North Carolina State University
2010 Sophomore Student Survey:
Highlights
NC State conducted its biennial survey of sophomores during the spring 2010 semester. Eligible students had completed 45-59 credit hours, with at least 30 at NC State. The survey methodology consisted of a web survey, followed by a paper survey distributed by academic advisors to those students not responding on the web. The final response rate was 39.7 percent (998 of 2,516 students), with a margin of sampling error of ±1.9 percentage points at the 95% confidence interval.
The vast majority of sophomores are happy in their decision to attend NC State. More than one-half of respondents agree strongly that they made the right decision to attend NC State and that they would still choose to attend NC State if starting over. Over 90 percent plan to complete their degree at NC State.
Sophomores are very satisfied with the academic environment and instruction at NC State. Over 90 percent rate the intellectual environment on campus as "strong" or "very strong" and more than 85 percent agree that experiences at NC State have stimulated an interest in an intended field of study. A majority of sophomores give NC State faculty high marks on all aspects of instruction asked about. At least 85 percent of respondents were satisfied with the overall quality of instruction at NC State and agreed that what they have been learning in classes is valuable.
About one-half of sophomores reported having at least one type of faculty-student mentoring experience at NC State. More than one-third of respondents say they met regularly with a faculty member to get academic guidance - - the most commonly reported type of mentoring relationship among those asked about. Less than 10 percent of sophomores, however, reported working with a faculty member on a non course-related extension or public service project, a non course-related research project, an independent study project, or assisting in teaching a class or lab. However, the large majority of those participating in any type of mentoring relationship say it contributed "some" or "a great deal" to their personal or professional growth.
More than three-fourths of sophomores believe that the NC State community is committed to creating an environment that promotes and supports diversity. There are, however, racial/ethnic differences in beliefs about the extent to which this is happening. Hispanic and white respondents were more likely than Asian and African American respondents to "strongly agree" that NC State is committed to helping minorities succeed and that there is visible leadership to help foster diversity on NC State's campus.
Sophomores' sense of safety varies greatly by campus location and time of day, but satisfaction with information to promote safety is high. About 60 percent or more respondents reported feeling "very safe" in campus residence halls and non-residence buildings on campus during the day and early evening, as compared to less than 15 percent who felt "very safe" being outside on campus grounds at night or using parking lots, garages, and/or decks at night. Students, however, give high marks to information about campus safety, with greater than 75 percent saying they are satisfied with the availability of public information about crimes on campus and information about crime prevention and safety on campus.
Paid employment is fairly widespread among NC State sophomores. One-half of respondents were employed during the academic year. Respondents who were employed off campus were more likely than those employed on campus to report working more than 20 hours per week. They were also more likely to be employed in jobs unrelated to their academic majors. A majority of respondents indicated that their job takes at least some time away from their school work.
With one exception, sophomores are generally satisfied with opportunities for involvement on campus. A majority of respondents were satisfied with opportunities for community service/volunteer work, opportunities to interact with/learn from diverse people, opportunities to develop leadership skills, and the ease with which one can get involved in campus organizations. Substantially fewer respondents were satisfied with weekend activities on campus for students.
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: July, 2010
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