1997 Transfer Students' Profile

• Summary
  

• Introduction and Methodology
  

• Demographics of the Transfer Class and Survey Respondents
  

• Background Information
  

• Marketing Research
  

• Educational Intent and Interests
  

• Goals for Undergraduate Education
  

Tables for NC State Respondents

• Background Information
  
• Marketing Research
  
• Educational Intent and Interests
  
• Goals for Undergraduate Education
  

Tables for College Summaries

• Background Information
  
• Marketing Research
  
• Educational Intent and Interests
  
• Goals for Undergraduate Education
  

Return to OIRP Survey Page
Return to OIRP Home Page

Office of Institutional Planning and Research, January 1998
Philip Handwerk, Graduate Research Assistant
Denise Gardner, Coordinator of Survey Research

Purpose

This report presents a profile of the 1997 entering transfer students at NC State. As in previous studies, it is based on responses to a survey that is given during the summer and fall orientation sessions. This report includes students entering into nine undergraduate academic units.

Description of Sample

A total of 880 transfer students attended these orientation sessions. Of this total, 764 surveys, which represent 66.7% of the 1,145 transfer students who registered for the fall 1997 semester, were usable for this report. Tests of statistical significance revealed no significant differences between the survey group and the broader population of registered students (gender, Chi-sq. 3.56, df=1, p>0.01; ethnicity, Chi-sq. 1.65, df=2, p>0.01; academic unit Chi-sq. 13.20, df=8. p>0.01). Thus, the results obtained from analysis of the responses may be regarded as broadly representative of the entire group of entering transfer students. Significant differences were found in answers to some questions, however, when gender, ethnicity and academic unit were considered.

Methodology

The data obtained from the transfer orientation sessions were analyzed using standard statistical methods. Responses were tested to determine whether there were significant differences when gender or ethnicity were considered. Analysis was also done across baccalaureate academic units; however, only those differences regarding influential factors and developmental goals are addressed in this report.

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.

In tests of statistical significance, p values of 0.01 or less were considered to indicate significant differences. For tests that report an exact p-value (chi-square, T-test), the exact p-values are specified in the discussions when practical. Duncan's procedure does not report an exact p-value, so in this case it is reported as less than or equal to the specified significance level of the test (in this case, alpha = 0.01). To make identification of significant results easier, the category of significant responses as well as an approximate p-value (p < 0.01) appears below the corresponding table or chart.

The transfer class of 1997 numbered 1,092 four-year enrollees plus 53 enrollees in the Agricultural Institute (two-year program) for a total of 1,145 fall enrollees. The total number of usable surveys from the orientation sessions was 764 (66.7% of total). The breakdown of the transfer class by gender was: 41.7% female and 58.3% male; and by ethnicity: 86.6% white, 5.2% African-American, and 8.2% other minorities. Demographics by gender and ethnic group are found in Table 1.

Table 2 presents enrollment of transfer students as well as survey respondents by academic unit. The largest percentage of transfer students enrolled in the College of Engineering (25.1%) and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (21.4%). The smallest percentage of transfer students enrolled in the College of Education and Psychology (4.1%) and School of Design (2.5%).

Fifteen percent (15.3%) of the transfer class began their tenure at NC State as first year students, 47.2% transferred in as Sophomores, 32.9% began as third-through fifth-year students and 4.6% transferred into the Agricultural Institute.

The last institution attended by more than three-fourths (78.9%) of transfer students was another North Carolina institution (see Table 3). The majority of students who transferred (54.2%) are of the typical college-age (18-21), and nearly one-quarter (23.4%) are 26 years old or older (see Table 4).

Financial Aid

Transfer students indicated whether or not they are receiving any type of financial aid including work study, grants, loans, and scholarships. Nearly half (47.7%) denoted that they are receiving some sort of financial aid. Table 5 below examines the various types of financial aid given across gender and ethnicity. Note that only in the athletic-based category did there exist a significant difference among ethnic groups.

++ Ethnicity: p < 0.01

Income

Financially independent transfer students were evenly divided among 3 broad categories regarding their personal incomes. As shown in Chart 1, about one-third recorded that their income for last year was $10,000 or less; $10,001 to $20,000; or above $20,000.

Dependent students indicated the combined pre-tax income of their parents/guardians for 1996. Most students denoted that they come from middle to upper-middle class families. The plurality of students (38.6%) marked their family's income to be between $40,001 and $75,000. Nearly equal percentages came from households with incomes greater than $75,000 (30.5%) or incomes of $40,000 or below (30.9%). When viewing income across ethnicity, significant differences occurred (p=0.001). Most African-American (62.5%) and other minority students (62.5%) marked their parent/guardian incomes to be $40,000 or below, while the plurality of white students (40.5%) indicated the $40,001-$75,000 grouping (see Chart 2).

Parent/Guardian Education

Two in ten transfer students surveyed (22.6%) reported that both of their parents/guardians graduated from college, and half (55.4%) said both have at least some college education. Eighteen percent (18.2%) of the transfer students are first-generation college-students. Fathers/male guardians (42.7%) were more likely than mothers/female guardians (32.3%) to have earned a bachelor's degree or higher (see Chart 3).

Prepared for College

Most transfer students (74.2%) indicated that they believed their high schools at least "adequately" prepared them for college. One-third (31.5%) reported that they felt they were "well prepared" by their high schools.

Over half of the students (55.0%) recorded that their previous institution had prepared them "well" for further study. Only 4.2% marked that they believe they were "poorly prepared" by their earlier institution.

Half of the respondents (50.8%) also denoted that they thought they had "adequately" prepared themselves for college. Four in ten (44.8%) thought they had prepared themselves "well."

Personal Information

Half of the transfer students (49.4%) reported having dependent children. One-third of the respondents (34.6%) indicated having one child, while 14.8% have two or more children. Of those students with children, none had children beyond secondary school age; children of students were relatively evenly distributed across the remaining age groups.

Intended Work Community

Transfer students marked with the greatest frequency (39.8%) that when they graduate they will seek employment anywhere, that location was not an important factor to them. One-third (31.9%) said they would seek employment anywhere within the United States. One-quarter (23.7%) planned to limit their job search to North Carolina only.

Link to NC State Tables

Marketing research concerns the experiences new students had with the application process, and also examines those factors students considered influential in their decision to attend NC State.

• Two-thirds of respondents attended only one other institution before being accepted into NC State.
• One in four transfer students chose availability of program as the single most important factor in their decision to attend NC State, followed by location and academic reputation. Significant differences were found between genders, among ethnic groups, and across baccalaureate academic units.
• The vast majority of students reported being at least "moderately" satisfied with the university admissions process, departmental admissions process, and the university's financial aid process.
• Most transfer students indicated that the number of courses which actually transferred to NC State were either about what they expected or more than they expected.

Factors Influencing Attendance Decision

Transfer students indicated the extent that any of nineteen 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 4 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 availability of program had the strongest influence on their decision to attend NC State. They additionally indicated that location and academic reputation had strong influences on their decision. A second tier of influence contained the factors level of support for my intended major; recommended by a friend, family member, teacher, counselor, etc.; cost; and contact with a current student (see Chart 4).

Respondents listed "other" factors that influenced their decision to attend NC State. The overall mean for this item was 4.50, 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 friends/family in area, found employment in area, and ROTC/military assignment.

When examining responses by gender, it was found that significant differences (p < 0.01) occurred only on the factors of location and contact with a current student. For both of these factors female students rated the factors as more influential than did the male students.

Students rated three factors significantly different (p < 0.01) when looking across ethnic groups. African-American students rated publications of NC State and extracurricular opportunities as significantly more influential than did white students. Other minority students regarded attendance at a College Fair as more influential than did white students.

An ANOVA was run for this question, looking for significant differences among the baccalaureate academic units. On the factors academic reputation, location, availability of program, level of support for my intended major, campus visit prior to orientation, contact with a current student, and extracurricular opportunities, students from various baccalaureate academic units significantly differed (p < 0.01) in their influence ratings.

Link to NC State Tables Link to Detailed Marketing Research Report

Educational intent and interests concern students' majors, course load, and extra-curricular interests.

• The majority of respondents said they were either "certain" or "very certain" about their majors.
• The majority of transfer students marked that their primary goal for attending NC State is either to obtain a bachelor's degree as preparation for further schooling or to obtain a bachelor's degree as preparation for career.
• Most students planned to continue their education beyond a bachelor's degree, with the plurality anticipating completing a master's degree.
• Nearly nine in ten transfer students said they plan to complete their bachelor's degree at NC State in either two or three years.
• Almost half of the students intended to take at least 15 credits initially.

Plans to Work

Two-thirds of the students (66.9%) marked that they intend to work during their first semester. Over one-third of the students (36.3%) indicated they plan to be working less than 20 hours each week. Three in ten (30.6%) anticipated working more than 20 hours per week (see Chart 5).

Student Affairs

Transfer students indicated their interest in 26 programs and activities. The highest percentage of respondents indicated an interest in fitness. Males tended to express more interest in recreational activities while females more often pursued non-recreational activities. African-American students expressed significantly more interest than other students in Union Activities Board, and social fraternity/sorority. Other minority students indicated more interest in student leadership development program and student dance companies. White students marked more often that they were interested in intramurals.

Link to NC State Tables Link to Detailed Educational Intent Report

Transfer students rated their current level of development and importance of goals concerning students' general educational, personal development, and world view goals.

• Transfer students' highest current level of development in general education goals were in: ability to plan and carry out projects independently, developing good listening skills, and acquiring a broad general education. They reported that the most important general education goal was developing computer skills.
• Students indicated that their highest current level of development in personal development goals were in: taking responsibility for my own behavior, and viewing learning as a lifelong process. Respondents marked that the most important of the personal development goals was taking responsibility for my own behavior.
• Transfer students registered their highest current level of development for the following world view goals: valuing racial equity, valuing gender equity and having a tolerance for different points of view. Respondents indicated the most important world view goals to them were: valuing racial equity, valuing gender equity, and being able to interact and work with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Across most goals significant differences occurred between female and male transfer students. Relatively few differences existed among ethnic groups. Baccalaureate academic units differed significantly on most goals (especially regarding importance) as well.

Weighted Gap Analysis

A weighed analysis was conducted of the gaps between students' current level of development and the importance they attributed to each of the goals. Initially, the mean score for the importance of a particular goal was subtracted from the mean of that goal's reported current level of development, resulting in the difference between where the student is now (current level) and where they hope to be (importance). The outcome of this process yielded negative scores for each goal. Therefore, for each goal the transfer students hoped to develop beyond their current levels.

Next, the gap was multiplied by the mean importance score given the particular goal, creating a weighted gap score. This weighted gap score not only took into account how far apart present development and desired development were, but also how meaningful that gap was to the student. For example, consider two goals with a gap score of -1. The first goal had a current level mean of 1 and importance mean of 2. The second goal's current level was 4 with an importance of 5. Clearly, the population regarded the second goal as more important and thus should be considered over the first goal, even though they had identical gap scores.

When viewing Chart 7, the score is not important, but the focus should be given to the length of a goal's bar relative to the other goals. According to the analysis, the transfer students would place a priority on addressing the goals of: developing computer skills, managing my time, and handling stress. Three of the top four weighted gaps concern personal development education goals. Goals involving general education tended to cluster more towards the middle of the 35 issues, while the world view goals generally filtered out as the lowest priorities.

Link to NC State Tables Link to Detailed Goals Report