1998 Graduating Senior Survey: Knowledge, Skills, and Personal Development
Graduating Seniors were asked to rate the extent to which NC State had contributed to their knowledge, skills, and personal development in terms of four areas: technical skills, attitudes and values, established goals for undergraduate education, and personal development. To measure impact in these areas, a four-point scale was used (1=not at all, 2=very little, 3=somewhat, 4=very much). A "don’t know" response was also provided.
Technical Skills
Mean and Std. Dev. |
All |
Female |
Male |
Af. Am. |
White |
Other |
Writing skills + |
3.44 |
3.52 |
3.38 |
3.60 |
3.42 |
3.51 |
|
0.65 |
0.65 |
0.65 |
0.52 |
0.66 |
0.72 |
Speaking skills |
3.42 |
3.44 |
3.41 |
3.52 |
3.42 |
3.39 |
|
0.66 |
0.66 |
0.66 |
0.61 |
0.67 |
0.65 |
Listening skills + |
3.41 |
3.47 |
3.36 |
3.55 |
3.40 |
3.39 |
|
0.68 |
0.66 |
0.69 |
0.61 |
0.68 |
0.73 |
Comprehension skills |
3.49 |
3.54 |
3.46 |
3.66 |
3.47 |
3.60 |
|
0.64 |
0.62 |
0.65 |
0.57 |
0.64 |
0.57 |
Using math skills + |
3.44 |
3.31 |
3.54 |
3.51 |
3.42 |
3.54 |
|
0.74 |
0.79 |
0.68 |
0.80 |
0.74 |
0.72 |
Applying scientific methods + |
3.51 |
3.41 |
3.59 |
3.58 |
3.50 |
3.53 |
|
0.67 |
0.74 |
0.61 |
0.63 |
0.68 |
0.64 |
Enhancing analytic skills + |
3.66 |
3.60 |
3.71 |
3.63 |
3.66 |
3.65 |
|
0.55 |
0.58 |
0.51 |
0.60 |
0.55 |
0.51 |
Developing computer skills |
3.59 |
3.56 |
3.61 |
3.70 |
3.57 |
3.63 |
|
0.64 |
0.66 |
0.62 |
0.55 |
0.65 |
0.67 |
+ Gender: p<0.01
Established Goals for Undergraduate Education
Mean and Std. Dev. |
All |
Female |
Male |
Af. Am. |
White |
Other |
Present as it relates to history
|
3.04 |
3.07 |
3.01 |
3.24 |
3.02 |
3.05 |
|
0.82 |
0.81 |
0.83 |
0.75 |
0.82 |
0.78 |
Science, technology, and everyday life |
3.50 |
3.46 |
3.53 |
3.57 |
3.50 |
3.47 |
|
0.65 |
0.66 |
0.64 |
0.63 |
0.65 |
0.64 |
Critical analysis of ideas/info |
3.67 |
3.68 |
3.65 |
3.75 |
3.67 |
3.60 |
|
0.53 |
0.53 |
0.53 |
0.53 |
0.52 |
0.59 |
Work with diverse people + |
3.42 |
3.53 |
3.34 |
3.57 |
3.41 |
3.49 |
|
0.74 |
0.67 |
0.78 |
0.68 |
0.74 |
0.75 |
Lead or guide others – abiltiy |
3.40 |
3.46 |
3.36 |
3.55 |
3.39 |
3.39 |
|
0.71 |
0.68 |
0.74 |
0.71 |
0.71 |
0.73 |
Team functioning ability + |
3.60 |
3.66 |
3.55 |
3.74 |
3.58 |
3.62 |
|
0.65 |
0.61 |
0.67 |
0.56 |
0.65 |
0.69 |
Independently plan/carry-out projects + |
3.62 |
3.71 |
3.56 |
3.66 |
3.62 |
3.68 |
|
0.61 |
0.53 |
0.65 |
0.59 |
0.60 |
0.69 |
Learning as a life-long process + |
3.56 |
3.69 |
3.46 |
3.59 |
3.56 |
3.54 |
|
0.69 |
0.58 |
0.74 |
0.61 |
0.69 |
0.77 |
Commitment to personal health/fitness |
3.00 |
3.07 |
2.95 |
3.09 |
2.99 |
3.13 |
|
0.91 |
0.89 |
0.92 |
0.96 |
0.91 |
0.83 |
+ Gender: p<0.01
Personal Development
Mean and Std. Dev. |
All |
Female |
Male |
Af. Am. |
White |
Other |
Taking responsibility for behavior + |
3.35 |
3.43 |
3.29 |
3.37 |
3.34 |
3.42 |
|
0.84 |
0.81 |
0.86 |
0.87 |
0.84 |
0.78 |
Self-confidence + |
3.34 |
3.43 |
3.28 |
3.20 |
3.35 |
3.41 |
|
0.78 |
0.74 |
0.81 |
0.86 |
0.77 |
0.80 |
Sense of personal identity + |
3.34 |
3.47 |
3.23 |
3.30 |
3.35 |
3.26 |
|
0.82 |
0.76 |
0.86 |
0.86 |
0.82 |
0.89 |
Independence and self-reliance + |
3.53 |
3.64 |
3.44 |
3.52 |
3.53 |
3.48 |
|
0.73 |
0.63 |
0.79 |
0.73 |
0.73 |
0.74 |
Potential for success + |
3.61 |
3.72 |
3.53 |
3.69 |
3.61 |
3.54 |
|
0.62 |
0.52 |
0.68 |
0.56 |
0.62 |
0.68 |
Coping with change + |
3.43 |
3.51 |
3.37 |
3.48 |
3.43 |
3.49 |
|
0.74 |
0.72 |
0.75 |
0.68 |
0.74 |
0.77 |
Ability to handle stress |
3.37 |
3.41 |
3.34 |
3.54 |
3.36 |
3.32 |
|
0.81 |
0.81 |
0.81 |
0.77 |
0.81 |
0.90 |
Personal growth |
3.61 |
3.67 |
3.55 |
3.61 |
3.60 |
3.62 |
|
0.62 |
0.58 |
0.64 |
0.65 |
0.60 |
0.72 |
+ Gender: p<0.01
Attitudes and Values
Mean and Std. Dev. |
All |
Female |
Male |
Af. Am. |
White |
Other |
Developing tolerance for divergent views + |
3.30 |
3.41 |
3.22 |
3.34 |
3.30 |
3.34 |
|
0.77 |
0.74 |
0.78 |
0.71 |
0.77 |
0.75 |
Understand diverse cultures/values + |
3.20 |
3.33 |
3.10 |
3.21 |
3.19 |
3.34 |
|
0.81 |
0.78 |
0.81 |
0.84 |
0.81 |
0.79 |
Recognizing/acting on ethical principles + |
3.12 |
3.25 |
3.03 |
3.28 |
3.12 |
3.09 |
|
0.85 |
0.80 |
0.87 |
0.84 |
0.85 |
0.80 |
Community svc/public responsibility ++ |
2.86 |
2.98 |
2.78 |
3.20 |
2.85 |
2.77 |
|
0.91 |
0.87 |
0.93 |
0.80 |
0.91 |
0.87 |
Appreciating racial equity + |
2.97 |
3.09 |
2.87 |
3.03 |
2.95 |
3.12 |
|
0.93 |
0.91 |
0.94 |
1.04 |
0.93 |
0.80 |
Appreciating gender equity + |
3.00 |
3.10 |
2.92 |
3.08 |
2.98 |
3.14 |
|
0.91 |
0.88 |
0.92 |
1.00 |
0.91 |
0.83 |
Appreciation of the arts + |
2.68 |
2.82 |
2.56 |
2.76 |
2.65 |
2.90 |
|
0.95 |
0.91 |
0.97 |
0.93 |
0.96 |
0.88 |
Understanding world issues/problems + |
3.12 |
3.21 |
3.05 |
3.24 |
3.11 |
3.17 |
|
0.82 |
0.80 |
0.83 |
0.72 |
0.83 |
0.80 |
+ Gender: p<0.01; ++ Ethnicity: p<0.01