North Carolina State University
2004-2005 Graduating Senior Survey:
Gender and Racial/Ethnic Comparisons of
Student Goals and Intentions

This document reports survey data on gender and racial/ethnic differences in the respondents' assessment of student goals and intentions while attending NC State. Survey results for all respondents are provided in "2004-2005 Graduating Senior Survey: All Respondents." For information about the survey and analysis methods, see "2004-2005 Graduating Senior Survey: Introduction, Methods, and Student Demographic Profile."

Goals and Objectives | Post-Graduate Plans | Time to Graduate | Withdrawal/Transfer from NC State

Goals and Objectives

Q Primary Goal/Objective
  NCSU Women Men AfAm White Other
Bach. deg./certificate only
%
18.6
16.4
20.7
14.0
19.4
15.2
Prep. for grad/prof school
%
35.3
39.5
31.2
39.5
34.6
37.4
Prep. for new career/profession
 %
43.4
42.7
44.2
44.5
43.6
40.9
Improve for current profession
%
1.3
0.7
1.8
1.0
1.1
3.5
Courses for personal interest
%
0.4
0.1
0.8
0.5
0.3
2.3
Other
%
1.0
0.6
1.4
0.5
1.1
0.6
Total
 N
2,224
1,092
1,132
200
1,853
171

QAccomplishment of Goal/Objective
  NCSU Women Men AfAm White Other
Fully accomplished
%
73.9
76.6
71.3
61.5
76.1
64.9
Partially accomplished
 %
25.5
23.1
27.7
38.0
23.3
34.5
Not accomplished
%
0.6
0.3
1.0
0.5
0.6
0.6
Total
 N
2,231
1,092
1,139
200
1,860
171
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QOff-Campus Degree Program
 Likelihood obtain degree at UNC campus
(for off-camp prgms)		 NCSU Women Men AfAm White Other
4: Very likely
 %
21.4
23.6
19.5
28.4
20.6
20.7
3: Probably
%
33.5
33.9
33.2
29.5
32.9
41.4
2: Probably not
%
16.8
17.4
16.2
17.9
16.5
18.0
1: Not likely
%
28.3
25.1
31.0
24.2
30.0
19.8
Total
 N
1,002
454
548
95
796
111
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Post-Graduate Plans

Q Plans Following Graduation
  NCSU Women Men AfAm White Other
Have accepted a job
%
10.4
8.3
12.4
7.5
10.9
8.8
Continuing in current position
%
3.3
3.5
3.1
3.0
3.3
2.9
Graduate/prof. school full-time
%
19.2
21.5
17.0
20.0
19.2
18.2
G/P school part-time & work part-time
 %
4.9
5.2
4.5
8.5
4.7
2.4
Take more undergrad courses
%
1.0
1.4
0.6
2.5
0.8
1.2
Still seeking employment
%
37.8
36.3
39.2
34.5
37.7
41.8
Not seeking empl./not planning school
%
4.4
3.6
5.2
3.0
4.6
4.1
Entering military service
%
1.4
0.2
2.6
0.5
1.4
2.4
Don't know yet
%
12.0
12.3
11.6
14.5
11.5
13.5
Other
%
5.7
7.7
3.8
6.0
5.8
4.7
Total
 N
2,225
1,091
1,134
200
1,855
170
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Time to Graduate (Revised: October, 2007)

QTaken longer than 4 years to graduate?
  NCSU Women Men AfAm White Other
Yes, has taken longer than 4 years
 %
54.4%
45.7%
62.8%
59.5%
53.7%
56.5%
Total
 N
2,226
1,092
1,134
200
1,856
170

Q Reasons for taking longer than 4 years (among those who took more than 4 years)
  NCSU Women Men AfAm White Other
wanted/advised lighter courseload
 %
20.0%
15.8%
22.9%
23.5%
19.9%
16.7%
couldnt get classes needed
 %
18.1%
16.2%
19.4%
23.5%
17.9%
13.5%
changed majors
 %
38.6%
37.9%
39.0%
40.3%
39.3%
29.2%
lost credits when transferred
 %
21.7%
24.0%
20.1%
11.8%
23.4%
16.7%
co-op/intern/practicum/teach/etc
 %
14.2%
12.4%
15.4%
10.9%
14.2%
18.8%
financial reasons
 %
13.4%
15.6%
11.8%
17.6%
12.6%
16.7%
personal reasons
 %
23.8%
28.3%
20.6%
36.1%
21.8%
29.2%
double major/minor
 %
20.9%
22.6%
19.7%
18.5%
20.2%
31.3%
study abroad
 %
5.1%
6.2%
4.4%
4.2%
4.6%
11.5%
hours spent working
 %
27.7%
31.1%
25.4%
32.8%
27.1%
28.1%
other reasons
 %
13.1%
13.6%
12.8%
8.4%
14.1%
9.4%
Total
 N
1,211
499
712
119
996
96
 Note: Respondents could provide more than one reason
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Withdrawal/Transfer from NCSU

QEver consider withdrawal/transfer from NCSU
  All Women Men AfAm White Other
No
%
76.5
75.4
77.6
60.3
77.9
80.1
Yes, not seriously
 %
10.8
11.7
9.9
18.1
10.0
10.5
Yes, seriously
%
8.7
9.3
8.1
16.1
8.1
6.4
Yes-left & returned
%
4.0
3.7
4.4
5.5
4.0
2.9
Total
 N
2,223
1,089
1,134
199
1,853
171

QReasons for staying or returning to NC State (among those who considered leaving/those who left and returned)
  NCSU Women Men AfAm White Other
Program at NCSU
 %
20.5%
20.9%
20.2%
21.1%
20.5%
20.0%
Financial reasons
 %
7.5%
6.4%
8.6%
4.2%
7.6%
13.3%
Personal reasons
 %
47.7%
44.2%
51.5%
57.7%
47.2%
30.0%
NCSU/city environment
 %
10.2%
12.4%
7.7%
9.9%
10.2%
10.0%
Hassle (lose credit hrs,etc.)
 %
16.2%
16.9%
15.5%
18.3%
15.7%
16.7%
Miscellaneous/other
 %
2.7%
2.8%
2.6%
1.4%
3.1%
0.0%
Total
 N
482
249
233
71
381
30
 Note: Respondents could provide more than one reason
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For more information on the 2004-2005 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: October, 2005
-->(Revised: November, 2005)

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