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| From the issue dated February 3, 2006 |
This Year's Freshmen at 4-Year Colleges: a Statistical Profile
Related article: Freshman Survey: More Students Plan to Lend a Hand (2/3/2006)
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17 or younger |
1.7% |
18 |
69.1% |
19 |
27.8% |
20 |
0.9% |
21 to 24 |
0.4% |
25 or older |
0.1% |
English is native language |
Yes |
92.0% |
No |
8.0% |
Racial and ethnic background |
White/Caucasian |
74.4% |
African-American/Black |
11.3% |
Asian-American/Asian |
8.0% |
Mexican-American/Chicano |
3.8% |
Puerto Rican |
1.2% |
Other Latino |
3.0% |
American Indian/Alaska Native |
1.7% |
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander |
0.9% |
Other |
2.8% |
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Roman Catholic |
28.0% |
Baptist |
12.4% |
Methodist |
5.8% |
Lutheran |
4.1% |
Presbyterian |
4.0% |
Church of Christ |
3.9% |
Jewish |
2.6% |
Episcopalian |
1.7% |
Buddhist |
1.1% |
Hindu |
0.9% |
Islamic |
0.9% |
United Church of Christ/Congregational |
0.9% |
Eastern Orthodox |
0.7% |
Seventh-day Adventist |
0.4% |
Latter-day Saints (Mormon) |
0.3% |
Unitarian Universalist |
0.3% |
Quaker |
0.2% |
Other Christian |
11.8% |
Other religion |
2.6% |
None |
17.4% |
Making the choice, settling in |
Number of other colleges applied to for admission this year |
None |
17.5% |
1 |
12.0% |
2 |
15.1% |
3 |
16.8% |
4 |
12.5% |
5 |
8.7% |
6 |
6.2% |
7 to 10 |
9.1% |
11 or more |
2.1% |
College attended is student's: |
First choice |
69.8% |
Second choice |
21.2% |
Third choice |
5.8% |
Less than third choice |
3.3% |
Miles from college to permanent home |
5 or less |
4.7% |
6 to 10 |
6.2% |
11 to 50 |
26.9% |
51 to 100 |
18.1% |
101 to 500 |
31.5% |
Over 500 |
12.6% |
Housing plans during fall term: |
College residence hall |
79.3% |
With family or other relatives |
15.5% |
Other private home, apartment, or room |
2.6% |
Other campus student housing |
2.1% |
Fraternity or sorority house |
0.3% |
Other |
0.2% |
Top reasons noted as very important in selecting college attended |
College has a very good academic reputation |
57.9% |
53.5% |
61.5% |
Graduates get good jobs |
51.2% |
47.4% |
54.3% |
A visit to the campus |
42.2% |
35.9% |
47.3% |
Wanted to go to a college about the size of this one |
38.6% |
31.1% |
44.6% |
Was offered financial assistance |
35.4% |
31.2% |
38.9% |
Top reasons noted as very important in deciding to go to college |
To learn more about things that interest me |
77.7% |
73.1% |
81.4% |
To be able to get a better job |
72.2% |
72.1% |
72.2% |
To be able to make more money |
71.0% |
73.5% |
69.0% |
To get training for a specific career |
69.4% |
64.8% |
73.1% |
To gain a general education and appreciation of ideas |
65.4% |
58.3% |
71.1% |
To prepare myself for graduate or professional school |
58.1% |
51.3% |
63.5% |
To find my purpose in life |
51.7% |
44.6% |
57.4% |
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Students rated self above average or highest 10 percent in: |
Cooperativeness |
72.9% |
71.% |
74.3% |
Drive to achieve |
72.3% |
68.4% |
75.6% |
Academic ability |
69.4% |
72.5% |
67.0% |
Understanding of others |
66.5% |
63.8% |
68.8% |
Leadership ability |
61.3% |
64.5% |
58.7% |
Self-confidence (intellectual) |
60.1% |
68.5% |
53.2% |
Creativity |
57.4% |
58.0% |
56.9% |
Physical Health |
55.8% |
66.8% |
46.8% |
Self-understanding |
55.7% |
59.7% |
52.4% |
Emotional health |
54.3% |
60.8% |
49.0% |
Self-confidence (social) |
52.6% |
56.8% |
49.2% |
Writing ability |
47.3% |
45.5% |
48.8% |
Mathematical ability |
44.3% |
53.8% |
36.5% |
Computer skills |
38.7% |
50.3% |
29.2% |
Spirituality |
37.6% |
35.9% |
39.0% |
Public-speaking ability |
36.6% |
39.7% |
34.1% |
Religiousness |
31.0% |
29.0% |
32.6% |
Artistic ability |
29.7% |
29.0% |
30.2% |
Agree strongly or somewhat that: |
The federal government should do more to control the sale of handguns |
78.7% |
71.0% |
84.9% |
Through hard work, everybody can succeed in American society |
78.6% |
78.7% |
78.4% |
The federal government is not doing enough to control environmental pollution |
77.1% |
73.9% |
79.8% |
A national health-care plan is needed to cover everybody's medical costs |
73.6% |
69.3% |
77.1% |
Only volunteers should serve in the armed forces |
63.1% |
64.2% |
62.2% |
Dissent is a critical component of the political process |
63.0% |
66.8% |
59.8% |
Colleges should prohibit racist/sexist speech on campus |
59.1% |
55.7% |
62.0% |
Wealthy people should pay a larger share of taxes than they do now |
58.1% |
57.3% |
58.9% |
There is too much concern in the courts for the rights of criminals |
57.9% |
60.7% |
55.5% |
Same-sex couples should have the right to legal marital status |
57.9% |
50.1% |
64.3% |
Abortion should be legal |
55.2% |
55.8% |
54.8% |
Grading in the high schools has become too easy |
50.6% |
53.5% |
48.3% |
Affirmative action in college admissions should be abolished |
48.5% |
54.0% |
44.0% |
If two people really like each other, it's all right for them to have sex even if they've known each other for only a very short time |
44.9% |
58.1% |
34.1% |
Undocumented immigrants should be denied access to public education |
42.1% |
49.6% |
36.1% |
Marijuana should be legalized |
37.7% |
42.8% |
33.6% |
Federal military spending should be increased |
34.2% |
37.6% |
31.4% |
The death penalty should be abolished |
33.3% |
29.7% |
36.3% |
It is important to have laws prohibiting homosexual relationships |
27.4% |
35.2% |
21.0% |
Realistically, an individual can do little to bring about changes in our society |
27.3% |
31.4% |
23.9% |
Racial discrimination is no longer a major problem in America |
21.0% |
25.9% |
17.1% |
The activities of married women are best confined to the home and family |
20.3% |
26.2% |
15.5% |
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Objectives considered to be essential or very important |
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Raising a family |
75.9% |
Being very well off financially |
74.5% |
Helping others who are in difficulty |
66.3% |
Becoming an authority in my field |
59.1% |
Obtaining recognition from my colleagues for contributions to my special field |
54.2% |
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Writing original works (poems, novels, short stories, etc.) |
16.0% |
Becoming accomplished in one of the performing arts (acting, dancing, etc.) |
16.2% |
Creating artistic work (painting, sculpture, decorating, etc.) |
16.5% |
Making a theoretical contribution to science |
18.9% |
Becoming involved in programs to clean up the environment |
20.3% |
Students who estimate chances are very good that they will: |
Socialize with someone of another racial/ethnic group |
65.1% |
Make at least a B average |
60.8% |
Be satisfied with college |
52.4% |
Get a job to help pay for college expenses |
46.8% |
Participate in student clubs/groups |
43.3% |
Communicate regularly with professors |
32.5% |
Participate in volunteer or community-service work |
26.3% |
Participate in a study-abroad program |
26.7% |
Strengthen religious beliefs/convictions |
25.0% |
Play varsity/intercollegiate athletics |
16.3% |
Change major field |
13.9% |
Change career choice |
13.2% |
Join a social fraternity or sorority |
10.4% |
Participate in student government |
7.7% |
Seek personal counseling |
7.5% |
Participate in student protests or demonstrations |
6.5% |
Transfer to another college before graduating |
6.4% |
Work full time while attending college |
6.4% |
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Parents' education (highest level) |
Grammar school or less |
2.8% |
2.4% |
Some high school |
4.6% |
3.4% |
High-school graduate |
21.3% |
20.7% |
Postsecondary school other than college |
3.6% |
4.1% |
Some college |
14.8% |
17.1% |
College degree |
27.9% |
31.8% |
Some graduate school |
2.1% |
2.7% |
Graduate degree |
22.9% |
17.7% |
Estimated parental income |
Less than $10,000 |
3.4% |
$10,000 to $14,999 |
2.9% |
$15,000 to $19,999 |
2.6% |
$20,000 to $24,999 |
3.6% |
$25,000 to $29,999 |
3.4% |
$30,000 to $39,999 |
6.8% |
$40,000 to $49,999 |
7.8% |
$50,000 to $59,999 |
9.0% |
$60,000 to $74,999 |
12.0% |
$75,000 to $99,999 |
15.0% |
$100,000 to $149,999 |
16.9% |
$150,000 to $199,999 |
7.0% |
$200,000 to $249,999 |
3.4% |
$250,000 or more |
6.5% |
Students expecting to borrow more than $10,000 to cover first-year expenses |
2002 |
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2003 |
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2004 |
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2005 |
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Concern about financing college |
None (I am confident that I will have sufficient funds) |
34.0% |
Some (but I probably will have enough funds) |
52.7% |
Major (not sure I will have enough funds to complete college) |
13.2% |
Students reporting a very good chance they will have to get a job while in college |
2001 |
Men |
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Women |
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2002 |
Men |
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Women |
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2003 |
Men |
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Women |
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2004 |
Men |
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Women |
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2005 |
Men |
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Women |
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Liberal |
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Middle of the road |
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Conservative |
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Far right |
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What This Year's Freshmen Expect to Major In |
Business |
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Professional |
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Arts and humanities |
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Social sciences |
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Education |
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Engineering |
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Biological sciences |
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Physical sciences |
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Technical |
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Other fields |
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Undecided |
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12.8% |
11.4% |
14.0% |
Art, fine and applied |
2.6% |
2.0% |
3.2% |
English (language and literature) |
1.9% |
1.3% |
2.3% |
History |
1.4% |
1.9% |
1.1% |
Journalism |
1.7% |
1.1% |
2.2% |
Language and literature (except English) |
0.6% |
0.4% |
0.8% |
Music |
1.6% |
2.1% |
1.2% |
Philosophy |
0.3% |
0.4% |
0.2% |
Speech |
0.1% |
0.1% |
0.2% |
Theater or drama |
1.2% |
0.9% |
1.3% |
Theology or religion |
0.3% |
0.4% |
0.2% |
Other |
1.1% |
0.8% |
1.3% |
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7.6% |
6.7% |
8.4% |
Biology (general) |
4.5% |
3.8% |
5.1% |
Biochemistry or biophysics |
1.1% |
1.1% |
1.1% |
Environmental science |
0.5% |
0.5% |
0.4% |
Marine (life) science |
0.4% |
0.3% |
0.4% |
Microbiology or bacteriology |
0.2% |
0.2% |
0.3% |
Zoology |
0.3% |
0.3% |
0.4% |
Other |
0.6% |
0.5% |
0.7% |
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17.3% |
22.7% |
13.1% |
Accounting |
2.6% |
3.1% |
2.2% |
Business administration (general) |
4.0% |
5.7% |
2.7% |
Finance |
1.6% |
2.7% |
0.8% |
International business |
1.4% |
1.4% |
1.4% |
Management |
3.9% |
5.8% |
2.4% |
Marketing |
2.9% |
2.9% |
2.9% |
Other |
0.9% |
1.1% |
0.7% |
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10.0% |
5.8% |
13.0% |
Business education |
0.2% |
0.2% |
0.1% |
Elementary education |
4.4% |
0.8% |
7.3% |
Music or art education |
0.8% |
0.7% |
0.9% |
Physical education or recreation |
1.0% |
1.5% |
0.5% |
Secondary education |
2.5% |
2.2% |
2.7% |
Special education |
0.7% |
0.2% |
1.0% |
Other |
0.4% |
0.2% |
0.5% |
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8.4% |
15.6% |
2.6% |
Aeronautical or astronautical engineering |
0.8% |
1.5% |
0.2% |
Civil engineering |
1.1% |
2.0% |
0.3% |
Chemical engineering |
0.6% |
0.9% |
0.4% |
Computer engineering |
1.2% |
2.4% |
0.3% |
Electrical or electronic engineering |
1.0% |
2.1% |
0.2% |
Industrial engineering |
0.2% |
0.3% |
0.1% |
Mechanical engineering |
2.2% |
4.4% |
0.4% |
Other |
1.3% |
2.0% |
0.7% |
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3.1% |
3.6% |
2.6% |
Astronomy |
0.1% |
0.1% |
0.1% |
Atmospheric science |
0.2% |
0.2% |
0.1% |
Chemistry |
1.1% |
1.1% |
1.0% |
Earth science |
0.1% |
0.1% |
0.1% |
Marine science |
0.1% |
0.1% |
0.2% |
Mathematics |
0.8% |
0.8% |
0.7% |
Physics |
0.5% |
0.9% |
0.2% |
Statistics |
0.0% |
0.1% |
0.0% |
Other |
0.2% |
0.2% |
0.2% |
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14.6% |
9.3% |
18.9% |
Architecture or urban planning |
1.0% |
1.3% |
0.7% |
Family and consumer sciences |
0.2% |
0.0% |
0.3% |
Health technology (medical, dental, laboratory) |
0.5% |
0.4% |
0.7% |
Medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine |
4.1% |
3.2% |
4.8% |
Nursing |
4.0% |
0.8% |
6.6% |
Pharmacy |
1.9% |
1.6% |
2.1% |
Therapy (occupational, physical, speech) |
2.2% |
1.4% |
2.9% |
Other |
0.7% |
0.6% |
0.8% |
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10.7% |
7.6% |
13.0% |
Anthropology |
0.3% |
0.2% |
0.4% |
Economics |
0.6% |
0.9% |
0.3% |
Ethnic studies |
0.1% |
0.0% |
0.1% |
Political science |
3.5% |
3.5% |
3.5% |
Psychology |
4.6% |
2.2% |
6.5% |
Social work |
0.7% |
0.1% |
1.1% |
Sociology |
0.6% |
0.4% |
0.7% |
Other |
0.3% |
0.3% |
0.4% |
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1.2% |
1.8% |
0.4% |
Building trades |
0.1% |
0.1% |
0.0% |
Data processing or computer programming |
0.5% |
0.9% |
0.1% |
Drafting or design |
0.3% |
0.3% |
0.3% |
Electronics |
0.1% |
0.2% |
0.0% |
Mechanics |
0.1% |
0.1% |
0.0% |
Other |
0.1% |
0.2% |
0.0% |
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6.8% |
8.2% |
5.8% |
Agriculture |
0.4% |
0.5% |
0.4% |
Communications |
2.0% |
1.5% |
2.4% |
Computer science |
1.1% |
2.2% |
0.3% |
Forestry |
0.1% |
0.2% |
0.0% |
Kinesiology |
0.4% |
0.4% |
0.4% |
Law enforcement |
1.2% |
1.8% |
0.8% |
Military science |
0.1% |
0.2% |
0.0% |
Other |
1.5% |
1.4% |
1.5% |
|
7.3% |
6.6% |
8.0% |
NOTE (above table): Figures may not equal 100 percent because of rounding. |
NOTE (all tables): The statistics are based on survey responses of 263,710 first-year students entering 385 four-year colleges and universities in the fall of 2005. The figures were statistically adjusted to represent the total population of approximately 1.3 million first-time, full-time students at four-year institutions. Because of rounding or multiple responses, figures may add up to more than 100 percent. |
SOURCE: "The American Freshman: National Norms For Fall 2005," published by The University of California at Los Angeles Higher Education Research Institute |
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Proportion of freshmen reporting they drank beer "occasionally" or "frequently" during the past year |
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NOTE: A dotted line indicates that the question was not included in the survey in a given year. |
SOURCE: "The American Freshman: National Norms for Fall 2005" |
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http://chronicle.com
Section: Students
Volume 52, Issue 22, Page A41
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