North Carolina State University
2006-2007 Graduating Senior Survey:
All Respondents
This report presents findings from the 2006-2007 Graduating Senior Survey. It describes the overall responses to each survey question within the following topics: student goals and intentions, academic environment and faculty contributions, 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 "2006-2007 Graduating Senior Survey: Introduction, Methods, and Student Demographic Profile." Responses broken down by gender, race/ethnicity, and college, as well as a copy of the survey instrument with exact question wording, are available in the 2006-2007 Graduating Senior Survey: Table of Contents.
Table of Contents:
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Student Goals and Intentions
Educational Goals
Post-Graduate Plans
Time to Graduate
Withdrawal/Transfer from NC
State
Academic Environment and Faculty Contributions
Satisfaction with Education
Evaluation of Education
Faculty Contributions
Faculty-Student Mentoring
Services for Students
Academic Services
Non-academic Services
Financial Aid
Knowledge, Skills, and Personal Development
General Growth and Training
Knowledge, Skills, and Personal
Growth
Employment and Extracurricular Activities
On- and Off-Campus Employment
Number of Hours Worked
Job Relationship to Major
Work-Related Experience
Extracurricular Involvement
Student Goals and Intentions
Educational Goals (Table 1)
Students were asked questions regarding their primary goal or objective in attending NC State and to what extent that goal or objective was accomplished. The majority of respondents� primary goal in attending NC State was either to prepare for a new career or profession (41.8%) or to prepare for graduate or professional school (37.6%).
Overall, three-fourths (75.4%) of all respondents said they "fully accomplished" their primary goal. Respondents who said their primary goal was to earn a bachelor�s degree or certificate were most likely to fully accomplish their objective (87.8%). Respondents whose primary goal was to prepare for a new career or profession were more likely than those whose primary goal was to prepare for graduate or professional school to say they "fully accomplished" their goal (77.0% vs. 68.0%, respectively).
Table 1: Goals and Objectives at NC State| Goal/objective for attending NCSU | Fully accomplished | Partially accomplished | Not accomplished | Goal/Objective Overall (N=2,383) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bach. deg./certificate only (N=441) | 87.8% | 11.6% | 0.7% | 18.5% |
| Prep. for grad/prof school (N=896) | 68.0% | 31.0% | 1.0% | 37.6% |
| Prep. for new career/profession (N=996) | 77.0% | 22.8% | 0.2% | 41.8% |
| Improve for current profession (N=21) | 66.7% | 33.3% | 0.0% | 0.9% |
| Courses for personal interest (N=9) | 33.3% | 66.7% | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| Other (N=20) | 75.0% | 25.0% | 0.0% | 0.8% |
| Extent Accomplished Overall (N=2,383) | 75.4% | 24.0% | 0.6% | 100.0% |
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Off-Campus Degree Program (Figure 1)
Respondents who were pursuing their degree through an off-campus degree program were asked the likelihood of obtaining a degree at a UNC campus had the off-campus degree program been unavailable. Slightly more respondents reported that they "very likely" (21.6%) or "probably" (31.4%) would have obtained a degree at a UNC campus than reported that it was "probably not" (18.7%) or "not likely" (28.3%) they would have done so.
Comparisons and Frequencies: Gender/Ethnicity, College
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Time to Graduate (Tables 2 and 3)
Close to one-half of the graduating seniors (49.6%) reported that it took them longer than four years to graduate. The most commonly chosen reason for taking more than four years to graduate was changed majors (37.9%). Similar percentages of students said their delayed graduation was due to lost credits when transferred (23.3%), hours spent working (22.6%), and taking a lighter course load (21.8%). Study abroad was least likely to be reported as a reason for taking longer than four years to graduate (4.7%). Of the 11 percent who selected other reasons for taking longer than four years to graduate, common responses included poor advising, performed poorly/had to retake classes, taking time off from school, involvement in extracurricular activities, and did not know what wanted to do.
Table 2: Time to Graduate| Taken More than 4 years to graduate? | N | % |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 1,182 | 49.6% |
Table 3: Reasons for Taking More than 4 Years to Graduate (Among those taking more than 4 years, N=1,182)
| N | % | |
|---|---|---|
| Changed majors | 448 | 37.9% |
| Lost credits when transferred | 275 | 23.3% |
| Hours spent working | 267 | 22.6% |
| Wanted/advised lighter courseload | 258 | 21.8% |
| Double major/minor | 235 | 19.9% |
| Could not get classes needed | 211 | 17.9% |
| Co-op/intern/practicum/teach/etc. | 201 | 17.0% |
| Took semester or more off for personal reasons | 196 | 16.6% |
| Financial reasons | 128 | 10.8% |
| Part-time for personal reasons (e.g., medical, family, etc.) | 128 | 10.8% |
| Other reasons | 128 | 10.8% |
| Study abroad | 56 | 4.7% |
Comparisons and Frequencies: Gender/Ethnicity, College
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Withdrawal/Transfer from NCSU (FIgure 2 and Table 4)
One-fifth of respondents (21.8%) reported that they had considered withdrawing or transferring from NC State before graduation, although most had not seriously considered doing so. Students who had considered leaving most frequently reported issues related to curriculum/program (29.9%) and personal reasons (28.6%) for doing so. A relatively small number of students (2.6%) reported they had actually left NC State at some point and later returned and went on to graduate.
| N | % | |
|---|---|---|
| Curriculum/program reasons | 155 | 29.9% |
| Personal reasons | 148 | 28.6% |
| Campus life | 100 | 19.3% |
| Location | 44 | 8.5% |
| Financial reasons | 38 | 7.3% |
| Class environment | 36 | 6.9% |
| Poor academic performance | 31 | 6.0% |
| Wanted to attend different school | 21 | 4.1% |
| Poor advising | 10 | 1.9% |
| Non-academic opportunity | 9 | 1.7% |
Comparisons and Frequencies: Gender/Ethnicity, College
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Reasons for staying at NC State (Table 5)
Respondents who considered withdrawing or transferring or had actually done so were also asked to describe their reasons for staying at or returning to NC State. Most frequently reported were personal reasons (47.7%), such as accomplishment of a personal goal or to be close to friends. Twenty-five percent of respondents (25.7%) reported that their decision to stay at or return to NC State was based on the programs offered at NC State, such as program or degree availability, and prestige or quality of instruction within an academic department at NC State. Very few students (3.3%) reported that they stayed at or returned to NC State because they could not get into their school of choice or that they had no better option.
Table 5: Reasons for staying at or returning to NC State (N=521)| N | % | |
|---|---|---|
| Personal reasons | 247 | 47.7% |
| Program at NCSU | 133 | 25.7% |
| Hassle (lose credit hrs,etc.) | 76 | 14.7% |
| NCSU/city environment | 66 | 12.7% |
| Financial reasons | 54 | 10.4% |
| Didn't get into 1st choice/no better option | 17 | 3.3% |
| Misc/other | 16 | 3.1% |
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Post-Graduation Plans (Table 6)
At the time they completed the survey, one-third of respondents (33.0%) reported that they were still seeking employment. About 14 percent said that they had already accepted a job for after graduation (11.0%) or would continue in their current position (3.1%). More than one-fourth said that they planned to go on to graduate or professional school either full-time (22.0%) or part-time (4.8%).
Given that more than 60 percent of respondents completed the survey 4 or more months prior to graduation, it is important to note that reports on post-graduation plans are somewhat related to how close to graduation the respondent completed the survey. About 30 percent of respondents who completed the survey within 2 months of graduation had accepted a new job, as compared to 11.2 percent of those completing it 2 to 3 months prior to graduation, and 7.9 percent of those doing so 4 or more months before graduating.
The proportion of students who indicated that their plans after graduation were to attend graduate/professional school or that they were still seeking employment also changed as the survey was completed closer to graduation. However, this change was less noticeable compared to the change in proportion of students who had accepted a job. Twenty-seven percent of students who completed the survey 4 or more months prior to graduation reported plans to attend graduate/professional school either part-time or full-time compared to 21.3 percent of students who completed the survey within 2 months of graduation. Similarly, 33.4 percent of students who completed the survey 4 or more months prior to graduation were still seeking employment compared to 26.4 percent of students who completed the survey within 2 months of graduation.
Table 6: Plans Following Graduation| Plans following graduation | Number of Months Prior to Graduation Completed Survey | Total (N=2,374) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 2 months (N=753) | 2-3 months (N=482) | 4 or more months (N=1,139) | ||
| Don't know yet (N=314) | 8.0 | 17.2 | 15.0 | 12.6% |
| Have accepted a job (N=375) | 30.7 | 11.2 | 7.9 | 11.0% |
| Continuing in current position (N=62) | 2.5 | 2.1 | 2.9 | 3.1% |
| Graduate/prof. school full-time (N=495) | 17.3 | 21.4 | 22.7 | 22.0% |
| G/P school part-time & work part-time (N=107) | 4.0 | 5.2 | 4.6 | 4.8% |
| Take more undergrad courses (N=39) | 1.7 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 1.6% |
| Still seeking employment (N=724) | 26.4 | 30.1 | 33.4 | 33.0% |
| Not seeking empl./not planning school (N=102) | 4.2 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 3.8% |
| Entering military service (N=34) | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.7% |
| Other (N=125) | 3.4 | 5.6 | 6.3 | 6.3% |
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Academic Environment and Faculty Contributions
Satisfaction with Education (Figure 3)
The majority of graduating seniors appeared to be satisfied with the education they received at NC State. About 90 percent (89.8%) reported that they would recommend NC State to a friend. Three-fourths (75.5%) said if they could start over, they would choose NC State again, and about two-thirds (65.1%) said they would choose the same major again. Less than 10 percent said they would not choose NC State again (7.1%) though slightly more (13.6%) stated that they would not choose the same major again.
Comparisons and Frequencies: Gender/Ethnicity, College
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Evaluation of Education (Tables 7 and 8)
The graduating seniors 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.
The vast majority of respondents (93.8%) gave positive ratings to the overall education they had received at NC State. Most were also happy with the quality of instruction they had received, although ratings were higher for instruction within their major than overall. Finally, over 90 percent of respondents agreed that the intellectual environment on campus was "strong" (64.7%) or "very strong" (27.2%).
Table 7: Evaluation of Education| Mean | 4: Excellent | 3: Good | 2: Fair | 1: Poor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality of instruction in major | 3.43 | 52.3% | 40.3% | 5.8% | 1.6% |
| Evaluate overall education received | 3.37 | 44.4% | 49.4% | 5.4% | 0.8% |
| Quality of instruction overall | 3.17 | 28.3% | 61.3% | 9.5% | 0.9% |
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Table 8: Intellectual Environment
| Mean | 4: Very strong | 3: Strong | 2: Weak | 1: Very weak | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intellectual environment on campus | 3.18 | 27.2% | 64.7% | 7.1% | 1.0% |
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Faculty Contributions (Table 9)
Students were asked to evaluate various aspects of the teaching styles of faculty members in their major department, 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 made toward their education. Highest ratings were given to faculty setting high expectations for learning and to encouraging that time and energy be devoted to coursework, with over 90 percent of respondents rating faculty as "excellent" or "good" on these aspects of teaching. Although still rated as "excellent" or "good" by a majority of respondents, factors related to faculty involvement with students on a more individual basis received somewhat lower ratings.
Table 9: Faculty Contributions| Mean | 4: Excellent | 3: Good | 2: Fair | 1: Poor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty: Set high expectations for learning | 3.44 | 48.7% | 47.4% | 3.6% | 0.4% |
| Faculty: Encourage devoting time/energy to coursework | 3.39 | 46.5% | 46.9% | 6.1% | 0.6% |
| Faculty: Encourage actively involved learning | 3.28 | 40.5% | 48.1% | 10.2% | 1.2% |
| Faculty: Opp. to learn cooperatively with fellow students | 3.27 | 40.8% | 46.6% | 11.4% | 1.3% |
| Faculty: Care about your academic success and welfare | 3.21 | 38.8% | 45.9% | 13.0% | 2.4% |
| Faculty: Respect diverse talents/ways of learning | 3.21 | 35.7% | 51.4% | 11.5% | 1.4% |
| Faculty: Give frequent and prompt feedback | 3.18 | 31.8% | 55.3% | 12.0% | 1.0% |
| Faculty: Encourage student-faculty interaction | 3.16 | 35.6% | 47.0% | 14.9% | 2.4% |
| Faculty: Evaluation on all eight measures | 3.28 | 35.8% | 56.8% | 6.6% | 0.8% |
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Faculty-Student Mentoring (Table 10)
Students were also asked whether or not they had various faculty-student mentoring experiences and if so, how the experience contributed to their personal and/or professional growth. Students most frequently reported regular meetings with faculty to get academic guidance (40.5%), followed by regular meetings with faculty to get professional guidance/support (34.9%). Respondents were least likely to have worked on an extension/public service project with faculty (8.2%). About 60 percent (57.4%) of students reported having at least one of the 8 mentoring experiences asked about.
For each type of mentoring, the majority of students having had the experience said it contributed "a great deal" to their personal and/or professional growth. Regular meetings for non-academic guidance from faculty (74.3%) and regular meetings for professional guidance/support from faculty (72.6%) received the highest ratings, with about three-fourths of those having had such experience saying the experience contributed "a great deal" to their personal and/or professional growth. Interestingly, although only 14.3% of students reported regularly meeting with faculty to get non-academic guidance, this mentoring experience received the highest percentage of students saying they got "a great deal" from it.
Table 10: Faculty-Student Mentoring| Yes, had experience | Contribution to Growth | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | % | 4: A great deal | 3: Some | 2: A little | 1: Not at all | |
| Regular meetings with faculty for academic guidance (e.g. assistance with coursework, course selection, etc.) | 956 | 40.5% | 65.0% | 29.8% | 4.1% | 1.1% |
| Regular meetings with faculty for professional guidance/support (e.g., career, letters of recommendation, etc.) | 822 | 34.9% | 72.6% | 23.6% | 2.8% | 1.0% |
| Worked with faculty on campus activities | 456 | 19.5% | 55.0% | 34.9% | 8.4% | 1.7% |
| Independent study project with faculty | 457 | 19.3% | 64.5% | 28.4% | 5.3% | 1.8% |
| Research project with faculty | 382 | 16.2% | 65.6% | 26.5% | 5.3% | 2.5% |
| Regular meetings with faculty for non-academic guidance (e.g., work, family, physical well-being, etc.) | 337 | 14.3% | 74.3% | 20.3% | 4.0% | 1.3% |
| Assisted in teaching class/lab | 251 | 10.7% | 54.1% | 37.4% | 5.4% | 3.2% |
| Extension/public service project with faculty | 194 | 8.2% | 61.8% | 31.8% | 3.5% | 2.9% |
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Campus Climate (Tables 11 and 12)
Students were asked to rate what they perceived to be the general attitude on campus toward various groups of students (e.g., Women, African Americans, those with disabilities, etc). Two-thirds or more respondents felt the campus climate was at least "mildly supportive" toward each of the groups asked about, with one exception. While about 50 percent of respondents (48.8%) felt the campus climate was at least "mildly supportive" toward gay and lesbian students, respondents were more than twice as likely to say the campus was nonsupportive toward gay and lesbian students than any other group asked about.
A vast majority of respondents agreed either "strongly" (49.7%) or "somewhat" (46.2%) that NC State is committed to helping minority students succeed. However, respondents were less likely to agree that NC State has visible leadership from the Chancellor and other administrators to foster diversity on campus (35.2% "agree strongly," 47.3% "agree somewhat").
Table 11: Ratings of Campus Support for Various Groups of Students| Group | Mean | 5: Strongly supportive | 4: Mildly supportive | 3: Neutral | 2: Mildly nonsupportive | 1: Strongly nonsupportive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 4.31 | 51.7% | 29.6% | 17.2% | 1.3% | 0.2% |
| Men | 4.30 | 57.3% | 19.5% | 20.4% | 1.9% | 0.9% |
| African Americans | 4.21 | 48.3% | 28.7% | 19.1% | 3.2% | 0.7% |
| International students | 4.13 | 44.1% | 29.0% | 23.1% | 3.0% | 0.7% |
| Students with disabilities | 4.08 | 41.9% | 29.0% | 24.8% | 3.9% | 0.5% |
| Ethnic minorities | 4.07 | 40.7% | 31.4% | 23.2% | 3.9% | 0.8% |
| Gay and lesbian students | 3.52 | 25.4% | 23.4% | 34.5% | 11.7% | 5.1% |
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Table 12: Support for Diversity
| Mean | 4: Agree strongly | 3: Agree somewhat | 2: Disagree somewhat | 1: Disagree strongly | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCSU is committed to minority students success | 3.45 | 49.7% | 46.2% | 3.2% | 0.9% |
| NCSU leaders foster diversity on campus | 3.13 | 35.2% | 47.3% | 12.7% | 4.7% |
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Services for Students
Graduating seniors were instructed to evaluate various academic and non-academic services provided by NC State, based on their 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 insufficient experience to evaluate a service area was excluded from analyses.
Academic Services (Tables 13-18)
Academic services encompassed six primary areas: academic advising, research support, technology services, library services, career-related services, and employment search assistance. Overall, students were pleased with virtually all 28 specific services asked about, with each getting a positive rating of "good" or "excellent" by a large majority of respondents. In general respondents gave highest ratings to technology and library services and lowest ratings to research support and academic advising. Among the individual items the highest average rating was given to library hours of operation followed by access to internet .
Several items received ratings of "fair" or "poor" by more than 25 percent of respondents. Three out of the five academic advising items received ratings of "fair" or "poor" by more than one-fourth of respondents (sufficient time with advisor, accurate info about degree requirements and courses, and academic advising overall). Two technology services (access to trained staff and technology training classes), one research support services item (opportunities to do research/creative projects), and one employment search assistance item (interview preparation skills) also received ratings of "fair" or "poor" from one-fourth or more respondents.
Library Services: Highest ratings were given to hours of operation, with almost two-thirds rating it as "excellent." Training to use the library received the lowest ratings, with close to 25 percent rating it as "fair" (17.4%) or "poor" (5.3%).
Table 13: Library Services| Mean | 4: Excellent | 3: Good | 2: Fair | 1: Poor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hours of operation | 3.62 | 64.3% | 33.3% | 2.1% | 0.3% |
| Access to databases/collections | 3.43 | 49.6% | 44.6% | 5.1% | 0.6% |
| Staff responsiveness | 3.35 | 44.4% | 47.4% | 7.4% | 0.9% |
| Training to use library | 3.06 | 34.1% | 43.2% | 17.4% | 5.3% |
| Library services overall | 3.40 | 44.3% | 51.5% | 3.9% | 0.3% |
Technology Services: Ratings for the various technology services were widely skewed, with several receiving among the highest ratings for all individual services asked about, and others receiving among the lowest. Specifically, a majority of respondents gave ratings of "excellent" to access to the internet (63.2%), while only one-fourth gave such high ratings to access to trained staff for help (27.7%). Technology training classes also received a fairly low rating from respondents with only 30.9% rating it as "excellent" and twenty-five percent rating it as "fair (19.0%) or "poor" (6.3%). Access to trained staff for help (tied with interview preparation skills) received the lowest average ratings of all 28 services asked about.
Table 14: Technology Services| Mean | 4: Excellent | 3: Good | 2: Fair | 1: Poor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access to Internet | 3.59 | 63.2% | 33.0% | 3.3% | 0.5% |
| Access to up-to-date facilities | 3.36 | 45.6% | 46.2% | 6.5% | 1.6% |
| Hours of operation for computer labs | 3.32 | 45.0% | 43.2% | 10.0% | 1.8% |
| Training classes | 2.99 | 30.9% | 43.8% | 19.0% | 6.3% |
| Access to trained staff for help | 2.95 | 27.7% | 45.8% | 20.6% | 5.9% |
| Technology services overall | 3.26 | 36.1% | 54.6% | 8.4% | 0.9% |
Career-related Services: Information available through internet and other technology is the career-related service that received the highest average rating, although there was little difference between the career-related services evaluated. Roughly one-fifth of respondents gave ratings of either "fair" or "poor" to resources available to explore career options (20.9%) and information on internships, co-op, etc. (18.9%).
Table 15: Career-Related Services| Mean | 4: Excellent | 3: Good | 2: Fair | 1: Poor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Info. through Internet and other technology | 3.18 | 35.9% | 49.1% | 12.1% | 2.9% |
| Oppor. for career assistance | 3.14 | 34.4% | 49.1% | 12.4% | 4.0% |
| Info. on internships, co-op, etc. | 3.12 | 35.7% | 45.4% | 14.1% | 4.8% |
| Resources available to explore options | 3.06 | 32.1% | 47.0% | 15.9% | 5.0% |
| Career-related services overall | 3.09 | 30.8% | 51.2% | 14.3% | 3.8% |
Employment Search Assistance: More than one-third of respondents rated resume preparation (37.3%) and access to career fairs, job listings, etc. (38.4%) as "excellent." Interview preparation skills received the lowest ratings, with more than one-fourth of respondents rating it as "fair" (19.6%) or "poor" (7.4%).
Table 16: Employment Search Assistance| Mean | 4: Excellent | 3: Good | 2: Fair | 1: Poor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resume preparation | 3.15 | 37.3% | 44.3% | 14.0% | 4.4% |
| Access to career fairs, job listings, etc. | 3.15 | 38.4% | 42.8% | 14.3% | 4.4% |
| Interview prep skills | 2.95 | 29.5% | 43.5% | 19.6% | 7.4% |
| Employment search assistance overall | 3.03 | 29.2% | 49.4% | 16.8% | 4.6% |
Academic Advising: Although there was little difference in ratings between the academic advising services evaluated, students evaluated access to advisor the most favorably, with about 40 percent rating it as "excellent" (39.6%). Sufficient time with advisor and accurate information about degree requirements and courses received the largest percentage of respondents "fair" or "poor" ratings.
Table 17: Academic Advising| Mean | 4: Excellent | 3: Good | 2: Fair | 1: Poor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access to advisor | 3.09 | 39.6% | 37.4% | 15.6% | 7.4% |
| Knowledge of policies/procedures | 3.04 | 34.2% | 41.4% | 18.9% | 5.5% |
| Accurate info. about degree req./courses | 3.02 | 37.2% | 36.0% | 18.0% | 8.8% |
| Sufficient time with advisor | 3.00 | 36.7% | 35.6% | 18.8% | 8.9% |
| Academic advising overall | 3.02 | 35.4% | 39.1% | 17.9% | 7.6% |
Research Support Services: In general, students rated research support services slightly lower overall than other academic services asked about. Majorities, however, rated each aspect of research support as at least "good," with access to up-to-date facilities receiving the highest ratings (31.4% rating as "excellent").
Table 18: Research Support Services| Mean | 4: Excellent | 3: Good | 2: Fair | 1: Poor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research: Access to up-to-date facilities | 3.06 | 31.4% | 48.3% | 15.4% | 4.9% |
| Research: Access to faculty involved in research | 2.99 | 28.8% | 48.0% | 16.7% | 6.5% |
| Research: opps to do research/creative projects | 2.98 | 30.4% | 44.6% | 18.0% | 7.0% |
| Research support overall | 2.96 | 25.2% | 50.9% | 18.9% | 4.9% |
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Non-academic Services(Tables 19 and 20)
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.
Non-academic services tended to receive slightly lower ratings than academic services. However, with the exception of campus food services, all of the non-academic services were rated as at least "good" by three-fourths or more respondents. Opportunities for recreational activities (42.3%) was most likely to be rated as "excellent." Campus food services received the lowest rating with almost one-third (32.6%) of respondents giving ratings of "fair" or "poor".
Table 19: Non-Academic Services| Mean | 4: Excellent | 3: Good | 2: Fair | 1: Poor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opportunities for rec activities | 3.31 | 42.3% | 47.8% | 8.1% | 1.7% |
| Registration process | 3.24 | 38.4% | 49.0% | 10.7% | 1.8% |
| Opps to dev leadership skills | 3.21 | 37.7% | 48.0% | 11.8% | 2.5% |
| University Career Center | 3.21 | 37.0% | 49.9% | 10.5% | 2.6% |
| Opportunities for community svc | 3.19 | 35.9% | 49.5% | 12.1% | 2.5% |
| Campus health services | 3.17 | 36.0% | 48.2% | 12.8% | 3.0% |
| Campus counseling (not career) svcs | 3.17 | 34.6% | 51.0% | 11.0% | 3.4% |
| Financial aid svcs:disbursement process | 3.15 | 36.6% | 46.2% | 13.1% | 4.1% |
| Financial aid svcs:application/award prcss | 3.13 | 35.1% | 47.1% | 13.7% | 4.1% |
| Personal safety on campus | 3.12 | 28.5% | 56.2% | 14.2% | 1.2% |
| Business svcs/cashier/student accts | 3.10 | 24.6% | 62.6% | 10.7% | 2.1% |
| College/dept placement assistance | 3.03 | 26.7% | 54.3% | 14.6% | 4.3% |
| Bookstore services and products | 2.96 | 22.6% | 53.9% | 19.9% | 3.6% |
| Residence life programs | 2.93 | 22.1% | 54.7% | 17.3% | 5.9% |
| Campus food services | 2.75 | 14.6% | 52.8% | 25.2% | 7.4% |
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While staff associated with each of the various non-academic student services received a positive rating of "excellent" or "good" from a majority of respondents, highest ratings were given to staff at the university career center. Ratings for staff associated with the various non-academic student services were generally similar to ratings given their respective services. However, staff associated with campus food services and the university career center were slightly more likely than the respective service itself to be rated as "excellent". Conversely, staff associated with recreation activities and the registration process were slightly less likely than the service itself to be rated as "excellent."
Table 20: Staff Responsiveness| Mean | 4: Excellent | 3: Good | 2: Fair | 1: Poor | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Career Center | 3.25 | 40.6% | 46.6% | 10.6% | 2.3% |
| Rec activities | 3.18 | 33.2% | 54.6% | 9.6% | 2.6% |
| Campus health services | 3.15 | 36.6% | 46.0% | 13.5% | 3.9% |
| Campus counseling (not career) svcs | 3.11 | 35.5% | 45.0% | 14.1% | 5.4% |
| Registration process | 3.11 | 30.8% | 52.9% | 13.4% | 3.0% |
| Financial aid svcs:application/award prcss | 3.10 | 33.5% | 47.5% | 14.4% | 4.6% |
| Financial aid svcs:disbursement process | 3.10 | 33.2% | 49.0% | 12.6% | 5.2% |
| Personal safety on campus | 3.09 | 27.5% | 56.5% | 13.4% | 2.6% |
| Business svcs/cashier/student accts | 3.08 | 26.1% | 58.5% | 12.6% | 2.7% |
| College/dept placement assistance | 3.06 | 27.8% | 54.3% | 13.6% | 4.2% |
| Bookstore services and products | 3.03 | 24.5% | 56.8% | 15.9% | 2.9% |
| Residence life programs | 2.95 | 21.3% | 58.3% | 14.6% | 5.8% |
| Campus food services | 2.86 | 18.8% | 54.2% | 21.6% | 5.4% |
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Financial Aid (Figures 4 and 5)
About 60 percent of respondents (61.7%) said they received some sort of financial aid. The vast majority of these respondents said they were either "very satisfied" (45.7%) or "moderately satisfied" (44.9%) with the aid package they received. Majorities of those receiving aid gave positive ratings to financial aid staff. Of the different financial aid staff asked about, financial aid advisor staff were most likely to be rated as "excellent" (43.1%). About one-third or more of the respondents receiving aid rated reception staff (36.4%) and phone staff (33.9%) as "excellent."
Comparisons and Frequencies: Gender/Ethnicity, College
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Knowledge, Skills, and Personal Development
General Growth and Training (Figure 6)The vast majority of respondents reported that NC State contributed either "adequately" or "very well" to their intellectual growth, career training and personal growth needs. Out of the three areas assessed, career training needs received the highest percentage of "somewhat adequately" and "poorly" responses (16.5% and 4.4% respectively).
Comparisons and Frequencies: Gender/Ethnicity, College
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Knowledge, Skills, and Personal Growth (Tables
21-23)
Graduating seniors rated the extent to which NC State contributed to a wide range of factors related to their general education, world views, and personal development, using a scale of 1 ("not at all") to 4 ("very much"). The vast majority of respondents said NC State contributed at least "somewhat" to each of the 37 items asked about. Fifty percent or more of all students reported that N.C.State contributed "very much" to 12 of the 16 personal development goals, compared to 6 of the 14 general education goals, and just 1 of the 7 world view goals.
Respondents were most likely to report that NC State contributed "very much" to the general education goal ability to plan/carry out projects independently (62.9%) and the personal development goals independence and self-reliance (62.3%), potential for success (62.1%), personal growth (61.2%), and ability to function as part of a team (60.4%). While still rated positively by a majority of respondents, the goals to which NC State was least likely to have contributed "very much" were exercising public responsibility/community service (33.9%), advancing an appreciation of the arts (34.6%), and commitment to personal health and fitness (36.3%).
Table 21: Contribution to General Education Goals| Mean | 4: Very Much | 3: Somewhat | 2: Very Little | 1: Not at all | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ability to plan/carry out projects independently | 3.57 | 62.9% | 32.3% | 4.1% | 0.8% |
| Critical analysis of ideas/info | 3.56 | 60.4% | 35.4% | 3.7% | 0.5% |
| Enhancing analytic skills | 3.55 | 58.8% | 37.9% | 2.9% | 0.4% |
| Using library/Internet resources for research | 3.45 | 56.8% | 32.8% | 8.7% | 1.7% |
| Comprehension skills | 3.45 | 52.8% | 40.6% | 5.7% | 0.9% |
| Adapt to changing technologies | 3.45 | 52.8% | 40.6% | 5.7% | 0.9% |
| Listening skills | 3.37 | 47.0% | 44.2% | 7.5% | 1.2% |
| Science/tech influence on everyday life | 3.36 | 47.7% | 41.2% | 10.1% | 1.1% |
| Speaking skills | 3.35 | 48.0% | 41.1% | 9.3% | 1.6% |
| Understand diverse cultures/values | 3.35 | 48.0% | 41.1% | 9.3% | 1.6% |
| Writing skills | 3.34 | 45.6% | 44.1% | 8.6% | 1.6% |
| Applying scientific methods | 3.33 | 48.8% | 37.6% | 11.5% | 2.1% |
| Developing computer skills | 3.27 | 44.5% | 40.5% | 12.4% | 2.6% |
| Using math skills | 3.23 | 44.1% | 37.6% | 15.3% | 3.1% |
Table 22: Contribution to Personal Development
| Mean | 4: Very Much | 3: Somewhat | 2: Very Little | 1: Not at all | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potential for success | 3.56 | 62.1% | 32.7% | 3.9% | 1.3% |
| Independence and self-reliance | 3.55 | 62.3% | 31.9% | 4.3% | 1.5% |
| Personal growth | 3.54 | 61.2% | 33.3% | 4.1% | 1.4% |
| Ability to function as part of a team | 3.53 | 60.4% | 33.8% | 4.6% | 1.3% |
| Self-discipline | 3.50 | 58.9% | 33.6% | 5.6% | 1.9% |
| Time management | 3.48 | 57.8% | 34.3% | 6.0% | 1.8% |
| Coping with change | 3.45 | 54.9% | 37.0% | 6.4% | 1.8% |
| Value learning as a life-long process | 3.45 | 54.9% | 37.0% | 6.4% | 1.8% |
| Ability to handle stress | 3.45 | 54.9% | 37.0% | 6.4% | 1.8% |
| Ability to lead or guide others | 3.42 | 51.7% | 39.9% | 6.8% | 1.6% |
| Taking responsibility for own behavior | 3.38 | 53.6% | 34.6% | 8.3% | 3.5% |
| Sense of personal identity | 3.34 | 50.1% | 37.0% | 9.3% | 3.5% |
| Recognize/act upon ethical principles | 3.33 | 47.5% | 40.6% | 9.6% | 2.3% |
| Self-confidence | 3.31 | 47.1% | 39.9% | 9.5% | 3.5% |
| Commitment to personal health/fitness | 3.08 | 36.3% | 40.6% | 17.8% | 5.3% |
| Public responsibility/community svc | 3.07 | 33.9% | 44.3% | 16.8% | 5.0% |
Table 23: Contribution to World View Goals
| Mean | 4: Very Much | 3: Somewhat | 2: Very Little | 1: Not at all | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ability to work with diverse people | 3.38 | 50.8% | 38.9% | 8.3% | 2.0% |
| Developing tolerance for divergent views | 3.28 | 46.4% | 38.9% | 11.4% | 3.3% |
| Understanding world issues/problems | 3.26 | 41.2% | 45.6% | 11.1% | 2.1% |
| Present as it relates to history | 3.21 | 38.7% | 45.9% | 13.2% | 2.2% |
| Appreciating gender equity | 3.21 | 45.3% | 35.3% | 14.2% | 5.1% |
| Appreciating racial equity | 3.20 | 45.1% | 35.0% | 14.4% | 5.5% |
| Appreciation of the arts | 2.94 | 34.6% | 34.5% | 21.4% | 9.4% |
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Employment and Extracurricular Activities
On- and Off-Campus Employment (Figure 7)
More than three-fourths (76.2%) of respondents indicated that they were employed during their graduation year. Slightly more than two-thirds of employed respondents worked only off-campus (65.0%), 18.3% worked only on campus, and 16.7% worked both on and off campus.
Comparisons and Frequencies: Gender/Ethnicity, College
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Why Worked for Pay (Table 24)
Employed respondents were asked to describe why they worked for pay during the academic year. By far the most commonly reported reason for working was for basic life expenses, such as rent or groceries (52.3%). About one-fourth (24.4%) of employed respondents reported social or personal expenses, such as extra spending money, as reasons for working for pay during the academic year. A sizable number or students indicated they worked to get experience in their chosen field (17.2%) or to cover school expenses (e.g. tuition, fees) (15.2%).
Table 24: Reasons for Working for Pay During Academic Year| N | % | |
|---|---|---|
| Life expenses | 949 | 52.3% |
| Social/personal expenses | 443 | 24.4% |
| Career experience | 311 | 17.2% |
| School expenses | 276 | 15.2% |
| Miscellaneous/other | 148 | 8.2% |
| Personal fulfillment | 137 | 7.6% |
| Financial Aid/Work Study Requirements | 133 | 7.3% |
| Save/invest money | 41 | 2.3% |
| Health insurance/other benefits | 10 | 0.6% |
Comparisons and Frequencies: Gender/Ethnicity, College
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Hours Worked (Figures 8 and 9)
Overall, most employed students reported working fewer than 20 hours per week (62.1%). However, more than 20 percent (21.9%) of those working both on and off campus reported working more than 40 hours per week, compared to 8.3% of those working only off campus and just 2.6% of those working on-campus only. On average, respondents who worked only on campus reported working 14 hours per week, compared to an average of 20.9 hours for those working only off-campus and 28.9 hours for those working both on and off campus.
Comparisons and Frequencies: Gender/Ethnicity, College
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Job Relationship to Major (Tables 25 and 26)
More than one-third (37.0%) of students who were employed on campus were working in jobs directly related to their major. Off-campus jobs were somewhat less likely than on-campus jobs to be directly related to the students' major (29.0%). In addition, 37 percent of those working in off-campus jobs unrelated to their major indicated this was not by choice compared to 30.1 percent of those in a similar situation with an on-campus job.
Table 25: Job Relation to Academic Major| Directly related | Somewhat related | Not related | |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus job relationship to major | 37.0% | 24.5% | 38.5% |
| Off-campus job relationship to major | 29.0% | 24.9% | 46.2% |
Table 26: Job Not Related by Choice
| If not related, by choice? | By choice | Not by choice |
|---|---|---|
| On campus job (N=236) | 69.9% | 30.1% |
| Off campus job (N=635) | 63.0% | 37.0% |
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Work-Related Experiences (Tables 27 and 28 and Figure 10)
Students were asked about their participation in various work-related experiences. Internships were the most frequent type of activity reported (43.7%), followed by summer employment or part-time job in major (31.4%) and research with faculty (14.3%).
Table 27: Participation in Work-Related Experiences| N | Yes | |
|---|---|---|
| Internship | 1053 | 43.7% |
| Summer employment or part-time job in major | 757 | 31.4% |
| Research with faculty | 345 | 14.3% |
| Student Teaching | 211 | 8.8% |
| Cooperative Education Program | 173 | 7.2% |
| Residence Advisor | 79 | 3.3% |
| Practicum | 63 | 2.6% |
Comparisons and Frequencies: Gender/Ethnicity, College
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About 40 percent of respondents (39.0%) had a co-op, internship, practicum, or field experience as part of their major while at NC State. Two-thirds of those (65.5%) said the experience made an "excellent" contribution to their personal or professional growth, and 35.1 percent said they received a job offer from their employer.
Table 28: Job Offer (Among those with field experience as part of major, N=928)
| N | % | |
|---|---|---|
| Received job offer from employer | 323 | 35.1% |
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Extracurricular Involvement (Tables 29 and 30)
Students were asked to indicate their involvement in a number of school-related groups while at NC State. One-half of respondents reported participating in organizations/clubs related to your major (50.4%). A large number of students also participated in intramural/recreational sports/club teams (43.3%).
Table 29: Extracurricular Involvement at NCSU| N | % | |
|---|---|---|
| Org/Clubs related to major | 1215 | 50.4% |
| Intramural/Rec sports/Club team | 1043 | 43.3% |
| Religious groups | 464 | 19.3% |
| Service groups | 426 | 17.7% |
| Social fraternity/sorority | 382 | 15.9% |
| University Scholars Program | 336 | 13.9% |
| Minority student groups | 224 | 9.3% |
| Academic prog (Caldwell, Park, etc.) | 172 | 7.1% |
| Political/Issue groups | 158 | 6.6% |
| University Honors Program | 146 | 6.1% |
| Visual/Performing arts/Music groups | 142 | 5.9% |
| Residence Hall Council | 138 | 5.7% |
| Varsity Athletic Teams | 125 | 5.2% |
| Student Media/Publications | 93 | 3.9% |
| Student Government | 88 | 3.7% |
| ROTC | 69 | 2.9% |
| Union Activities Board | 31 | 1.3% |
Comparisons and Frequencies: Gender/Ethnicity, College
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Students were asked to report their attendance at various ARTS NC STATE concerts, performances, or exhibits. More than one-third of respondents reported that they had attended a University Theatre performance (35.4%) and more than one-fourth reported having attended a Music Department concert (27.1%) or a Gallery of Art and Design exhibit (26.3%).
Table 30: Attendance at Concerts/Performances/Exhibits| N | % | |
|---|---|---|
| University Theatre performance(s) | 853 | 35.4% |
| Music Department concert(s) | 654 | 27.1% |
| Gallery of Art and Design exhibit(s) | 635 | 26.3% |
| Center Stage performance(s) | 376 | 15.6% |
| Dance Program concert(s) | 258 | 10.7% |
| Crafts Center exhibit(s) | 185 | 7.7% |
Comparisons and Frequencies: Gender/Ethnicity, College
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For more information on the 2006-2007 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: December, 2007
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