was on the
factor of cost. Other minority students regarded cost
as more influential than did either African-American or white
students.
An ANOVA was run, looking for significant differences among the
baccalaureate academic units. On every factor except for number
of hours transferred/credited, contact with a graduate,
attendance at a College Fair, and other students from
various baccalaureate academic units significantly differed (p
< 0.01) in their influence ratings.
After rating the importance of factors that affected their decision
to attend NC State, first-year students picked the single-most
influential factor in their decision (see Chart 2). The plurality
of students chose academic reputation (21.9%) as the single
most important factor followed by level of support for my intended
major (17.3%), and availability of program (14.9%).
Significant differences were found between males and females (p=0.001)
as well as among ethnic groups (p=0.001). However, regardless
of sex or race the majority of students said academic reputation,
level of support for intended major, or availability
of program were the single-most influential factors. Males
denoted academic reputation as the most influential factor
more often than did females, while African-American students selected
this factor more often than did either white or other minority
students.
Importance of First Year College on Attending
Those students who were accepted into the First Year College reported
on the importance of that program in their decision to attend
NC State. They rated the importance on a five point scale where
5 meant "very important" and 1 meant "not important."
Overall, the First Year College students rated the importance
of this program as somewhere between "moderately important"
and "important" (overall mean rating, 3.16). Nearly
half of the respondents (47.1%) marked this program as being "very
important" or "important." Chart 3 below illustrates
the percent marking "very important" or "important"
for the all the First Year College respondents, as well as by
sex and ethnic group.
Female students admitted to the First Year College indicated the
program was significantly more important (p=-0.001) to them than
did the male students. Over half of the females denoted that the
program was "very important" or "important,"
while only four in ten males agreed.
Significant differences occurred between ethnic groups as well
(p=0.002). Specifically, African-American students admitted into
the First Year College program rated the program as more important
in their decision to attend NC State than did white students.
Contact After Applying to NC State
Few first-year students indicated that they had received a phone
call from NC State faculty, staff, students or alumni after they
applied for admission. Those who did receive a phone call most
often said it was from a member of the faculty or staff. However,
a majority of students said they did get a letter from someone
other than the Admissions Office (see Chart 4).
Satisfaction with Admissions and Financial Aid Processes
The vast majority of students reported being at least "moderately"
satisfied with both the university admissions process (88.4%)
and their departmental admissions process (89.6%). Fewer respondents
(although still the majority, 71.6%) marked that they were also
either "very" or "moderately" satisfied with
the university's process for applying for financial aid (see Chart
5).
Female and male students differed significantly (p0.003) with
regards to their satisfaction with these three processes. On each
issue, female students indicated a greater level of satisfaction
than did male students.
Summary
