North Carolina State University
1999 Graduating Senior Survey:
All Respondents
This report presents findings from the 1999 Graduating Senior Survey. It describes the overall responses to each survey question within the following topics: student goals and intentions; academic environment and faculty contribution; campus climate, evaluation of student services; knowledge, skills and personal development; and employment and extracurricular activities. For a full discussion of the survey's methodology, see "1999 Graduating Senior Survey: Introduction, Methods, and Student Demographic Profile." Responses broken down by gender, race/ethnicity, and college are available on the web.
Student Goals and Intentions
Educational Goals (Table 3-1)
Students were asked questions regarding his or her primary goal or objective in attending NCSU and to what degree that goal or objective was accomplished. Table 3-1 shows goals/objectives and accomplishment. The majority of respondents' primary goal in attending NC State was either to prepare for a new career (46.5%) or for graduate or professional school (31.5%). Almost three-fourths (74.0%) of all respondents said they "fully accomplished" their goal.
Primary goal/objective |
Accomplishment of goal/objective |
|||
% saying |
Total % |
|||
Fully accomplished |
Partially accomplished |
Not accomplished |
||
Prep for career (n=437) |
76.7% |
23.3% |
0.0% |
46.4% |
Prep for grad school (n=297) |
62.9% |
37.0% |
0.0% |
31.5% |
Bach. Degree/certificate (n=173) |
88.4% |
11.6% |
0.0% |
18.4% |
Improve for current career (n=18) |
55.6% |
44.4% |
0.0% |
1.9% |
Other (n=13) |
69.2% |
23.1% |
7.7% |
1.4% |
Courses for personal interest (n=4) |
75.0% |
25.0% |
0.0% |
0.4% |
Total % |
74.0% |
25.9% |
0.1% |
Post-Graduation Plans (Table 3-2)
At the time they completed the survey 14.6 percent of respondents said they had already accepted a job for after graduation, while 43.6 percent were still seeking employment. A small percentage (3.6%) planned to continue working in their current position after graduating. About one-fourth said they plan to go on to graduate or professional school, either full-time (20.2%) or part-time (3.9%).
% saying Yes |
|
Still seeking employment |
43.6% |
Graduate/prof. School full-time |
20.2% |
Accepted a job |
14.6% |
Don't know yet |
9.1% |
Grad/prof school pt & work pt |
3.9% |
Continuing in current position |
3.6% |
Not seeking empl./not plan school |
2.3% |
Take more undergrad courses |
1.1% |
Other |
1.4% |
Academic Environment and Faculty Contributions
Satisfaction with Education (Table 3-3)
The majority of students appeared to be satisfied with their education at NC State. Almost three-fourths (74.4%) said if they could start over, they would choose NC State again. About two-thirds (68.4%) said they would choose the same major again. About 10 percent each however, said they would not choose NC State again (9.0%), or would not choose the same major again (11.5%).
% saying |
|||
Yes |
No |
Not Sure |
|
Choose NC State again? |
74.4% |
9.0% |
16.6% |
Choose same major again? |
68.4% |
11.5% |
20.1% |
Evaluation of Education (Tables 3-4 and 3-5)
Students were asked to give their opinions of the academic environment at NC State. Specifically, they rated the overall education they received, instruction in their major and overall, and the intellectual environment on campus.
% saying |
||||
Excellent |
Good |
Fair |
Poor |
|
Overall education received at NCSU |
41.3% |
52.8% |
5.8% |
0.1% |
Overall quality of instruction |
14.2% |
70.3% |
14.6% |
0.8% |
Quality of instruction in major |
50.0% |
42.4% |
7.1% |
0.5% |
% saying |
|||||
Very strong |
Strong |
Average |
Weak |
Very weak |
|
Intellectual environment on campus |
15.5% |
57.5% |
23.4% |
3.0% |
0.6% |
Faculty Contributions (Table 3-6)
Students were asked to evaluate how well faculty members in their major department do each of various tasks, using a scale from 1 ("poor") to 4 ("excellent"). "Don't know" responses were not included in calculations of average ratings. Overall, students were very positive about the contributions faculty in their major department make toward their education. Highest average ratings were given to faculty setting high expectations to learn (3.39) and to encouraging that time and energy be devoted to coursework (3.31). Although still rated as "excellent" or "good" by majorities of respondents, factors related to faculty involvement with students on a more individual basis received somewhat lower ratings.
Mean Rating |
% saying |
||||
4:Excellent |
3:Good |
2:Fair |
1:Poor |
||
Set high expectations to learn |
3.39 |
44.2% |
50.9% |
4.7% |
0.2% |
Time/energy to coursework encouraged |
3.31 |
40.1% |
50.7% |
8.9% |
0.3% |
Opp for coop learning w/ fellow students |
3.22 |
39.5% |
44.6% |
14.2% |
1.7% |
Encourage active learning |
3.16 |
32.5% |
52.8% |
13.1% |
1.6% |
Freq and prompt feedback from faculty |
3.11 |
27.2% |
57.2% |
14.8% |
0.8% |
Encourage student/faculty interaction |
3.07 |
31.5% |
47.6% |
17.7% |
3.1% |
Care about academic success/welfare |
3.05 |
31.6% |
45.2% |
20.1% |
3.0% |
Respect diverse talents & ways of learn |
3.02 |
22.9% |
57.6% |
17.8% |
1.7% |
Overall rating of faculty |
3.20 |
30.0% |
60.2% |
9.4% |
0.4% |
Campus Climate
(Table 3-7)Students were asked to rate what they perceived to be the general attitude on campus towards various groups of people. A majority of respondents felt the campus climate was at least "moderately supportive" toward each of the groups asked about, with one exception. Only a little more than one-fourth (27.8%) of respondents felt the campus climate was at least "moderately supportive" towards gay and lesbian students, while another 25.6 percent thought it was either "moderately" (15.5%) or "strongly unsupportive" (10.1%) towards them.
Group |
% saying |
||||
Strongly supportive |
Moderately supportive |
Neutral |
Moderately unsupportive |
Strongly unsupportive |
|
Women |
35.0% |
32.1% |
28.2% |
4.4% |
0.3% |
Men |
43.1% |
21.6% |
32.3% |
2.0% |
1.0% |
African American |
35.8% |
26.0% |
31.5% |
6.1% |
0.5% |
Other Ethnic Minorities |
24.5% |
27.4% |
41.2% |
6.0% |
0.9% |
International Students |
27.7% |
28.3% |
39.0% |
4.7% |
0.3% |
Disabled Students |
26.4% |
28.5% |
37.1% |
6.5% |
1.5% |
Gay & Lesbian Students |
10.9% |
16.9% |
46.5% |
15.5% |
10.1% |
Services for Students
Survey respondents were instructed to evaluate various academic and non-academic services provided by NC State, based on experiences within the last two years on campus. Ratings ranged from 1 ("poor") to 4 ("excellent"). The "don't know/did not use" option available for those students with inadequate experience (for purpose of evaluation) with the service area was excluded from analyses.
Academic Services (Table 3-8)
Academic services encompassed three primary areas: academic advising, research support, and technology services.
Mean Response |
% saying |
||||
4:Excellent |
3:Good |
2:Fair |
1:Poor |
||
Academic advising (in major) |
|||||
Access to advisor |
3.19 |
45.2% |
35.0% |
13.6% |
6.2% |
Accurate info about degree requirements |
3.14 |
41.5% |
35.4% |
18.1% |
4.9% |
Sufficient time with advisor |
3.11 |
41.4% |
34.5% |
17.8% |
6.4% |
Knowledge of campus policies/procedures |
3.07 |
35.4% |
41.5% |
18.2% |
4.9% |
Overall academic advising services |
3.12 |
38.4% |
40.5% |
15.3% |
5.8% |
Research support |
|||||
Access to up-to-date facilities (research) |
3.15 |
36.7% |
45.5% |
13.9% |
4.0% |
Access to faculty in research |
3.01 |
28.2% |
50.2% |
15.9% |
5.8% |
Research support overall |
3.06 |
26.1% |
56.8% |
14.0% |
3.2% |
Technology services |
|||||
Access to Internet |
3.76 |
78.3% |
19.8% |
1.8% |
0.1% |
Access to up-to-date facilities (tech) |
3.42 |
51.7% |
39.8% |
7.2% |
1.2% |
Hours for computer ctrs/labs/help desks |
3.27 |
45.3% |
39.7% |
11.6% |
3.4% |
Technology training classes |
2.81 |
20.9% |
48.5% |
22.7% |
8.9% |
Access to trained staff for help |
2.79 |
22.0% |
43.3% |
26.2% |
8.5% |
Overall technology services |
3.28 |
37.3% |
53.9% |
8.7% |
0.1% |
Non-academic Services (Tables 3-9 and 3-10)
Students were also asked to evaluate a range of non-academic services. For those services involving interaction with staff members (secretaries, tutors counselors, office workers, etc.), students were also instructed to evaluate the responsiveness of the staff.
Services |
Mean Rating |
% saying |
|||
4:Excellent |
3:Good |
2:Fair |
1:Poor |
||
Opportunities for rec activities |
3.30 |
41.7% |
48.6% |
7.5% |
2.2% |
Library services |
3.25 |
37.0% |
52.8% |
8.6% |
1.5% |
Registration process |
3.14 |
32.8% |
50.5% |
14.7% |
1.9% |
Opps to dev leadership skills |
3.13 |
33.6% |
49.2% |
14.1% |
3.1% |
College/dept placing services |
3.06 |
30.9% |
49.7% |
14.0% |
5.4% |
Univ planning & placement services |
2.94 |
21.5% |
54.9% |
20.1% |
3.5% |
Campus health services |
2.94 |
23.4% |
52.4% |
19.1% |
5.2% |
Campus counseling (not career) services |
2.89 |
23.4% |
49.3% |
20.1% |
7.2% |
Opportunities for community svc |
2.85 |
22.5% |
47.9% |
21.6% |
8.0% |
Business svcs/cashier/stdnt accts |
2.83 |
15.8% |
56.7% |
21.9% |
5.6% |
Personal safety on campus |
2.82 |
14.8% |
58.0% |
21.7% |
5.6% |
Bookstore services and products |
2.76 |
15.4% |
53.0% |
24.0% |
7.7% |
Financial aid services |
2.75 |
20.0% |
47.2% |
20.7% |
12.1% |
Residence life programs |
2.66 |
14.8% |
46.2% |
29.4% |
9.6% |
Campus food services |
2.39 |
7.9% |
37.9% |
39.5% |
14.8% |
Services |
Mean Rating |
% saying |
|||
4:Excellent |
3:Good |
2:Fair |
1:Poor |
||
Library services |
3.22 |
37.7% |
49.4% |
10.5% |
2.4% |
Registration process |
3.09 |
29.2% |
52.1% |
17.2% |
1.5% |
College/dept placing services |
3.08 |
32.9% |
46.8% |
15.8% |
4.5% |
Campus health services |
3.03 |
32.0% |
44.8% |
17.3% |
5.8% |
Univ planning & placement services |
2.99 |
26.2% |
50.1% |
19.1% |
3.8% |
Campus counseling (not career) services |
2.92 |
30.8% |
39.7% |
20.5% |
8.9% |
Personal safety on campus |
2.80 |
19.6% |
49.3% |
22.6% |
8.6% |
Bookstore services and products |
2.77 |
15.8% |
51.3% |
26.7% |
6.3% |
Business svcs/cashier/stdnt accts |
2.76 |
15.6% |
53.0% |
23.2% |
8.2% |
Financial aid services |
2.66 |
20.1% |
41.2% |
23.7% |
15.0% |
Residence life programs |
2.66 |
15.3% |
46.7% |
26.3% |
11.7% |
Campus food services |
2.43 |
11.8% |
37.8% |
32.6% |
17.9% |
Financial Aid (Tables 3-11 and 3-12)
Almost 60 percent of respondents (59.8%) said they received some sort of financial aid. The majority (87.3%) of these
respondents said they were either "very" (43.8%) or "moderately satisfied" (43.5%) with the aid
package received.
Satisfaction with financial aid package received |
|||||
% saying |
|||||
% saying Yes |
Very satisfied |
Moderately satisfied |
Moderately dissatisfied |
Very dissatisfied |
|
Financial aid received |
59.8% |
43.8% |
43.5% |
9.5% |
3.2% |
Area LEAST satisfied with (n=568) |
% saying Yes |
The financial aid award package I received |
10.7% |
The financial aid application process |
7.8% |
Customer service skills of the reception staff |
7.2% |
Customer service skills of the advisor staff |
2.3% |
Customer services skills of the phone staff |
2.1% |
Nothing mentioned |
69.9% |
Knowledge, Skills, and Personal Development
General Growth and Training (Table 3-13)
A majority of respondents (60.4%) said NC State contributed "very well" to their intellectual growth.
Respondents were less positive about the university's contribution to their personal growth (45.7%) and career
training (36.4%). More than 20 percent of respondents (22.0%) said that NC State contributed only "somewhat
adequately" (18.6%) or "poorly" (3.4%) to their career training.
Mean Rating |
% saying |
||||
4:Very Well |
3:Adequately |
2:Somewhat adequately |
1:Poorly |
||
Intellectual Growth |
3.54 |
60.4% |
33.8% |
4.9% |
1.0% |
Personal Growth |
3.27 |
45.7% |
38.0% |
13.6% |
2.7% |
Career Training |
3.11 |
36.4% |
41.6% |
18.6% |
3.4% |
Knowledge, Skills, and Personal Growth (Table 3-14)
Graduating seniors rated the extent to which NC State contributed to 35 factors related to their general education, world views, and personal development, using a scale of 1 ("none") to 4 ("very much"). The majority of respondents said NC State contributed at least "somewhat" to all but four of the factors listed. Respondents were more likely to say NC State contributed "very much" to their development of general education and personal growth goals than to their development of world view goals.
On average, highest rating were given to enhancing analytic skills (3.60), developing computer skills (3.60), ability to critically analyze ideas and information (3.59), ability to plan and carry out projects independently (3.60), and developing potential for success (3.59). Lowest ratings were given to the university's contribution to a number of world view goals: appreciating gender equity (2.92), appreciating racial equity (2.90), exercising public responsibility and community service (2.82), and advancing appreciation of the arts (2.61).
Mean Rating |
% saying |
||||
4:Very Much |
3:Somewhat |
2:Very Little |
1:None |
||
General education |
|||||
Enhancing analytic skills |
3.60 |
64.7% |
31.1% |
4.0% |
0.3% |
Developing computer skills |
3.60 |
68.6% |
24.7% |
5.5% |
1.5% |
Applying scientific methods |
3.44 |
56.2% |
33.3% |
8.9% |
1.4% |
Comprehension skills |
3.43 |
51.5% |
40.8% |
6.5% |
1.3% |
Writing skills |
3.39 |
49.5% |
40.8% |
8.6% |
1.0% |
Speaking skills |
3.39 |
50.5% |
39.9% |
8.4% |
1.5% |
Using math skills |
3.37 |
53.4% |
33.0% |
11.1% |
2.4% |
Listening skills |
3.34 |
46.1% |
43.0% |
8.8% |
1.7% |
World views |
|||||
Critical analysis of ideas/info |
3.59 |
64.5% |
31.0% |
3.9% |
0.6% |
Ability to plan/carry out projects indep |
3.60 |
66.9% |
26.9% |
5.1% |
1.1% |
Science/tech influence on everyday life |
3.52 |
61.3% |
31.0% |
6.6% |
1.3% |
Ability to function as part of a team |
3.53 |
61.4% |
31.0% |
6.4% |
1.2% |
Value learning as a life-long process |
3.51 |
60.7% |
31.8% |
5.6% |
1.9% |
Ability to work with diverse people |
3.39 |
50.4% |
39.3% |
8.6% |
1.6% |
Ability to lead or guide others |
3.32 |
67.2% |
40.2% |
10.1% |
2.6% |
Develop tolerance for divergent views |
3.20 |
39.1% |
45.4% |
11.4% |
4.1% |
Understanding world issues/problems |
3.15 |
37.8% |
42.6% |
16.1% |
3.5% |
Understand diverse cultures/values |
3.10 |
34.2% |
45.8% |
16.0% |
3.9% |
Recognizing/acting on ethical principles |
3.08 |
33.3% |
45.6% |
17.4% |
3.7% |
Present as it relates to history |
3.08 |
31.6% |
48.8% |
15.8% |
3.8% |
Commitment to personal health/fitness |
3.00 |
33.6% |
39.0% |
21.6% |
5.8% |
Appreciating gender equity |
2.92 |
29.2% |
41.6% |
21.1% |
8.2% |
Appreciating racial equity |
2.90 |
28.5% |
41.6% |
21.2% |
8.6% |
Community svc/public responsibility |
2.82 |
25.5% |
39.6% |
26.4% |
8.6% |
Appreciation of the arts |
2.61 |
22.4% |
32.0% |
29.4% |
16.2% |
Personal development |
|||||
Potential for success |
3.59 |
65.3% |
29.6% |
3.4% |
1.7% |
Personal growth |
3.52 |
60.4% |
32.9% |
4.9% |
1.7% |
Independence and self-reliance |
3.48 |
60.8% |
29.5% |
6.7% |
3.0% |
Self-discipline |
3.48 |
59.4% |
31.9% |
6.3% |
2.4% |
Time management |
3.45 |
57.2% |
32.8% |
7.3% |
2.6% |
Coping with change |
3.37 |
51.6% |
36.9% |
8.2% |
3.2% |
Self-confidence |
3.32 |
49.7% |
36.4% |
9.7 % |
4.2% |
Taking responsibility for own behavior |
3.31 |
51.7% |
32.6% |
10.4% |
5.3% |
Ability to handle stress |
3.29 |
50.8% |
33.1% |
10.3% |
5.8% |
Sense of personal identity |
3.25 |
47.4% |
35.7% |
11.4% |
5.6% |
Employment and Extracurricular Activities
Number of Hours Worked (Table 3-15)
About 80 percent of respondents indicated they were employed at some time while they were at NC State. Almost 40 percent (39.3%) of those who worked during their graduation year worked an average of 20 or more hours per week while at NC State.
% saying Yes |
|
Less than 5 hrs/wk |
6.1% |
5-9 hrs/wk |
12.0% |
10-14 hrs/wk |
20.3% |
15-19 hrs/wk |
22.2% |
20-24 hrs/wk |
19.1% |
25-29 hrs/wk |
6.8% |
30-34 hrs/wk |
5.6% |
More than 35 hrs/wk |
7.8% |
Job Relationship to Major (Table 3-16)
More than one-third (35.9%) of respondents who worked during graduation year were working in jobs directly related to their academic major. The majority of those working in areas unrelated to their major said they were doing so by choice (73.5%).
% saying |
||||
Directly Related |
Somewhat Related |
Not Related |
||
Job related to academic major? (n=750) |
35.9% |
31.9% |
32.3% |
|
Yes |
No |
|||
If Not Related" was this by choice? (n=238) |
73.5% |
26.5% |
Co-op Experience (Table 3-17)
Slightly more than half of respondents (51.2%) had a co-op, internship, practicum, or field experience while at NC State. A large majority (65.6%) of those said the experience made an "excellent" contribution to their personal or professional growth. Thirty-eight percent said they received a job offer from their employer.
% saying |
Job contribution to personal/professional growth |
|||||
% saying |
||||||
Excellent |
Good |
Fair |
Poor |
|||
Co-op/internship/practicum/field experience |
51.2% |
65.6% |
28.8% |
4.8% |
0.9% |
|
Yes |
No |
|||||
Job offer from employer? |
38.5% |
61.5% |
Extracurricular Involvement (Table 3-18)
Students were asked to indicate all school-related groups which they had been involved in while at NC State. The most frequent responses were organizations/clubs related to your major (57.5%) and intramural/recreational sports, club teams (46.9%).
% saying Yes |
n |
|
Organizations/clubs related to major |
57.5% |
550 |
Intramural/rec sports, club teams |
46.9% |
449 |
Academic (Honors program, etc.) |
33.2% |
318 |
Honor/service/professional frat/sorority |
30.1% |
288 |
Social fraternity/sorority |
16.7% |
160 |
Religious/political/issue groups |
14.3% |
137 |
Other groups |
6.8% |
65 |
Residence hall council, IRC |
6.6% |
63 |
Visual/performing arts/music groups |
6.5% |
62 |
Minority student groups |
5.5% |
53 |
Varsity athletic teams |
5.0% |
48 |
Union activities board, student media |
3.9% |
37 |
Student government |
3.3% |
32 |
Student judicial board |
1.5% |
14 |
For more information on the 1999 Graduating Senior 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: April 2000
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