1. 1 Tracking College Students Over Time: Using Longitudinal Data with CIRP Surveys John Pryor, Director Cooperative Institutional Research Program University of California, Los Angeles Monday, October 16th, 2006 33 rd Annual SAIR Conference Arlington, VA

2. 2 Presentation Goals Overview of CIRP Freshman Survey Introduce the YFCY and CSS surveys as longitudinal follow-ups to the CIRP Freshman Survey Discuss how institutions can utilize HERI longitudinal data to assess various aspects of the first-year and four-year college experience Share descriptive findings from the 2006 YFCY and 2006 CSS national aggregate data

3. 3 Higher Education Research Institute CIRP Cooperative Institutional Research Program Freshman Survey YFCYCSS Faculty Survey Funded Research Atlantic Philanthropies Templeton Foundation National Institutes of Health

4. 4 Inputs CIRP Freshman Survey (e.g., academic performance in high school, financial concerns prior to college entry, expectations for college, degree aspirations, self-concept in high school) Environments YFCY/CSS (e.g., place of residence during college, interactions with peers and faculty, curricular and co-curricular experiences) Outcomes YFCY/CSS (e.g., satisfaction with college, retention, post-college plans) CIRP, YFCY/CSS, and the I-E-O Model

5. 5 Descriptive analyses with your campus data Comparative analyses Measures of association Longitudinal analyses Factor analyses Multivariate analyses Using CIRP & YFCY/CSS Data to Enhance Campus Assessment Efforts: Methodologies

6. 6 Self-study reports Retention studies Recruitment issues Examining group differences among students Strategic planning Presentations to various constituents Creation of a student information system Measuring student development & institutional impact Using CIRP & YFCY/CSS Data to Enhance Campus Assessment Efforts: Methodologies

7. 7 Largest and longest-running national study of American college students…2006 is 40 th Anniversary Initiated in 1966 at the American Council on Education; Housed at HERI (UCLA) since 1973 CIRP Freshman Survey

8. 8 Administered annually to over 400,000 incoming freshmen at more than 600 colleges and universities nationwide Since 1966: 12 million students; 1,800 institutions CIRP Freshman Survey

9. 9 Demographic Characteristics Expectations for College High School Experiences Degree Aspirations & Career Plans College Finances Attitudes, Values, & Life Goals Reasons for Attending College  FRESHMAN TRENDS (1966 – present) CIRP Freshman Survey Items

10. 10 CIRP FS Trends: Entering College Freshmen

11. 11 CIRP FS Trends: Entering College Freshmen

12. 12 CIRP FS Trends: Entering College Freshmen

13. 13 Men Women CIRP FS Trends: Entering College Freshmen

14. 14 Socio-historical context Consistent trends over time Changing student profile over the last 40 years (e.g, values, reasons for going to college, etc.) What about students’ college experiences? CIRP Freshman Trends

15. 15 HERI follow-ups since 1967 Sponsored research Your First College Year (YFCY) Launched in 2000 Designed to assess academic and personal development over the first year of college Developed in collaboration with the Policy Center on the First Year of College at Brevard College Your First College Year (YFCY)

16. 16 College Senior Survey (CSS) Launched in 1993 as College Student Survey Redesigned for 2007 as College SENIOR Survey Updated to serve as exit survey for seniors Designed to offer feedback on academic and campus life experiences as well as post-graduate plans College SENIOR Survey (CSS)

17. 17 Academic and social adjustment Sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction Academic, residential, and employment experiences Plans for the next academic year Patterns of behavior Life goals Self-concept and feelings of personal success YFCY/CSS: Major Themes

18. 18 118 colleges & universities 34,281 students 63.5% matched back to CIRP Freshman Survey 59.9% female 40.1% male Response rates Paper-only (37 institutions): 60.8% Web-only (20 institutions): 25.8% Paper & web (48 institutions): 57.8% 2006 YFCY

19. 19 Indicated feeling “frequently” or “occasionally”... 63.5% - Lonely or homesick 44.4% - Isolated from campus life Noted being “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with... 63.9% - Overall sense of community among students 63.4% - Availability of campus social activities Results: 2006 YFCY* *Based on national aggregates of respondents

20. 20 86.6% indicated that their courses inspired them to think in new ways 54.6% indicated receiving emotional support or encouragement from faculty Noted being “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with... 76.9% - Class size 64.1% - Amount of contact with faculty Results: 2006 YFCY* *Based on national aggregates of respondents

21. 21 31.4% decided to pursue a different major 26.0% changed career choice 75.5% “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that the admission/recruitment materials portrayed their campus accurately 44.4% indicated participation in heavy episodic drinking Results: 2006 YFCY* *Based on national aggregates of respondents

22. 22 Students felt that it has been “very easy” or “somewhat easy” to... Results: 2006 YFCY* *Based on national aggregates of respondents

23. 23 Overall satisfaction with college experience (by racial group): *Based on national aggregates of respondents Results: 2006 YFCY*

24. 24 141 colleges & universities 31,219 students 51.7% matched back to CIRP Freshman Survey 65.3% female 34.7% male Response rates Paper-only (61 institutions): 67.4% Web-only (28 institutions): 25.3% Paper & web (35 institutions): 46.5% 2006 CSS

25. 25 High levels of satisfaction (“satisfied” or “very satisfied”) 90.5% - Class size 88.1% - Courses in major field 87.4% - Overall quality of instruction 73.6% - Overall sense of community among students 71.9% - Ability to find faculty/staff mentor 4 out of 5 would make the same choice over again to attend their college! (81.9% responded “definitely yes” or “probably”) Results: 2006 CSS* *Based on national aggregates of respondents who attended college for 4 years or more

26. 26 Campus involvement 35.8% - Had a roommate of different race/ethnicity 24.1% - Played varsity/intercollegiate athletics 21.9% - Participated in a study-abroad program 16.0% - Participated in an ethnic/racial student organization 68.9% performed volunteer work “frequently” or “occasionally” in the last year 64.5% indicated being “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with opportunities for community service Results: 2006 CSS* *Based on national aggregates of respondents who attended college for 4 years or more

27. 27 Work/internship experience 47.2% - Participated in an internship program 22.9% - Worked full-time while attending school Gains in college 32.4% reported much stronger preparedness for employment after graduation 25.0% reported much stronger ability to get along with people of different races/cultures Results: 2006 CSS* *Based on national aggregates of respondents who attended college for 4 years or more

28. 28 Future plans 65.1% indicated plans to work full-time 24.5% indicated plans to attend graduate/professional school 55.9% indicated being “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with career counseling and advising 44.5% indicated being “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with job placement services for students Results: 2006 CSS* *Based on national aggregates of respondents who attended college for 4 years or more

29. 29 How do students change over time during college? CIRP Freshman Survey vs. YFCY/CSS: Longitudinal Results

30. 30 YFCY/CSS Longitudinal Participation ALL CASESLONGITUDINAL CASES 2006 YFCY118 institutions112 institutions 34,281 students21,772 students (63.5% matched to FS) 2006 CSS141 institutions139 institutions 31,219 students16,148 students (51.7% matched to FS)

31. 31 Change in Students' Self-Concept Percent rating themselves "above average" or "highest 10%” in comparison to peers :At college entryAt the end of collegeChange Mathematical ability47.836.3-11.5 ************************************ Self-confidence (social)46.156.610.5 Public speaking ability38.449.010.6 Computer skills32.243.010.8 Self-understanding54.567.713.2 Longitudinal Results: CIRP Freshman Survey and CSS* *Only changes greater than +/- 10 percentage points indicated

32. 32 Change in Students' Self-Concept Percent reporting within past year that they:At college entryAt the end of first-yearChange Discussed politics in class46.618.1-28.5 Attended a religious service82.256.1-26.1 Performed volunteer work86.962.5-24.4 Performed community service (as part of class)56.532.2-24.3 Discussed religion37.323.0-14.3 Tutored another student55.141.7-13.4 Discussed politics with family28.315.0-13.3 Played a musical instrument43.833.4-10.4 Longitudinal Results: CIRP Freshman Survey and YFCY* *Only changes greater than +/- 10 percentage points indicated

33. 33 Change in Students' Self-Concept Percent reporting within past year that they:At college entryAt the end of first-yearChange Felt overwhelmed by all I had to do27.839.511.7 Drank wine or liquor52.165.513.4 Drank beer45.359.614.3 Longitudinal Results: CIRP Freshman Survey and YFCY* *Only changes greater than +/- 10 percentage points indicated

34. 34 Longitudinal Expectations/Reality: CIRP Freshman Survey and CSS

35. 35 Longitudinal Expectations/Reality: CIRP Freshman Survey and CSS

36. 36 John Pryor, Director, CIRP: john.pryor@ucla.edu, 310.825.1925 http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/heri.html http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/freshman.html http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/yfcy.html http://www.gseis.ucla.edu/heri/css.html For More Information