2007 COOPERATIVE INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAM (CIRP) First-Year Student Survey Profile

1. 2007 COOPERATIVE INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAM (CIRP)First-Year Student Survey Profile Administered August 2007 West Chester University of Pennsylvania

2. TRUE or FALSE?

3. Most incoming WCU first-year students do not identify themselves by religious group.

4. FALSE!!! At WCU Nationally • 37% Roman Catholic • 5.1% Baptist • 4.4% Lutheran • 5.3% Methodist • 4.8% Presbyterian • 2.9% Jewish • 25.2% Roman Catholic Only 17.8% claimed to have no preference both at WCU and Nationally

5. Most incoming first-year student family’s income at WCU is 60k or less.

6. FALSE!!! • 68% make $60,000 or better • 21.1% make between $100K - $150K • Nationally, 57.6% make $60K or better

7. Incoming students worry about funding their college education.

8. TRUE!!! • 51.3% believe they will have “Some” concerns • 4.7% have “Major” concerns regarding their college funding.

9. Most incoming WCU first-year students are from divorced/blended families.

10. FALSE!!! • At WCU, 71.3 % live with both parents • Nationally, 67.4% live with both parents

11. WCU is a first generation campus.

12. TRUE!!! • 52.3% mothers • 52.4% fathers DON’T have a college degree. At WCU Nationally • 56.4% mothers • 59.9% fathers DON’T have a college degree.

13. 95% of incoming WCU first-year students are from public high schools.

14. FALSE!!! • 81.4% came from a public school • 12.2% came from private religious schools • 1.9% came from private schools • Nationally, 87.2% of college students come from public schools

15. Incoming first-year students attending WCU are from mostly white neighborhoods.

16. TRUE!!! • 81% came from white neighborhoods • 20.6% of that were from completely white neighborhoods Nationally… • 77.7% came from white neighborhoods • 25.8% of that were from completely white neighborhoods

17. Most incoming first-year students did not use tutors in high school.

18. FALSE!!! • 52.8% had tutoring in high school • 19.3% of that number needed Math tutoring the most • 50.1% of students nationally had tutoring in high school

19. Most incoming first-year students do not think they will need tutors at WCU.

20. FALSE!!! • 93% feel that you will need tutoring • The highest need is Math/Science • 81.3% of students nationwide feel that they will need tutoring

21. Most of WCU's incoming class had a B+ average in High School.

22. TRUE!!! • 71.4% had a B+ or higher • Nationally, 61.6% had a B+ or higher

23. Incoming first-year students preferred studying in groups in high school.

24. TRUE!!! Here at West Chester • 76.6% of men and 89.6% of women studied in small group settings. Nationally • 79.7% of men and 88.4% of women studied in small group settings.

25. All of incoming first-year students used the internet for research in high school.

26. FALSE!!! Here at West Chester • 75.2% of students have used the internet for research or homework Other four year Public colleges • 71.1% of students have used the internet for research or homework

27. 50% of incoming WCU first-year students looked up scientific articles and resources in high school.

28. FALSE!!! • The rest of the U.S. • 17.9% have looked up scientific research and resource articles • At WCU • 20.7% have looked up scientific research and resource articles

29. On average, incoming first-year students studied 6-10 hours per week in high school.

30. FALSE!!! At WCU • 51% of incoming students studied TWO HOURS a week or LESS • 44% of incoming students studied between 3-10 hours a week THIS MEANS THAT 96% studied less than 10 hours per week  Nationally • 51% of incoming students studied TWO HOURS a week or LESS

31. On average, incoming first-year students partied 1-2 hours per week in high school.

32. FALSE!!! • At West Chester University, 38.3% of incoming students partied between 3 and 10 hours a week in high school • At other four year public schools, only 32.6% of incoming students partied between 3 and 10 hours a week in high school

33. On average, incoming first-year students worked 10 hours per week at an outside job in high school.

34. FALSE!!! • At WCU • 36.8% of new students worked 11 or more hours a week • 38.3% worked more than 16 hours a week!!! • 76.8% are working 10+ hours a week • Nationally • 53.5 % worked 11+ hours a week

35. Most of incoming WCU first-year students believe they are in the top 10% of all students academically.

36. TRUE!!! • At West Chester • 63.2% believe they are in the TOP 10% • Nationally • 57.1% believe they are in the TOP 10%

37. Cost is the number one factor in choosing WCU.

38. FALSE • 59.4% said academic reputation #1 • 50.8% said job placement #1 • 42.3% said their campus visit #1 • Where is cost as a factor? • 48.6% said cost was an important factor

39. Most WCU first-year students say WCU was their first or second choice.

40. TRUE!!! • West Chester University was first or second choice for 91.6% of new first-year students • 61.6% said WCU was their 1st • 30% said WCU was the 2nd

41. Most incoming WCU first-year students thought their parents were too involved in their college selection process.

42. FALSE!!! • 86.2% of new students believe their parents were involved the “RIGHT AMOUNT” in their decision.

43. Most incoming first-year students live within 100 miles from campus.

44. TRUE!!! • At WCU • 84% of new students live within 100 miles • Nationally • 64.1% of new students live within 100 miles

45. Incoming WCU first-year students are not considering graduate or professional school upon graduation.

46. FALSE!!! • Here at West Chester • 51.9% plan to get Master’s Degree • 13.6% plan to get Ph. D. • 7.4% plan to get M.D., D.O., D.D.S., D.V.M., or J.D. Total: 72.9% are thinking about an advanced degree

47. Few incoming first-year students consider WCU for graduate school.

48. TRUE!!! • 78.2% of new students AREN’T considering West Chester for graduate school

49. Most incoming first-year students think they will stay in their majors.

50. TRUE!!! • At WCU • 19.5% believe they will change majors • Nationally • 14.2% believe they will change majors