Comparison of New Century College, Mason and Public University Freshmen

- Contents -
Introduction
I. Demographics and Background
II. Educational Choices, Decisions, and Motivations
III. Financing College and Work $$$
IV. High School Experiences
V. Student Self-Perceptions and Academic Plans and Goals
Introduction

New Century College freshmen (n=122) and freshmen students enrolled in randomly selected English 101 sections (and referred to in this report as "Mason" students, n=224) completed the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) survey during the first two weeks of the fall semester 1999. The CIRP is a continuing longitudinal study of the American higher education system sponsored by the American Council on Education and the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at UCLA. In this report, selected responses of Mason's first-year students are compared to the responses of first-time, full-time freshmen enrolled at other CIRP public universities across the U.S. (referred to as other students [OS] in this report, weighted n=312,116).

Differences (10% or larger) between Mason and OS are designated by *. Differences (10% or larger) between New Century College (NCC) and Mason students are also designated with an *. Because of rounding and because students can, on selected questions, specify more than one answer, some totals do not equal 100%.

I. Demographics and Background to top

Like other American public university students, 1999 Mason first-year students are predominantly U.S. citizens or permanent residents of traditional age (18 or 19 years old), graduated from high school in 1999, and lived in a two-parent household with an estimated combined family income of $30,000 and up. Unlike students attending other public universities, Mason first-year students are more diverse and a larger percentage do not report English to be their native language.

The 1999 NCC students are also predominately U.S. citizens or permanent residents of traditional age (18 or 19 years old), graduated from high school in 1999, and lived in a two-parent household with an estimated combined family income of $30,000 and up. Compared to Mason students, larger percentages of NCC students are Caucasian, smaller percentages are Asian Americans, and fewer NCC students' parents are alive and living together.

  Characteristics OS Mason NCC
  Traditional age 97% 96% 99%
  Graduated from high school in 1999 98% 97% 99%
  U.S. citizen or permanent resident 99% 99% 100%
* English reported as native language 94% 80% 88%
* Parents alive and living together 75% 71% 60%

  Ethnicity/Race OS Mason NCC
  African American 7% 8% 11%
  American Indian 2% 4% 2%
* Asian or Asian American 8% 21% 6%
* Caucasian 83% 61% 75%
  Mexican American or Chicano 2% 3% 0%
  Puerto Rican 1% 3% 4%
  Other Latino 1% 6% 9%
  Other 3% 11% 5%
 
NOTE: Because students can check more than one "ethnicity" category, the percentages do not equal 100%.
  Parents' Estimated Total Income    OS Mason   NCC
  $29,999 or less 16% 15% 14%
  $30,000 - $49,999 18% 13% 13%
  $50,000 - $74,999 25% 25% 19%
  $75,000 and up 41% 47% 54%


II. Educational Choices, Decisions, and Motivations to top
- Survey Question -

 OS  Mason  NCC
1. Is your college your      
* ...first-choice college? 76% 50% 63%
* ...second-choice college? 17% 33% 29%
   ...third-choice college? 5% 12% 4%
   ...less than third choice? 3% 5% 4%
       
2. To how many colleges, other than this one, did you apply?      
* ...none 27% 9% 19%
   ...1 or 2 31% 29% 29%
* ...3 or more 42% 52% 53%
       
3. How many miles is college from your permanent home?    
* ...10 miles or less 8% 31% 31%
* ...11-50 miles 20% 49% 42%
* ...50 or more miles 73% 21% 27%
       
4. Where do you plan to live during your first year?      
* ...with parents or relative 9% 45% 36%
   ...private home, apartment, or room 4% 5% 4%
* ...college dormitory or other campus housing 87% 50% 58%
   ...other ‹1% ‹1% 2%

- Survey Question -

    OS  Mason  NCC
5. What reasons were very important in your decision to go to college?
(reasons given by 50% or more of students)		      
* ...To be able to make more money 71% 70% 55%
   ...To be able to get a better job 72% 67% 68%
* ...To learn more about things that interest me 75% 67% 81%
   ...To get training for a specific career 72% 66% 65%
* ...To gain a general education and appreciation of ideas 63% 55% 66%
   ...To prepare for graduate/professional school 57% 53% 59%
       
Reasons identified as very unimportant
(given by 25% or less of students)		      
   ...I could not find a job 4% 5% 3%
   ...There was nothing better to do 3% 6% 2%
   ...A mentor/role model encouraged me to go 11% 10% 15%
   ...Wanted to get away from home 21% 20% 16%
       
6. What reasons are very important in your decision to attend Mason/this particular college
(given by 25% or more of students)?		      
* ...This college's graduates get good jobs 51% 35% 37%
* ...This college has a good academic reputation 55% 29% 45%
   ...This college has low tuition 25% 27% 19%
* ...I wanted to live near home 14% 25% 32%
   ...I wanted to go to a college about this size 24% 19% 19%
       
Reasons identified as very unimportant
(given by 10% or less of students)		      
   ...Private college counselor advised me 1% 2% 0%
   ...My teacher advised me to come here 3% 2% 3%
   ...Attracted by religious affiliation of the college 3% 2% 5%
   ...Admitted through Early Decision program 5% 2% 4%
   ...Information in a multicollege guidebook 6% 3% 9%
   ...Rankings in a national magazine 10% 5% 9%
   ...Not accepted anywhere else 2% 5% 2%
   ...Not offered aid by first choice 6% 6% 4%
   ...High school guidance counselor advised me 5% 7% 9%
       
7. What objectives are essential/very important for you?
(noted by 50% or more of students)?		      
* ...Being very well off financially 74% 84% 64%
   ...Raising a family 74% 74% 80%
* ...Becoming an authority in my field 61% 66% 56%
   ...Obtaining recognition for contributions to field 53% 55% 58%
       
Reasons identified as very unimportant
(noted by 20% or less of students)		      
   ...Writing original works 13% 13% 20%
* ...Creating artistic works 14% 13% 25%
   ...Making a theoretical contribution to science 18% 14% 10%


Probable Area of Major for Mason and CIRP Public University Students
  OS  Mason   NCC
Arts & Humanities 10% 9% 10%
Biological Sciences 8% 3% ‹1%
Business 17% 22% 22%
Education 6% 3% 8%
Engineering 14% 9% 0%
Physical Sciences 2% 1% 0%
Professional 13% 11% 14%
Social Science 8% 12% 19%
Technical 2% 5% 3%
Other fields 10% 11% 9%
Undecided about major 9% 14% 13%



III. Financing College & Work $$$ to top
1. Do you have concerns about your ability to finance your college education?
OS Mason  NCC
* I am confident I will have sufficient funds. 36% 48% 49%
* Some concern, will probably have sufficient funds. 53% 41% 47%
  Major concern, not sure I will have enough funds. 12% 11% 4%

2. How much of your first-year educational expenses (room, board, tuition, and fees) of $1,500 or more do you expect to cover from the following sources? (Because students could specify more than one source, the responses sum to more than 100%.)
    OS Mason  NCC
  Parents/spouse 67% 70% 77%
* Savings 23% 10% 21%
  PT or FT work 7% 5% 5%
* Grants 35% 14% 24%
  Loans 27% 22% 23%
  Other 3% 1% 1%
3. During college chances are very good that student will work to help pay college expenses:
OS 39%; Mason 38%; NCC 43%


While 38% of Mason freshmen (and 43% of NCC freshmen) intend to work, results from the 1998-99 GMU senior survey show that 75% of the seniors worked 11+ hrs/week in the senior year:
0-10 hrs 25%
11-20 hrs 24%
21-30 hrs 22%
31 hrs & up
28%

IV. High School Experiences to top
1. Average High School Grade         OS Mason   NCC
* "A" 50% 10% 12%
* "B" 47% 78% 81%
"C" 3% 11% 8%


2. Percent of Mason students who spent time on various senior year activities. Activities bar graph


In senior year of high school...

Approximately two-thirds of NCC students spent five hours or less each week on schoolwork, volunteer work, student organizations, family activities, and talking with teachers outside of class.

As high school seniors, 39% of NCC students spent 20 hours or more each week working for pay.


3. One CIRP question asked freshmen to report activities that they had participated in during the last year of high school....
Activities
    OS Mason     NCC
  Studied with other students 89% 84% 91%
  Used a personal computer 71% 75% 72%
* Came late to class 65% 75% 68%
  Used the Internet for school 60% 67% 64%
  Communicated via e-mail 57% 66% 60%
  Performed community service as part of class 55% 60% 57%
* Was bored in class 43% 54% 34%
* Overslept and missed class/an appointment 34% 48% 37%
* Tutored another student 57% 42% 56%
  Voted in a student election 24% 21% 28%
  Checked out a book from the school library 20% 16% 21%
* Was a guest in a teacher's home 30% 14% 29%
* Asked a teacher for advice after class 24% 14% 32%
* Socialized with person of another ethnicity 64% 83% 89%
  Performed volunteer work 82% 74% 87%
* Attended a religious service 85% 70% 78%
* Attended a public recital/concert 81% 70% 85%
* Visited an art gallery/museum 58% 58% 75%
  Drank wine or liquor 54% 60% 58%
  Drank beer 50% 57% 50%
  Read the editorial page of daily newspaper 65% 56% 58%
  Participated in organized demonstrations 43% 44% 47%
* Felt overwhelmed by all I had to do 30% 40% 43%
  Played chess 38% 34% 43%
  Played a musical instrument 44% 36% 36%
  Participated in Internet chat rooms 20% 28% 21%
* Discussed religion 31% 21% 22%
  Discussed politics 18% 20% 22%
  Smoked cigarettes 11% 18% 18%
  Felt depressed 7% 14% 15%
  Took a prescribed anti-depressant 4% 5% 7%

  - All George Mason University freshmen will complete the CIRP survey during orientation in the summer of 2000. -  


V. Student Self-Perceptions and Academic Plans and Goals to top

1. Rate yourself as above average or in the highest 10% compared to the average person of your age in:
OS  Mason  NCC OS  Mason  NCC
Cooperativeness 74% 72% 78%        Leadership ability 63% 54% 62%
Understanding others 66% 67% 69% * Emotional health 59% 49% 56%
Creativity 57% 60% 68% * Initiative 57% 45% 56%
Intellectual self-confidence    64% 59% 52% Spirituality 46% 44% 49%
* Drive to achieve 74% 59% 63% * Mathematical ability 51% 39% 28%
Physical health 60% 59% 50% Computer skills 34% 39% 26%
* Competitiveness 60% 57% 44% Popularity 43% 38% 38%
Self-understanding 60% 56% 48% * Writing ability 48% 36% 44%
Self-confidence - social 54% 55% 46% Public speaking ability    39% 35% 36%
* Academic ability 76% 55% 53% Artistic ability 29% 33% 36%
Compared to other Mason students, fewer NCC students rate themselves as "above average or in the highest 10% compared to the average person of your age" for competitiveness, mathematical ability, and computer skills. More NCC students rate themselves above average for initiative.
2. Relatively small numbers of NCC students feel that they will need special tutoring or remedial work (% yes) in:
English (14%), reading (7%), social studies (5%), and science (11%). Larger percentages think they will need tutoring in mathematics (34%) and foreign language (24%).


Percentage of students who agree that chances are very good that they will:
OS Mason NCC
* Complete a Bachelor's degree 77% 69% 79%
* Make at least a "B" average 55% 39% 46%
Graduate with honors 19% 10% 15%
Be elected to an honor society 10% 7% 9%
Fail one or more courses 1% 3% 3%
Need extra time to graduate 7% 9% 7%
Change major field 16% 14% 17%
Change career choice 15% 13% 18%
Drop out temporarily 1% 2% 2%
Drop out permanently 1% 1% 0%
Get a job to pay for college 39% 38% 43%
Work full-time in college 3% 6% 5%
* Transfer before graduating 5% 19% 10%
* Be satisfied with my college 52% 30% 42%
Needed tutoring in high school and expect to need it in college:
  in High School   in College
  OS Mason NCC       OS Mason NCC
   English 4% 5% 8%   8% 9% 14%
   Reading 4% 3% 7%   3% 4% 7%
* Mathematics 9% 17% 30%   21% 25% 34%
   Social Studies 3% 1% 6%   2% 5% 5%
   Science 4% 4% 13%   9% 13% 11%
* Foreign Language 4% 7% 16%   10% 9% 24%
Students (%) indicate that the highest degree they plan to achieve is:
  Mason Students   NCC Students
  at any institution   at Mason    at any institution   at Mason
   BA/BS 26% 67%   21% 71%
   Master's 46% 27%   39% 23%
* Doctoral 25% 3%   41% 6%


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