• NC State conducted its annual survey of graduating seniors during the fall 1999 and spring 2000 semesters. Eligible students were those who were graduating in May, 2000.
• In most cases students were given a copy of the survey as part of their "Application for Degree" process. The final response rate was 63.2 percent.
• Respondents did not differ from the graduating senior class in gender or race/ethnicity. College of Management students are slightly over-represented in the survey, and College of Natural Resources slightly underrepresented, because of their respective high and low response rates.
• The margin of error for the survey is 1.0 percent for all respondents, and about 5.2 percent for small subgroups (e.g., African Americans).

• African Americans were more likely than whites and non-African American minorities to say their primary goal in attending NC State was to "prepare for a new career" (55.6%, 45.3% and 33.8% respectively). Women and non-African Americans were more likely than their respective counterparts to say their primary goal was to "prepare for graduate or professional school." Almost three-fourths (73.9%) of white respondents compared to 60.0 percent of African Americans and 58.2 percent of other minorities said they had "fully accomplished" their goal.
• Over one-fourth of all respondents said they were planning on going to graduate or professional school either full-time (23.5%) or part-time (3.5%). However, non-African Americans (32.1%) were more likely than either whites (23.4%) or African Americans (16.7%) to plan on going to graduate/professional school full time. Men were more likely than women to say that at the time of the survey they had already accepted a job (14.0% vs 6.9%).

• While three-fourths (75.7%) of all respondents said they would choose NC State again if they could start over, African Americans were almost three times more likely than whites to say they would not do so (18.8% vs 6.3%).
• Almost two-thirds (64.2%) of all respondents said they would choose the same major again. African Americans, however, were much more likely than whites to say they would not choose the same major (28.2% vs. 12.1%).
• Large majorities of respondents give positive ratings to the overall education they received at NC State, the overall quality of instruction, and the quality of instruction in their major. A majority also rated the intellectual environment on campus as strong (53.7%) or very strong (17.4%). African Americans, however, gave lower ratings than whites to all these measures of academic environment at NC State.
• Faculty received higher ratings for their teaching (e.g., setting high expectations for learning) than for their interpersonal relationships with students (e.g., caring about students' academic success and welfare). Women and whites gave consistently higher ratings than men and minorities to faculty contributions.

• While majorities of students said they believe the campus environment is at least moderately supportive of various groups of people at the university, one-fourth (25.1%) said the campus is either "moderately" or "strongly unsupportive" of gay and lesbian students. Women were much more likely than men to say the campus is "strongly supportive" of men. Whites were much more likely than African Americans to say the campus is "strongly supportive" of all groups other than men.
• African Americans and other minorities were much less likely than whites to "agree strongly" that NC State is committed to helping minority students succeed (10.6%, 25.6%, and 43.8% respectively) and that there is visible leadership on campus to foster diversity (9.5%, 22.1%, and 30.5%).

• Respondents were generally positive about academic advising, technology services, library services, research support, career services, and employment assistance on campus. African American respondents, however, gave slightly lower ratings to access to faculty in research. Among all respondents, ratings for technology training classes and access to trained staff for help received relatively low ratings.
• With the exception of campus food services, financial aid services, and residence life programs, a majority of respondents rated various non-academic services and the staff associated with them as either "excellent" or "good." African Americans gave higher ratings than whites to campus counseling (non-career) services, campus counseling (non-career) services staff, and campus food services staff.
• About 60 percent of respondents said they had received some type of financial aid, and the large majority of them (86.2%) were "moderately" or "very satisfied" with the aid package they received. More than 90 percent (94.2%) of African American respondents received financial aid. African Americans were similar to whites in satisfaction with their aid package. However, when asked to pick from among a list of financial aid services, African Americans receiving aid were much more likely than whites to say they were least satisfied with the customer service skills of the financial aid advisors staff (30.8% and 9.2% respectively).

• A majority of respondents (55.7%) said NC State contributed "very well" to their intellectual growth. Respondents were more likely to say the university contributed "adequately" to their career training (46.2%) than to say it contributed "very well" to it (32.5%).
• On a scale of 1 ("none") to 4 ("very much") NC State's contribution to the student's development of 30 of 35 knowledge, skills and personal development goals was rated at 3.0 or higher. Women gave ratings similar to or higher than men to almost all goals. African Americans gave ratings similar to or higher than whites to general education and world view goals, while whites gave ratings similar to or higher than African Americans to personal development goals.
• On average, highest ratings were given by all respondents to ability to critically analyze ideas and information (3.61), enhancing analytic skills (3.60), developing computer skills (3.60), ability to plan and carry out projects independently (3.60), and potential for success (3.57).
• Lowest ratings were given to the university’s contribution to a number of worldview goals: appreciating gender equity (2.98), commitment to personal health and fitness (2.96), appreciating racial equity (2.95), exercising public responsibility and community service (2.82), and advancing appreciation of the arts (2.70).

• Half (50.7%) of African American respondents, 37.8% of whites, and 38.9% of non African American minorities were employed and working more than 20 hours per week during their graduation year. Over one-third (35.3%) of all employed respondents were working in jobs that were directly related to their major, although men and whites were more likely than women and African Americans, respectively, to have said this was the case.
• Over two-thirds (69.2%) of respondents had had a co-op, internship, practicum or field experience while at NC State. Over one-third (34.2%) of those with such experience said they received a job offer from their employer.
• A majority of respondents (61.5%) said they had participated in organizations or clubs related to their majors.

For more information on the 2000 Graduating Senior Survey reports contact:
Dr. Nancy Whelchel, Coordinator for Survey Research
University Planning and Analysis
Campus Box 7002
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27965-7002
Phone: (919) 515-4184
Email: Nancy_Whelchel@ncsu.edu

Posted: May, 2001

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