This overview presents findings from all first-year students participating in the 1999 First-Year Student Survey. Additional frequency distributions and tables of responses by gender, race/ethnicity, and college are available on the Web. For information about the survey and analysis methods, see "1999 First-Year Student Survey: Introduction, Methods, and Student Demographic Profile."
Table of Contents:
Background Information:
Educational Intent and Interests:
Goals for Undergraduate Education:
This section presents background information provided by first-year students who responded to the survey, including whether they expect to receive financial aid, information about their households, their employment plans, and other personal information.
First-year students indicated whether they expected to receive financial aid, including work-study, grants, loans, and scholarships. The majority (58.5%) stated they expected some sort of financial aid. Nearly equal proportions of survey respondents anticipated receiving aid based on academic achievement and on financial need. Table 3-1 presents the breakdown of the types of aid respondents expected to receive.
Table 3-1: Types of Financial Aid|
Basis of Aid |
n |
% |
|
Yes: expects aid |
||
|
Academic |
947 |
30.8% |
|
Financial Need |
942 |
30.7% |
|
Athletic |
59 |
1.9% |
|
Other (dance, music, etc.) |
34 |
1.1% |
|
Other than listed |
353 |
11.5% |
Parent/Guardian Income (Table 3-2)
Students were given 14 income brackets ranging from under $10,000 to over $200,001 per year and asked to indicate which best described their parents' or guardians' combined 1998 pre-tax income. Nearly three-quarters (72.5%) of the respondents reported family incomes over $50,000, with one-quarter (25.2%) stating that their combined family income was over $100,000
Table 3-2: Parent/Guardian Income|
Income Bracket |
n |
% |
|
$10,000 or less |
41 |
1.6% |
|
$10,001-$15,000 |
30 |
1.2% |
|
$15,001-$20,000 |
43 |
1.7% |
|
$20,001-$25,000 |
61 |
2.4% |
|
$25,001-$30,000 |
86 |
3.4% |
|
$30,001-$35,000 |
98 |
3.8% |
|
$35,001-$40,000 |
132 |
5.2% |
|
$40,001-$50,000 |
212 |
8.3% |
|
$50,001-$60,000 |
336 |
13.1% |
|
$60,001-$75,000 |
384 |
15.0% |
|
$75,001-$100,000 |
492 |
19.2% |
|
$100,001-$150,000 |
377 |
14.7% |
|
$150,001-$200,000 |
134 |
5.2% |
|
$200,000 plus |
135 |
5.3% |
|
Total |
2561 |
100.1% |
Parent/Guardian Education (Tables 3-3 and 3-4)
Students were asked to report the educational attainment of their father/male guardian and mother/female guardian. A majority of respondents (61.4%) reported that the educational attainment of their father/male guardian was a four-year baccalaureate degree or higher. Slightly more than half of respondents (54.1%) reported that their mother/female guardian had at least a four-year baccalaureate degree. Respondents indicated that slightly more of their fathers than mothers did not complete a high school degree.
Similar numbers of students reported that at least one parent/guardian had not attended college. Less than ten percent (7.9%) of survey respondents are first generation college students, with neither parent/guardian having attended college.
Table 3-3: Parent/Guardian Educational Attainment|
Educational Attainment |
% Fathers/Male Guardians Attaining |
% Mothers/Female Guardians Attaining |
|
Less than high school |
2.5% |
1.6% |
|
High school graduate |
14.2% |
15.7% |
|
Some college/no degree |
11.0% |
12.3% |
|
Associate degree/certificate |
10.9% |
16.4% |
|
4 yr. Baccalaureate degree |
32.9% |
33.0% |
|
Some graduate school |
4.0% |
3.6% |
|
Master???s degree |
15.6% |
14.9% |
|
Doctorate or other prof. degree |
8.9% |
2.6% |
|
Total |
100.0% |
100.1% |
Table 3-4: First Generation Students
|
No College |
n |
% |
|
Father/male guardian |
490 |
16.7% |
|
Mother/female |
509 |
17.3% |
|
Neither parent(s)/ |
233 |
7.9% |
Household Information (Tables 3-5 and 3-6)
The majority (84.5%) of respondents indicated they came from a household with three or more dependents, including themselves. About 40 percent of first-year students reported being one of four dependents in their households. More than two-thirds of the respondents (68.5%) indicated that they were the only dependent of the household currently enrolled in college.
Table 3-5: Dependents in a Respondent's Household
|
Number of dependents |
n |
% |
|
One |
106 |
3.6% |
|
Two |
350 |
11.9% |
|
Three |
647 |
22.0% |
|
Four |
1167 |
39.6% |
|
Five or more |
674 |
22.9% |
|
Total |
2944 |
100.0% |
Table 3-6: Household Dependents in College
|
Number of Dependents in College |
n |
% |
|
Only self |
1988 |
68.5% |
|
Two |
819 |
28.2% |
|
Three or more |
96 |
3.3% |
|
Total |
2903 |
100.0% |
Home Community (Table 3-7)
First-year survey respondents were asked to describe the size of their home community. The majority of respondents (57.3%) reported having come from a "moderate sized" or larger city. Less than one-fifth (17.9%) come from a rural area.
Table 3-7: Respondents??? Home Communities
|
Community Size |
n |
% |
|
Rural area |
526 |
17.9% |
|
Small town (20,000 or less) |
729 |
24.8% |
|
Moderate city (20,001-60,000) |
823 |
28.1% |
|
Large city (60,001-100,000) |
361 |
12.3% |
|
Urban area (over 100,000) |
495 |
16.9% |
|
Total |
2934 |
100.0% |
Preparation for College (Table 3-8)
Over 40 percent of respondents reported that they had been "well prepared" for college by their high school (42.1%) and on their own (42.4%). However, nearly 10 percent (9.6%) rated the college preparation they received from their high school as poor. Less than half that many (4.7%) rated their own personal preparation for college as poor. In all, the vast majority of students (over 90 percent) report being at least adequately prepared for college both by their high school and their personal efforts.
Table 3-8: Preparation for College
|
Source of Preparation |
Poorly prepared % |
Adequately prepared % |
Well prepared % |
|
High school |
9.6% |
48.3% |
42.1% |
|
Self |
4.7% |
52.9% |
42.4% |
Religion (Table 3-9)
The religious preference most often reported was Baptist (26.8%), followed by Methodist (16.5%) and Catholic (12.6%). About 15 percent of respondents selected the "no preference" option.
Table 3-9: Religious Preferences
|
Religious Preference |
n |
% |
|
Baptist |
789 |
26.8% |
|
Methodist |
487 |
16.5% |
|
No preference |
455 |
15.4% |
|
Catholic |
372 |
12.6% |
|
Presbyterian |
266 |
9.0% |
|
Other |
254 |
8.6% |
|
Lutheran |
106 |
3.6% |
|
Episcopal |
102 |
3.5% |
|
Disciples of Christ |
27 |
0.9% |
|
Jewish |
22 |
0.7% |
|
Hindu |
20 |
0.7% |
|
Unitarian |
18 |
0.6% |
|
Latter-Day Saints |
11 |
0.4% |
|
Islamic |
10 |
0.3% |
|
Moravian |
8 |
0.3% |
|
Total |
2947 |
99.9% |
Disabilities (Table 3-10)
Respondents were given a list of disabilities and asked to indicate any they may have. While relatively few students (5.3%) indicated any disability, the most frequently named was a learning disability/ADD.
Table 3-10: Disabilities
|
Disability |
n |
|
|
Yes: mentions |
||
|
Learning Disability/ADD |
78 |
2.5% |
|
Other |
46 |
1.5% |
|
Psychological |
16 |
0.5% |
|
Legally Blind |
9 |
0.3% |
|
Hard of Hearing/Deaf |
9 |
0.3% |
|
Mobility Impairment |
5 |
0.2% |
|
Traumatic Head Injury |
5 |
0.2% |
|
None Indicated |
2,909 |
94.7% |
Musical Instruments Played (Table 3-11)
Survey respondents were given a list of various musical instruments (grouped in small categories), and asked to indicate which, if any, they play. Almost one-fourth (23.9%) of respondents play at least one of the instruments listed. The most common of these instruments played by first-year students was clarinet/saxophone, followed by french horn/trumpet/cornet.
Table 3-11: Musical Instruments
|
Instrument |
n |
% |
|
Yes: plays |
||
|
Clarinet/Saxophone |
234 |
7.6% |
|
French Horn/Trumpet/Cornet |
146 |
4.8% |
|
Tympani/Mallet/Percussion |
131 |
4.3% |
|
Trombone/Baritone/Euphonium/Tuba |
109 |
3.5% |
|
Flute/Piccolo |
105 |
3.4% |
|
Violin/Viola |
85 |
2.8% |
|
Cello/Double Bass |
25 |
0.8% |
|
Oboe/Bassoon |
21 |
0.7% |
|
Bagpipes |
13 |
0.4% |
|
None of those listed |
2,338 |
76.1% |
Intended Work Community (Table 3-12)
Respondents were asked to indicate the general location in which they intend to seek employment after graduation. Almost one-fifth (18.8%) said they intend to look for work only in North Carolina. About 40 percent claimed they would seek work anywhere it is available. Almost 10 percent claimed they would not seek employment after graduation. Of the 289 respondents who said they would not seek employment after graduation, 262 (90.6%) reported in another survey item (discussed below) that they sought a Bachelor's degree as preparation for graduate school.
Table 3-12: Intended Work Community
|
Location |
n |
% |
|
Anywhere |
1165 |
39.9% |
|
Outside NC but in USA |
901 |
30.8% |
|
In North Carolina |
550 |
18.8% |
|
Will not seek employment |
289 |
9.9% |
|
Outside the USA |
18 |
0.6% |
|
Total |
2923 |
100.0% |
This section of the report explores new students' experiences with the application process, and examines those factors students considered influential in their decision to attend NC State.
Number of Schools to Which Students Applied (Table 3-13)
When asked to indicate the number of schools to which they had applied, 28.7 percent of respondents said they only applied to NC State. Another 24 percent applied to only one other school. Almost half of first-year students surveyed (47.4%) applied to three or more colleges including NC State.
Table 3-13: Number of Schools to Which Respondent Applied
|
Number of schools |
n |
% |
|
One |
874 |
28.7% |
|
Two |
730 |
23.9% |
|
Three |
686 |
22.5% |
|
Four |
401 |
13.1% |
|
Five or more |
359 |
11.8% |
|
Total |
3050 |
100.0% |
Factors Influencing Decision to Attend (Table 3-14)
Respondents indicated the extent to which each of 19 factors influenced their decision to attend NC State. The rating scale ranged from 5 = "very strong influence" to 1 = "very weak influence." Respondents who selected "not applicable" were not used in these calculations. On average, respondents reported that the academic reputation of NC State, the availability of the program of interest, the level of support for intended major, and facilities and resources available were strong influences on their decision to attend NC State.
Responses to this item can be regrouped to reflect the relative influences of the academic qualities of NC State, the physical qualities, contacts with NC State affiliated individuals or NC State promotional material, and other influences. As expected, academic qualities (academic reputation, availability of program, support for major, and acceptance into first-year college) top the list of influences on the decision to attend (group mean of items = 3.7). The influence of the physical factors (cost, location, size, and facilities/resources) rated second highest with a group mean of 3.4. Contacts with affiliated individuals/NC State promotional material and other listed influences were somewhat less important in the decision to attend State (group means of 2.7 and 2.6, respectively).
Respondents were also asked to indicate the single most influential factor in their decision to attend. Responses to this item reflect the importance of academics in the decision to attend NC State. Over one-fifth said academic reputation was most influential (22.5%), followed by level of support for my intended major (17.0%) and availability of program (14.6%).
Table 3-14: Factors Influencing Decision to Attend NC State
|
Factor |
Mean |
5: Very strong influence |
4: Strong influence |
3: Moderate influence |
2: Weak influence |
1: Very weak influence |
% rating most influential |
|
Academic reputation |
4.1 |
34.9% |
43.4% |
19.0% |
1.9% |
0.9% |
22.5% |
|
Availability of program |
3.9 |
35.1% |
32.2% |
22.4% |
7.0% |
3.4% |
14.6% |
|
Level of support for my intended major |
3.8 |
34.9% |
30.2% |
23.0% |
7.4% |
4.5% |
17.0% |
|
Facilities and resources available |
3.8 |
23.7% |
39.4% |
27.7% |
6.7% |
2.4% |
4.6% |
|
Location |
3.6 |
23.0% |
32.6% |
29.4% |
9.4% |
5.6% |
9.5% |
|
Recommended by friend |
3.4 |
19.5% |
27.3% |
31.3% |
13.8% |
8.0% |
6.1% |
|
Acceptance into the First-Year College program |
3.4 |
23.8% |
27.1% |
28.1% |
10.6% |
10.5% |
1.6% |
|
Cost |
3.3 |
17.0% |
26.1% |
33.5% |
13.1% |
10.2% |
5.8% |
|
Campus visit prior to orientation |
3.3 |
14.5% |
28.6% |
33.8% |
13.7% |
9.4% |
4.0% |
|
Contact with a current student |
3.1 |
14.0% |
25.5% |
30.3% |
16.7% |
13.4% |
2.8% |
|
Size |
2.9 |
8.0% |
21.0% |
36.7% |
21.0% |
13.3% |
0.9% |
|
Extracurricular opportunities |
2.9 |
9.1% |
21.2% |
37.5% |
17.7% |
14.5% |
0.8% |
|
Scholarships/financial aid available |
2.8 |
14.4% |
15.9% |
26.2% |
22.5% |
20.9% |
4.0% |
|
Contact with a graduate |
2.7 |
12.0% |
16.3% |
28.0% |
20.6% |
23.0% |
1.0% |
|
Contact with a faculty/staff member |
2.5 |
6.4% |
15.2% |
26.0% |
25.2% |
27.3% |
0.6% |
|
Publications from NC State |
2.3 |
2.4% |
8.9% |
33.4% |
26.7% |
28.7% |
0.1% |
|
Number of hours credited |
2.2 |
3.1% |
9.0% |
26.1% |
29.3% |
32.6% |
0.1% |
|
Letter from someone other than Admissions Office |
2.2 |
3.4% |
8.7% |
25.0% |
26.3% |
36.6% |
0.1% |
|
Attendance at a college fair |
2.1 |
2.4% |
8.1% |
25.5% |
27.5% |
36.5% |
0.2% |
|
Other |
4.5 |
74.2% |
15.2% |
4.5% |
2.9% |
3.3% |
3.6% |
Satisfaction with Admissions (Table 3-15)
Survey respondents were asked to rate their satisfaction with the quality of various aspects of the NC State admissions process on a scale from 4 = "very satisfied" to 1 = "very dissatisfied." (The few respondents who checked "don't know/did not use" were not included in the calculations). Almost all respondents said they were either "very" or "moderately satisfied" with university and departmental admissions (92.3% and 92.6%, respectively). More than two-thirds reported being "very" or "moderately satisfied" with the financial aid process (68.3%).
Table 3-15: Student Satisfaction
|
Admissions processes |
Mean |
4: Very satisfied |
3: Moderately satisfied |
2: Moderately dissatisfied |
1: Very dissatisfied |
|
University admissions process |
3.4 |
45.2% |
47.1% |
6.0% |
1.7% |
|
Departmental ad. Process |
3.4 |
44.9% |
47.7% |
6.3% |
1.1% |
|
Univ. Financial Aid process |
2.8 |
20.3% |
48.0% |
23.0% |
8.8% |
NC State Contacts During the Admissions Process (Table 3-16)
Almost three-fourths of the respondents (74.2%) reported receiving a letter from someone connected to the University other than the Admissions Office after applying for admission to NC State. Almost one-fifth of respondents reported receiving calls from an NC State faculty/staff member (19.0%) and/or a current student (18.2%). Fewer respondents (7.8%) got calls from an NC State alumnus.
Table 3-16: Contacts During the Admissions Process
|
Type of Contact |
n |
% |
|
Yes: received |
||
|
Call from NCSU faculty/staff |
584 |
19.0% |
|
Call from Current NCSU student |
560 |
18.2% |
|
Call from NCSU graduate |
241 |
7.8% |
|
Letter from other than admissions office |
2278 |
74.2% |
Educational Intent and Interests
This section of the report focuses on respondents' educational intent and interests. Specifically, it explores their interest in various student programs and activities, their enrollment status, how long they expect it will take them to complete their degree, and plans for further education. How certain the respondents are of the academic major they would pursue, and the number of hours they expect to be employed while in school, are also reported.
Student Affairs (Table 3-17)
Survey respondents identified the co-curricular programs and activities in which they were interested from a list of 27 such options at NC State. Over half (52.3%) of students indicated interest in intramurals (basketball, golf, table tennis, etc.) A large percentage of students also indicated interest in fitness (aerobics, walking, etc.) and outdoor adventures (backpacking, camping, rock-climbing, etc.) (43.9% and 41.0%, respectively). About one-third of students reported interest in the Co-op (Cooperative Education) program (34.0%), volunteer services (32.5%), club sports (32.0%) and social fraternities/sororities (31.6%)
Table 3-17: NC State Co-curricular Programs/Activities
|
Program/Activity |
n |
% |
|
Intramurals |
1607 |
52.3% |
|
Fitness (aerobics, walking, etc.) |
1349 |
43.9% |
|
Outdoor adventures |
1259 |
41.0% |
|
Co-op program |
1044 |
34.0% |
|
Volunteer services |
998 |
32.5% |
|
Club sports |
984 |
32.0% |
|
Social fraternity/sorority |
972 |
31.6% |
|
Study abroad/student exchange |
915 |
29.8% |
|
Theatre participation as audience |
728 |
23.7% |
|
Indoor recreation |
709 |
23.1% |
|
Student government |
688 |
22.4% |
|
Informal recreation |
504 |
16.4% |
|
Student leadership development program |
478 |
15.6% |
|
Selecting performing arts attractions |
428 |
13.9% |
|
Student publications/media |
420 |
13.7% |
|
Music minor, bands, choirs, etc. |
416 |
13.5% |
|
Attending art exhibitions |
416 |
13.5% |
|
Residence hall councils |
355 |
11.6% |
|
Healthy lifestyles issues |
338 |
11.0% |
|
Theatre participation as artist |
325 |
10.6% |
|
Planning programs and services for children |
249 |
8.1% |
|
Student Dance Companies |
248 |
8.1% |
|
Union activities board programs/activities |
227 |
7.4% |
|
Student Judicial Board |
209 |
6.8% |
|
The Crafts Center programs/classes |
188 |
6.1% |
|
Gender issues |
173 |
5.6% |
|
ROTC |
120 |
3.9% |
First Semester Enrollment (Tables 3-18 and 3-19)
Respondents were asked to report the number of credit hours for which they were enrolled. The vast majority (88.5%) reported planning at least 15 credit hours; less than one percent (0.3%) planned to take less than 12 credit hours during their first semester.
Of those students reporting less than a 15 credit hour enrollment status in their first semester (n=319), the most common reason given was that the respondent wants better grades (49.2%). Over one-quarter (27.6%) of those taking less than 15 hours cited courses not available as a reason.
Table 3-18: First Semester Enrollment Status
|
Enrollment Status |
n |
% |
|
15 credit hours of classes or more |
2462 |
88.5% |
|
12-14 credit hours of classes |
312 |
11.2% |
|
Less than 12 credit hours of classes |
7 |
0.3% |
|
Total |
2781 |
100.0% |
Table 3-19: Reported Reasons for Less than 15 Credit Hrs.
|
Reason |
n |
% |
|
Yes: reported |
||
|
Want to make better grades |
157 |
49.2% |
|
Courses wanted unavailable |
88 |
27.6% |
|
Other reason |
64 |
20.1% |
|
Advisor suggested lighter load |
46 |
14.4% |
|
Need to work |
45 |
14.1% |
|
Too much with another big course |
42 |
13.2% |
|
Did not need more courses |
20 |
6.3% |
|
Family responsibilities |
6 |
1.9% |
|
Other obligations |
5 |
1.6% |
Amount of Time to Complete Degree (Table 3-20)
Respondents were asked to estimate the amount of time they intended to take to earn their Bachelor's degree at NC State. While about 71 percent said they expect to graduate from NC State in four years, another 21.4 percent said it would take up to five years to finish. About five percent of the first-year students anticipate finishing in less than four years.
Table 3-20: Number of Years Expected to Complete Degree
|
Intended Time to Complete |
n |
% |
|
Less than 4 years |
146 |
4.8% |
|
4 years |
2179 |
71.3% |
|
4 1/2 years |
274 |
9.0% |
|
5 years |
378 |
12.4% |
|
5 1/2 years |
19 |
0.6% |
|
6 or more years |
17 |
0.6% |
|
Will not complete Bachelors |
43 |
1.4% |
|
Total |
3056 |
100.1% |
Highest Level of Education (Table 3-21)
A large majority of respondents indicated a desire to continue their education beyond a Bachelor's degree. Over forty percent anticipated pursuing a master's degree while another 28.8 percent planned to pursue some higher degree (Ph.D., M.D., etc.) About 26 percent of respondents anticipated stopping at the Bachelor's degree.
Table 3-21: Intended Highest Level of Education
|
Level of Education Planned |
n |
% |
|
Certificate |
50 |
1.7% |
|
Bachelors degree |
783 |
26.4% |
|
Masters degree |
1283 |
43.2% |
|
Doctoral degree |
433 |
14.6% |
|
Medical degree |
179 |
6.0% |
|
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine |
145 |
4.9% |
|
Law degree |
95 |
3.2% |
|
Divinity degree |
2 |
0.1% |
|
Do not intend to complete a degree |
1 |
0.0% |
|
Total |
2971 |
100.1% |
Goals and Objectives at NC State (Tables 3-21 and 3-22)
Slightly more than half (55.5%) of respondents stated that their primary goal for attending NC State was to obtain a bachelor's degree as "preparation for graduate or professional school." More than two-thirds (69.9%) of respondents indicated that at the time they were completing the survey during New Student Orientation they were either "certain" (43.8%) or "very certain" (26.1%) of their choice in college major.
Table 3-21: Goals and Objectives in Attending NC State
|
Goal in Attending NC State |
n |
% |
|
Obtain a bachelor???s degree/cert. only |
266 |
8.7% |
|
BA as prep for grad school |
1700 |
55.5% |
|
BA as prep for new career |
969 |
31.6% |
|
Improve skills for current profession |
50 |
1.6% |
|
Take courses for personal interest |
25 |
0.8% |
|
Other |
53 |
1.7% |
|
Total |
3063 |
99.9% |
Table 3-22: Certainty of College Major
|
Certainty of College Major |
n |
% |
|
Certain |
1339 |
43.8% |
|
Very certain |
798 |
26.1% |
|
Uncertain |
743 |
24.3% |
|
Very uncertain |
177 |
5.8% |
|
Total |
3057 |
100.0% |
Semester Employment Plans (Table 3-23)
Respondents were asked to report the number of hours they intended to work during their first semester at NC State. Few (5.2%) respondents said they plan to work 20 hours or more each week, whereas just over two-thirds (68.1%) did not plan to work at all their first semester.
Table 3-23: First Semester Employment Plans
|
Employment Status |
n |
% |
|
Do not plan to work |
1903 |
68.1% |
|
Less than 20 hrs/wk |
746 |
26.7% |
|
20 or more hrs/wk |
144 |
5.2% |
|
Total |
2793 |
100.0% |
Goals for Undergraduate Education
This section presents information about respondents' educational goals. The 35 goals asked about related to either personal development, general education, or world views (see Tables 3-24 and 3-25).
Respondents were asked to rate their current level of development on each goal and how important the goal is to them right now. Current development was rated on a scale from 1 = "very low" to 5 = "very high." Goal importance was rated on a scale from 1 = "not important" to 5 = "very important". "Don't know" responses in both lists were excluded from the analysis.
Overall, personal development goals tended to receive higher mean ratings on current development than did the other areas, with 6 of the 10 highest mean ratings. Current development of two of the world view goals, however, had the second and third highest mean ratings. The four highest mean ratings were for taking responsibility for my own behavior (4.32), valuing racial equity (4.18), valuing gender equity (4.16), and viewing learning as a lifelong process (4.08). Comparing means across goal categories shows that first-year students rate themselves most favorably on personal development goals (group mean = 3.78), followed closely by world view goals (3.73) and general education goals (3.60).
Ratings of goal importance were consistently higher than ratings of current development. The three highest averages were for taking responsibility for my own behavior (4.64), managing my time (4.62), and having self-confidence (4.61).
Table 3-24: Current Development
|
Mean Development |
|
|
Taking responsibility for behavior |
4.32 |
|
Learning as lifelong |
4.08 |
|
Function as part of a team |
4.00 |
|
Being independent and self-reliant |
3.97 |
|
Acting upon ethical principles |
3.94 |
|
Understanding own abilities and interests |
3.92 |
|
Having self-discipline |
3.80 |
|
Realizing my potential for success |
3.79 |
|
Having self-confidence |
3.76 |
|
Clarifying personal identity |
3.76 |
|
Coping with change |
3.66 |
|
Commitment to health and fitness |
3.64 |
|
Improving leadership/management skills |
3.63 |
|
Handling stress |
3.59 |
|
Managing my time |
3.38 |
|
Involved with public/community affairs |
3.37 |
|
Mean Development |
|
|
Good listening skills |
3.83 |
|
Plan/carry out project independently |
3.77 |
|
Broad general education |
3.75 |
|
Apply mathematics skills |
3.75 |
|
Understand scientific influence |
3.65 |
|
Critically analyze information |
3.62 |
|
Communicate ideas orally |
3.56 |
|
Develop computer skills |
3.53 |
|
Good reading comprehension skills |
3.50 |
|
Communicate in writing |
3.44 |
|
Understand diverse cultures |
3.43 |
|
Apply scientific principles |
3.39 |
|
Mean Development |
|
|
Valuing racial equity |
4.18 |
|
Valuing gender equity |
4.16 |
|
Interact with diverse people |
3.84 |
|
Tolerance for different views |
3.82 |
|
Appreciation of the arts |
3.47 |
|
World problems/issues |
3.35 |
|
Present as it relates to history |
3.29 |
Table 3-25: Goal Importance
|
Mean Importance |
|
|
Taking responsibility for behavior |
4.64 |
|
Managing my time |
4.62 |
|
Having self-confidence |
4.61 |
|
Having self-discipline |
4.58 |
|
Being independent and self-reliant |
4.55 |
|
Handling stress |
4.50 |
|
Realizing my potential for success |
4.48 |
|
Understanding own abilities and interests |
4.47 |
|
Function as part of a team |
4.44 |
|
Improving leadership/management skills |
4.42 |
|
Learning as lifelong |
4.35 |
|
Acting upon ethical principles |
4.33 |
|
Clarifying personal identity |
4.33 |
|
Coping with change |
4.33 |
|
Commitment to health and fitness |
4.33 |
|
Involved with public/community affairs |
3.99 |
|
Mean Importance |
|
|
Develop computer skills |
4.47 |
|
Communicate ideas orally |
4.44 |
|
Good listening skills |
4.41 |
|
Plan/carry out project independently |
4.39 |
|
Broad general education |
4.36 |
|
Apply mathematics skills |
4.30 |
|
Good reading comprehension skills |
4.26 |
|
Critically analyze information |
4.20 |
|
Communicate in writing |
4.13 |
|
Understand scientific influence |
4.08 |
|
Apply scientific principles |
3.95 |
|
Understand diverse cultures |
3.89 |
|
Mean Importance |
|
|
Valuing racial equity |
4.41 |
|
Valuing gender equity |
4.35 |
|
Tolerance for different views |
4.32 |
|
Interact with diverse people |
4.30 |
|
World problems/issues |
4.07 |
|
Present as it relates to history |
3.78 |
|
Appreciation of the arts |
3.77 |
Comparing Average Ratings for Current Development and Importance of Goals (Chart 3-1)
Tables 3-24 and 3-25 show that the average rating of every goal???s importance was higher than the students??? ratings of their current development in that area. However, considerable variation exists in mean ratings of importance and development for each goal. These differences reveal potentially important aspects of students??? goal orientation. Chart 3-1 graphically displays the inconsistencies in mean ratings of importance and development. The outlying points in the upper right and lower left quadrants reflect inconsistent ratings, while those in the lower right quadrant reflect more consistent ratings.1
The upper right quadrant contains goals that are rated relatively high in both importance and development. Thus, goals falling in this quadrant are those that respondents feel are important and on which they feel they have made a good start. Especially noteworthy is number 13, taking responsibility for my own behavior. The large number of goals falling into this quadrant indicates a tendency for survey respondents to both value and feel confident of their present development in many of the University???s goals for their undergraduate education.
Goals in the lower right quadrant were rated high in importance but comparatively lower in development. These are goals that are important for students, but which they feel have not been developed to the same extent as other goals. Most prominent is number 27, managing my time. Other goals in this quadrant include handling stress (26) and developing computer skills (9). In general, these items represent areas which students value and wish to improve upon.
Goals in the lower left quadrant were rated low in both importance and development. These are goals which respondents neither feel they have currently developed (relative to other goals) nor believe are important. Understanding the present as it relates to history (30), developing an appreciation of the arts (32), understanding diverse cultures (12), and developing the ability to apply scientific principles (8) represent areas that respondents care less strongly about. Notably, all of these items are traditional goals of a liberal arts education and important goals of the University???s core general education curriculum.
Chart 3-1: Scatterplot of Goal Development and Importance Ratings
|
1 Acquiring a broad general education |
19 Understanding own abilities/interests |
|
2 Ability to communicate ideas in writing |
20 Commitment to health and fitness |
|
3 Ability to communicate ideas orally |
21 Having self-confidence |
|
4 Developing good listening skills |
22 Realizing my potential for success |
|
5 Developing reading comp. skills |
23 Clarifying personal identity |
|
6 Ability to apply math skills |
24 Coping with change |
|
7 Understanding scientific influence |
25 Being independent and self-reliant |
|
8 Apply scientific principles |
26 Handling stress |
|
9 Developing computer skills |
27 Managing my time |
|
10 Critically analyze info. |
28 Having self-discipline |
|
11 Plan/carry out project independently |
29 World problems/issues |
|
12 Understanding diverse cultures |
30 Present as it relates to history |
|
13 Taking responsibility for behavior |
31 Interact with diverse people |
|
14 Learning as lifelong process |
32 Appreciation of the arts |
|
15 Acting on ethical principles |
33 Tolerance for different views |
|
16 Leadership/management skills |
34 Valuing gender equity |
|
17 Function as part of a team |
35 Valuing racial equity |
|
18 Involved with public and comm. affairs |
Goal development and importance by rank order: Gender/Ethnicity
Comparisons and Frequencies: Gender/Ethnicity
Back to Top
For more information on the 1999 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
E-mail: Nancy_Whelchel@ncsu.edu
Posted: April, 2000
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