North Carolina State University
2006-2007 Graduating Senior Survey:
Highlights
NC State conducted its annual survey of graduating seniors during the fall 2006 and spring 2007 semesters. Students from eight of the nine undergraduate academic units who graduated in December 2006 or May 2007 (AY06-07) are included1. Sixty-five percent of seniors who graduated in AY06-07 (excluding College of Design) completed the web survey. The margin of error for the survey is +0.7 percentage points at a 95% confidence interval.
Survey results indicate that graduating seniors were very satisfied with their experiences at NC State. Almost all respondents - - 90 percent or more - - gave a positive rating to the overall education they received at the University and to the intellectual environment on campus. Three-fourths said they would choose to attend NC State again if they could start over, and 90 percent said they would recommend it to a friend. Ratings of faculty were overwhelmingly positive, with more than 80 percent of respondents giving ratings of "excellent" or "good" on each of eight items measuring faculty contribution to education.
Students at NC State are frequently involved in mentoring relationships with faculty. Sixty percent of graduating seniors worked with a faculty member on a non course-related research project, an independent study project, an extension or public service project, as a teaching/lab assistant, or similar activity. The majority of students with such experience say it contributed "a great deal" to their personal and/or professional growth.
NC State offers outstanding technology and library services according to our graduates. More than 90 percent of graduating seniors gave positive ratings to services such as library hours of operation, access to the Internet, access to library databases/collections, and access to up-to-date technology facilities. Respondents point to the need for improvement, however, in training to use technology and the library, with more than one-fifth rating such services as "fair" or "poor."
The majority of graduating seniors believe that the NC State community is committed to creating an environment that promotes and supports diversity. Although still the vast majority, respondents were less likely to agree that NC State leaders foster diversity on campus (82.5%) than they were to agree that NC State is committed to minority student success (95.9%). There were racial/ethnic differences in the ratings of both diversity measures, with African Americans being much less likely than whites to agree that the NC State community is committed to creating an environment that promotes and supports diversity.
While all survey respondents successfully completed their degree, about half reported that it took more than four years to do so. Respondents most commonly sited academic or curricular reasons for their delayed graduation, such as changing majors, losing credits when transferring, or wanting/being advised to take a lighter courseload. More than one-fifth indicated the hours they spent working for pay impeded their progress towards degree.
Paid employment is widespread among NC State students. More than three-fourths of graduating seniors were employed during their senior year, working an average of 21 hours per week. Students working in on-campus jobs were far more likely than those working off campus to work 10 or fewer hours per week (46% versus 17%), and to be working in jobs directly related to their major (37% versus 29%). By far the most common reason among all respondents given for paid employment was the need to pay for basic living expenses like rent and groceries.
Extracurricular involvement is common among graduating seniors. Respondents were most likely to report involvement in extracurricular activities relating to academics and athletics. Half of graduating seniors were involved in organizations or clubs related to their major. More than 40 percent were involved in intramurals, recreational sports, or club sports. Attendance at ARTS NC STATE concerts, performances, or exhibits is also fairly common, with one-fourth or more respondents saying they attended University Theatre performance(s), Music Department concert(s), and Gallery of Art and Design exhibit(s).
1. Due to a low response rate (9%), survey results for the College of Design are not representative of the graduating senior population and are therefore excluded from all 2006-2007 Graduating Senior Survey reports. (back)
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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