North Carolina State University
Graduating Senior Survey Trends: 1995-2004
Executive Summary
Survey Methods
- The Graduating Senior Survey has been conducted at NC State each year since 1995. In 1995-2000, all undergraduate students graduating in the Spring semester were eligible to participate. Paper survey packets were distributed to students through their respective primary department or college, typically as part of the Application for Degree process. Beginning in academic year 2000-2001, both Fall and Spring graduates were eligible. The survey was administered via the Web as well as on paper in academic years 2000-2001 and 2001-2002, with departments selecting the survey mode their students would use. In academic years 2002-2003 and 2003-2004, the survey was administered via the Web only.
- The overall response rate for all survey years is 58.7 percent, with a low of 50.5 percent in 1999, and a high of 69.9 percent in 2003. In general, survey respondents are representative of the NC State graduating senior population.
Student Goals and Intentions
- Although the most popular response in all survey years, the number of graduates reporting that their primary goal in attending NC State was "to prepare for a new career" decreased over time. In contrast, the number of graduates saying their primary goal was "to prepare for graduate/professional school" has generally increased.
- At least 70 percent of respondents in each survey year reported that they had "fully accomplished" their primary goal in attending NC State. This figure, however, has decreased slightly across the survey years.
- In each survey year a plurality of respondents reported that at the time of the survey they were still seeking employment. While in the early years of the survey a larger proportion of students said they had already accepted a position than said they were going on to graduate/professional school, in the later years this pattern was reversed. However, the relatively low percentage of respondents who reported that they "have already accepted a position" in recent survey years may be related to the fact that most respondents (two-thirds in 2004) completed the survey four or more months prior to their graduation date.
Academic Environment and Faculty Contributions
- About three-fourths or more of respondents in each survey year said they would still choose to attend NC State, though the percentage saying so has decreased over time. The number of respondents who said they would still choose the same major has also decreased over time, reaching a low of 60.8 percent in 2004. Beginning in 2002, respondents were asked if they would recommend NC State to a friend. In each year, close to 90 percent of respondents said they would recommend NC State to a friend.
- Graduating seniors consistently rated the quality of instruction in their
major much higher than the overall quality of instruction. Ratings for both overall quality of instruction and quality of instruction in major have remained fairly consistent over time. Ratings for overall quality of education, which have also remained fairly stable, are consistently higher than those for overall quality of instruction, but slightly lower than those for quality of instruction in major.
- In each survey year, a majority of respondents rated the intellectual environment on campus as "strong" or "very strong."
- There has been little change over time in graduating seniors' ratings of the contributions faculty in their major department made toward their education. In each year, highest average ratings were given to faculty setting high expectations to learn and to encouraging that time and energy be devoted to coursework.
Campus Climate
- A majority of respondents report that they either "agree strongly" or "agree
somewhat" that NC State is committed to helping minority students succeed
and that NC State has visible leadership to foster diversity on campus.
A majority of respondents in each survey year also reported feeling that the
general attitude on campus toward various groups of people (e.g., women, African
Americans, international students, etc.) is at least "mildly supportive."
In each year, "men" received the highest overall mean rating, while
"gay and lesbian students" received the lowest overall mean rating.
However, unlike the fairly consistent mean ratings of campus support for other
student groups, mean ratings for "gay and lesbian students" have
increased substantially across survey years.
Services for Students
- Graduating seniors evaluated library services most favorably among academic service areas. Also consistently highly rated were some technology services (access to Internet, hours for computer centers/labs/help desks, access to up-to-date facilities), an employment search assistance item (access to employment opportunities), and career-related items (information through computers/technology and opportunity for career assistance). Respondents gave the lowest ratings to technology and employment search assistance items related to training: access to trained technology staff for help, technology training classes, and interview preparation and skills.
- In general, non-academic services were rated less favorably than were academic services. Generalizing across the survey years, the highest ranking non-academic services include co-curricular/recreational activities and library services. In each year, the lowest ranking service was campus food services. Ratings increased steadily across survey years for registration process, bookstore services, and food services.
- With the notable exception of food services, staff responsiveness for a given non-academic service was generally rated more favorably than the service itself. Overall, library staff and registration staff received the highest ratings, while food services staff received the lowest ratings.
- In each survey year, about 60 percent of students reported receiving some type of financial aid. Between 86 percent and 92 percent of those who received financial aid were either "very satisfied" or "moderately satisfied" with the financial aid package they received. Over the survey years, respondents have given increasingly positive ratings to financial aid reception, phone, and advisor staff, with financial aid advisor staff receiving the highest ratings each year.
- In each survey year since 2001, about 45 percent of those getting their
degree through an off-campus degree program said it was "probably not likely"
or "not likely" that they would have obtained a degree at a UNC campus had
the off-campus degree program been unavailable.
Knowledge, Skills and Personal Development
- Average ratings for how well NC State met students' general growth and training needs have been consistently high over the course of the survey years. In every year students were most satisfied with NC State's contribution to their intellectual growth, followed by contributions to personal growth and career training growth.
- In each survey year, a majority of respondents gave favorable ratings to NC State's contribution to their knowledge, skills, and personal development in various areas. In general, it appears graduating seniors are becoming increasingly satisfied with contributions to growth in all of these areas. Mean ratings in 1998-2004 were typically higher than those in 1995-1997. Ratings have increased most notably for the diversity-related items (understanding diverse cultures/values, developing a tolerance for divergent views, appreciating racial equity, appreciating gender equity), and for recognizing/acting on ethical principles, exercising public responsibility, and advancing appreciation of the arts.
- Across survey years, respondents consistently gave highest ratings
to NC State's contribution to enhancing analytic skills, ability to plan and carry out
projects independently, ability
to critically analyze ideas and information, ability to function as part of a team, and, in later years, personal growth, valuing learning as lifelong process, and developing
potential for success. Respondents consistently gave relatively lower ratings to NC
State's contribution to their appreciating racial equity, appreciating
sexual equity,
exercising public responsibility and community service, developing a commitment to personal health and fitness, and advancing
an appreciation of the arts.
Employment Experience
- Between 1995 and 2004, the percentage of respondents who reported being employed while at NC State fluctuated between 74 percent and 83 percent. Between 1995 and 2002, there was little variation in the percentage of respondents who reported working 20 or more hours per week (ranging between 37% and 44%). This figure increased to 55 percent in 2003 and 57 percent in 2004.
- Between 1995 and 1997, about 40 percent of employed respondents said their job was "not related" to their academic major, while less than 30 percent said their job was "directly related" to their major. Between 1998 and 2002, these figures became more similar when one-third of respondents reported "unrelated" jobs and one-third reported "directly related" jobs. In 2003 and 2004, respondents were asked about both on-campus and off-campus work. Respondents were most likely to report that their job was "not related" to their academic major, regardless of whether they worked on- or off-campus, although the likelihood was notably larger among those who worked off-campus. Among those taking jobs unrelated to their majors, a majority have done so by choice.
- The number of respondents reporting having had a co-op, internship, practicum, or field experience while at
NC State has declined from 56 percent in 1998 to 40 percent in 2004. In addition, the number of those saying they received a job offer from their employer declined from a high of 44 percent in 2001 to 31 percent in 2002 and to an all time low of 25 percent in 2004. In each survey year, however, about two-thirds of those participating said the experience made an "excellent"
contribution to their personal or professional growth.
For more information on trends in the Graduating Senior Survey contact:
Dr. Nancy Whelchel, Assistant Director 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: March, 2005
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