A Profile Of 1997 Entering Transfer Students: Marketing Research

This report presents marketing research information from the 1997 entering transfer students at NC State. It is based on their responses to the survey given to new students during summer and fall orientation. 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.

Number Of Institution Attended Prior to NC State
Number institutions attended (%)
All
Female
Male
Af. Am.
White
Other
One
66.4
65.0
67.6
70.6
66.8
59.6
Two
23.8
23.8
23.8
20.6
23.4
30.8
Three
6.3
7.4
5.4
2.9
6.6
3.8
Four
2.3
1.5
2.9
5.9
2.1
1.9
Five or more
1.2
2.4
0.2
0
1.1
3.8


Factors Influencing Decision To Attend NC State (5= "Very strong influence," 1= "Very weak influence")
Mean and Std. Dev.
All
Female
Male
Af. Am.
White
Other
Academic reputation
3.95
3.94
3.96
4.21
3.92
4.23
0.89
0.91
0.88
0.99
0.90
0.70
Cost
3.24
3.26
3.22
3.13
3.25
3.13
1.19
1.23
1.17
1.20
1.20
1.16
Location +
3.96
4.20
3.76
4.33
3.93
4.02
1.11
0.96
1.19
0.82
1.12
1.10
Size ++
2.70
2.69
2.72
3.03
2.65
3.23
1.14
1.07
1.19
1.03
1.13
1.13
Availability of program
4.10
4.18
4.04
4.06
4.10
4.24
0.96
0.88
1.02
1.03
0.96
0.91
Recommended
3.26
3.37
3.17
3.20
3.24
3.64
1.28
1.28
1.28
1.22
1.30
1.01
Number of hours transferred/credited
2.72
2.85
2.62
2.77
2.70
3.00
1.22
1.23
1.20
1.09
1.20
1.46
Level of support for my intended maj
3.62
3.60
3.63
3.63
3.59
3.94
1.11
1.03
1.17
0.93
1.12
1.02
Facilities and resources available
3.65
3.63
3.66
3.87
3.62
3.80
1.00
0.99
1.02
0.99
1.01
0.89
Scholarships/financial aid available ++
2.77
2.85
2.70
3.21
2.71
3.17
1.24
1.26
1.23
1.21
1.24
1.14
Campus visit prior to orientation
2.84
2.93
2.76
3.27
2.80
3.05
1.24
1.20
1.27
1.12
1.25
1.06
Contact with a current student +
3.07
3.24
2.93
3.10
3.07
3.08
1.31
1.30
1.31
0.79
1.34
1.15
Contact with faculty or staff
2.72
2.82
2.63
2.95
2.67
3.03
1.27
1.27
1.27
1.13
1.28
1.20
Contact with a graduate
2.94
3.07
2.85
3.20
2.91
3.23
1.34
1.35
1.34
1.21
1.36
1.17
Letter from other than Admissions ++
2.26
2.44
2.15
3.00
2.18
2.74
1.21
1.18
1.22
1.18
1.19
1.23
Attendance at a College Fair ++
2.10
2.21
2.04
2.67
1.95
3.00
1.16
1.06
1.21
1.23
1.10
1.11
Publications from NC State ++
2.46
2.52
2.41
3.15
2.38
2.91
1.13
1.08
1.17
0.81
1.14
1.03
Extracurricular opportunities ++
2.74
2.67
2.80
3.48
2.67
3.11
1.25
1.21
1.27
1.17
1.25
1.07
Other
4.50
4.50
4.50
3.83
4.59
4.60
1.09
1.05
1.14
1.60
1.01
0.89
+Gender: p < 0.01; ++Ethnicity: p < 0.01


Most Influential Factor In Decision To Attend NC State
Most Infl. Factor (%)
All
Female
Male
Af. Am.
White
Other
Academic reputation
19.7
17.8
21.3
36.7
18.4
25.5
Cost
6.1
6.2
6.0
13.3
5.8
5.9
Location
22.5
26.4
19.3
16.7
23.2
17.6
Availability of program
27.5
28.2
27.0
16.7
27.4
35.3
Recommended by friend, family, etc.
3.5
3.9
3.3
0
3.8
2.0
Number of hours transferred/credited
0.7
0.9
0.5
0
0.6
2.0
Level of support for my intended major
7.1
5.6
8.3
0
7.3
7.8
Facilities and resources available
2.6
1.8
3.3
3.3
2.7
0
Scholarships/financial aid available
0.8
0
1.5
3.3
0.8
0
Campus visit prior to orientation
0.7
1.2
0.3
0
0.8
0
Contact with a current student
3.1
3.0
3.3
3.3
3.4
0
Contact with a faculty or staff member
1.2
1.8
0.8
0
1.4
0
Contact with a graduate
0.9
0.3
1.5
0
0.9
2.0
Attendance at a College Fair
0.1
0
0.3
3.3
0
0
Extracurricular opportunities
0.4
0.3
0.5
0
0.5
0
Other
3.0
2.7
3.3
3.3
3.0
2.0


Satisfaction With The Following Processes:
Satis w/ university admissions process (%)
All
Female
Male
Af. Am.
White
Other
Very dissatisfied
4.1
4.9
3.4
0
4.0
7.4
Moderately dissatisfied
10.2
11.3
9.3
3.0
10.8
7.4
Moderately satisfied
49.2
46.2
51.7
45.5
49.8
44.4
Very satisfied
36.5
37.5
35.6
51.5
35.4
40.7


Satis w/ departmental admissions process (%)
All
Female
Male
Af. Am.
White
Other
Very dissatisfied
2.5
1.9
3.1
0
2.6
3.9
Moderately dissatisfied
8.3
9.0
7.7
9.7
8.5
5.9
Moderately satisfied
48.4
46.4
50.0
38.7
49.8
37.3
Very satisfied
40.8
42.7
39.2
51.6
39.2
52.9


Satis w/ university fin aid process (%)
All
Female
Male
Af. Am.
White
Other
Very dissatisfied
6.9
7.7
6.3
5.9
6.7
9.8
Moderately dissatisfied
16.9
15.4
18.1
0
17.7
17.1
Moderately satisfied
49.4
45.1
52.9
41.2
51.0
39.0
Very satisfied
26.8
31.9
22.6
52.9
24.6
34.1

Transfer of Courses:
Transferred what prev institution said (%)
All
Female
Male
Af. Am.
White
Other
Less than I expected
18.3
20.2
16.8
43.8
16.7
23.1
About what I expected
65.6
61.0
69.3
46.9
67.0
59.6
More than I expected
16.1
18.7
14.0
9.4
16.4
17.3
Ethnicity: p < 0.01


Transferred what NC State said would (%)
All
Female
Male
Af. Am.
White
Other
Less than I expected
12.2
11.4
12.8
27.6
11.1
17.6
About what I expected
77.4
77.5
77.3
65.5
78.5
70.6
More than I expected
10.4
11.1
9.8
6.9
10.4
11.8