CIRP Freshman Survey Report - 2014

Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) The Freshman Survey 2014 Survey Report Prepared by the Office of Research & Assessment Division of Student Affairs Spring 2015

Student Affairs Assessment & Research | 2014 CIRP Report | 1

Table of Contents Introduction.......................................................................................................................................... 3 About Our Incoming Students ............................................................................................................. 3

Typical Weekly Activity in High School ........................................................................................................ 5

CIRP Themes ....................................................................................................................................... 7

Academics ...................................................................................................................................................... 7 Civic Engagement .......................................................................................................................................... 8 College Choice .............................................................................................................................................. 10 Diversity and Perspectives ............................................................................................................................ 12 Financing College ......................................................................................................................................... 14 Future Planning ............................................................................................................................................ 15 Health and Wellness ..................................................................................................................................... 16 Leadership and Service ................................................................................................................................. 17 Spirituality/Religiosity .................................................................................................................................. 17

CIRP Constructs ................................................................................................................................. 18 Noteworthy Trends ............................................................................................................................. 21

Institutional Selection ................................................................................................................................... 21 Aspirations.....................................................................................................................................................22 Perspectives and Beliefs: ...............................................................................................................................23 Health and Behaviors ....................................................................................................................................24

Recommendations for FSU .................................................................................................................25

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Introduction

The Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) Freshman Survey, sponsored by the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at the University of California, Los Angeles, collects self-reported information on incoming students (biographic, demographic, educational, financial, opinions, etc.) at colleges and universities across the United States. At FSU, the Office of New Student & Family Programs administers CIRP during summer orientation. With more than 30 years of participation, FSU has accumulated nearly 130,000 respondents.

The 2014 FSU CIRP results were summarized based on responses from 2, 274 first-time, full-time freshmen, which composed 38% of the full-time FTIC population.

This report contains four major sections. The first section provides detailed information about who our incoming students are, including demographic breakdowns, family characteristics, and typical weekly activities in high school. The second section summarizes CIRP Themes that impact the college experience. The third section examines the CIRP Constructs. The report concludes with discussion points for FSU administration and faculty.

About Our Incoming Students

FSU students come from a variety of backgrounds and bring a range of experiences with them to college.

This section provides descriptive statistics on who are students are and highlights their high school activity.

Demographic Characteristics Age <18 =18 =19 >19 Gender Male Female Ethnicity (all that apply) 3 White/Caucasian African American/Black American Indian/Alaska Native Asian American/ Asian Hispanic/Latino Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Other Citizenship Status U.S. Citizen Permanent Resident International student First Generation in College Yes No Total Respondents

FSU pop 1

FSU CIRP

Univ Hi 2

All Public Univ

0.6% 64.7% 34.1% 0.6%

1.9% 68.6% 29.3% 0.2%

1.8% 71.1% 26.7% 0.5%

1.7% 71.0% 26.3% 1.0%

58.4% 41.6%

40.8% 59.2%

50.6% 49.4%

47.7% 52.3%

84.0% 8.9% 1.4% 4.9% 18.7% 0.7% 1.7%

84.8% 5.4% 1.4% 5.0% 15.9% 0.8% 3.2%

75.7% 4.8% 1.1% 15.7% 9.5% 0.9% 3.4%

71.5% 6.5% 1.6% 16.3% 11.9% 1.2% 5.0%

97.9% 2.0% 0.1%

98.4% 1.4% 0.0%

94.3% 1.8% 3.5%

94.9% 2.2% 2.3%

22.4% 81.6% 6, 021

6.6% 93.4% 2,131

9.8% 90.2% 17,234

15.8% 84.2% 31,462

FSU pop is generated from statistics collected by the institution (FTIC undergraduates) using the FSU Institutional Research website 2 “Univ Hi” is a comparison group of public universities with high selectivity; “All Public Univ” consists of all participating public universities.

3 This item allows multiple selections. Thus, the total percentage adds to more than 100%.

1

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Biographical Information FSU Native Language English 94.7% Other 5.3% Permanent Home of Residence 9.4% â&#x2030;¤100Miles >100 Miles 90.6% High School Attended: Racial Composition Completely White 4.3% Mostly White 49.4% Roughly half non-White 31.8% Mostly non-White 12.9% Completely non-White 1.6% Neighborhood Where Grew Up: Racial Composition Completely White 14.9% Mostly White 62.1% Roughly half non-White 13.4% Mostly non-White 8.2% Completely non-White 1.5% Places Plan to live Campus residence hall 82.8% Family or relatives home 1.6% Other 15.5% Parents are: Both alive and living with one another 71.0% Both alive, divorced or living apart 26.4% One or both deceased 2.6% (Father) (Mother) Parent Education Level High school graduate or less 13.3% 9.5% Some college or postsecondary 16.3% 17.8% College degree 35.8% 42.2% Some graduate school 3.3% 4.0% Graduate degree 31.2% 26.6% Parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Total Income $0 to $24,999 4.4% $25,000 to $49,999 9.9% $50,000 to $99,999 30.1% $100,000 to $199,999 35.3% $200,000 or more 20.0% Total Respondents 2,016

Univ Hi

All Public Univ

89.3% 10.7%

88.3% 11.7%

39.8% 60.2%

53.1% 46.9%

8.6% 52.7% 21.9% 13.0% 3.9%

7.9% 49.2% 23.3% 15.8% 3.8%

18.5% 54.4% 12.0% 10.2% 4.9%

17.6% 49.6% 14.1% 13.3% 5.5%

94.6% 2.2% 3.2%

80.6% 13.3% 6.1%

80.1% 17.3% 2.6%

74.2% 22.8% 3.0%

(Father)

(Mother)

(Father)

(Mother)

14.2% 10.8% 33.3% 2.5% 39.2%

13.4% 11.8% 41.2% 3.3% 30.4%

22.5% 15.0% 30.8% 2.1% 29.7%

20.3% 16.1% 36.9% 2.7% 23.9%

6.3% 8.9% 22.8% 34.4% 27.7% 15,780

10.5% 13.1% 27.6% 30.2% 18.6% 28,865

By comparing other FSU statistics collected from students, such as enrollment data, we can conclude that CIRP data sample is valid as demographics are similar. Overall, FSU students are different compared to other populations. Specifically, one trend that occurred in the last year is a large decrease in African-American/Black and Hispanic/Latino populations. While this may not necessarily indicate a decrease in these populations attending college or university, these populations may not be attending orientation and/or completing the survey as often.

As the FSU population statistics confirm, the student population of underrepresented minorities (URM), which includes all population except Caucasian, are increasing. Another change is a decrease in first generation students in college.

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Typical Weekly Activity in High School The survey asked students to report their study patterns and involvement in social activities during their senior year of high school. Over half (54.5%) of the 2014 FSU freshmen reported spending 1 to 5 hours per week studying or doing homework; many (35.2%) reported working more than 10 hours for pay, while an additional 32.3% reported spending more than 10 hours a week exercising. The vast majority (66.6%) volunteered up to 10 hours a week. Significant changes will be indicated below, but it is valuable to note that regardless of fluctuations in many areas, there has been sustained volunteer involvement of FSU first-time freshmen across many years, and this is a special quality to FSU students as other institutions do not share the same trend.

Weekly Activities Studying/homework Talking with teachers (outside of class) Socializing with friends Partying Exercise or sports Working (for pay) Volunteer work Student clubs/groups Watching TV Household duties Reading for pleasure Playing video/computer games Online social networks

0 0.9% 15.0% 0.1% 26.6% 4.0% 35.1% 14.6% 14.4% 11.1% 18.9% 27.8% 52.1% 2.9%

Typical Hours Per Week 1-5 6-10 54.5% 22.5% 78.8% 4.0% 26.9% 29.9% 55.4% 10.3% 40.1% 23.7% 17.0% 12.7% 65.0% 10.7% 61.2% 11.0% 69.9% 12.0% 71.2% 6.5% 62.6% 5.2% 39.9% 4.0% 69.2% 14.9%

More than 10 22.1% 2.2% 43.1% 7.8% 32.3% 35.2% 8.0% 9.7% 7.0% 3.5% 4.4% 4.1% 13.0%

Comparing ourselves to other institutions reveals more insight into activities FSU students participate in compared with national peers. There is a statistically significant difference between FSU and highly selective public institutions with FSU students more often: o FSU students study less o FSU student socialize more o FSU students party more o FSU students work for pay more o FSU students volunteer more o FSU students play less video games o FSU students engage in social networks more often On the flip side, FSU students are studying less than other highly selective institutions. In addition to these significant changes, other trends are occurring that are of interest. FSU students are more involved in student clubs than their peers, but the amount of time committed to this activity has decreased. Talking with teachers outside of class has increased, and while more students are working, they are also working more hours. A large increase in those that work more than 10 hours has occurred in the last year, and this trend has clear implications for freshmen engagement and retention. On average, there is increase participation in reading for pleasure and students are not watching TV as often. Examining high school behaviors can provide us with some indication of likely activities freshmen will engage in at FSU. As such, it is valuable to understand the overall population as well as the uniqueness of FSU students.

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Weekly Activities Hours Per Week Studying/ homework Talking with teachers (outside of class) Socializing with friends Partying Exercise or sports Working (for pay) Volunteer work Student clubs/ groups Watching TV Household duties Reading for pleasure Playing video/ computer games Online social networks

FSU

Typical Hours Per Week Univ Hi

0 hours

1-10 hours

>10 hours

0 hours

1-10 hours

>10 hours

0 hours

0.9%

77.0%

22.1%

1.2%

67.9%

31.0%

15.0%

82.8%

2.2%

9.2%

89.7%

0.1%

56.8%

43.1%

0.3%

26.6% 4.0% 35.1% 14.6%

65.7% 63.8% 29.7% 77.3%

7.8% 32.3% 35.2% 8.0%

14.4%

76.0%

11.1% 18.9% 27.8%

All Public Univ 1-10 hours

>10 hours

1.6%

73.6%

24.8%

1.1%

10.6%

87.8%

1.5%

66.6%

33.2%

0.5%

66.2%

33.5%

39.9% 3.9% 47.8% 19.4%

56.9% 62.3% 30.9% 76.6%

3.3% 33.8% 21.3% 4.1%

41.1% 5.4% 44.5% 23.7%

55.2% 63.0% 29.1% 71.4%

3.7% 31.6% 26.4% 4.9%

9.7%

15.1%

76.5%

8.4%

22.8%

69.2%

8.0%

81.9% 77.7% 67.8%

7.0% 3.5% 4.4%

12.0% 23.2% 27.0%

81.0% 74.8% 70.1%

7.0% 21.7% 2.9%

12.0% 21.7% 29.5%

80.5% 74.7% 66.9%

7.5% 3.5% 3.6%

52.1%

43.9%

4.1%

46.1%

48.0%

5.8%

44.2%

49.0%

6.8%

2.9%

84.1%

13.0%

5.8%

85.0%

9.1%

6.2%

81.9%

11.9%

Figure: Time Spent on Online Social Network as H igh School Seniors by gender 80%

% of populaion

60%

40%

20%

0%

No hours

1 to 5 hours

6 to 10 hours

>10 hours

Men

5.0%

71.8%

11.8%

11.3%

Women

1.5%

67.6%

17.0%

13.9%

This chart demonstrates that there may be differences between genders in terms of time spent on online social networking. The majority of students spend 1-5 hours weekly. Information filtered to this level provides valuable input in marketing and communication methods. For example, for female-targeted programming, social media and networking may have an increased likelihood of success compared to their male peers.

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CIRP Themes

The CIRP Survey is comprehensive, covering a wide range of topics that research has shown impact the college experience. The CIRP themes combine relevant items together for easy access. By examining these items together, the themes illustrate what contributes to specific areas of interest on campus.

Academics

This theme addresses topics related to academic preparation, academic enhancement experiences, academic disengagement behaviors, interaction with teachers, and active and collaborative learning.

Academics Academic Preparation Self-rated Competencies Academic ability Mathematical ability Drive to achieve Leadership ability Public speaking ability Self-confidence (intellectual) Self-confidence (social) Writing ability Academic Enhancement Plans Communicate regularly with your professors Participate in a study abroad program Work on a professor’s research project Academic Disengagement Behaviors Was bored in class Came late to class Skipped school/class Fell asleep in class Failed to complete homework on time Interaction with Teachers Accept mistakes as part of the learning process Asked a teacher for advice after class Ask questions in class Seek feedback on academic work Active & Collaborative Learning Tutored another student Studied with other students Performed community service as a part of a class Plan to do in College Make at least a “B” average

FSU

Univ Hi

All Public Univ

87.3% 54.6% 83.9% 72.0% 48.1% 69.9% 55.0% 59.0%

89.5% 66.1% 83.5% 66.9% 43.2% 67.7% 45.3% 53.2%

79.4% 55.9% 79.3% 64.2% 40.0% 62.7% 45.6% 49.0%

33.8% 34.5% 30.2%

40.7% 45.6% 33.5%

38.8% 36.9% 31.2%

42.6% 56.7% 36.5% 41.9% 50.3%

40.8% 51.6% 25.8% 41.6% 48.0%

39.2% 52.9% 27.6% 42.2% 50.4%

58.0% 28.8% 59.6% 49.6%

57.4% 32.2% 60.1% 51.6%

57.1% 31.2% 55.6% 49.4%

69.3% 92.8% 60.7%

72.8% 90.9% 52.2%

66.0% 90.1% 54.2%

80.7%

70.8%

69.1%

Highest 10% / Above Average

Very Good Chance

Frequently /Occasionally Participated during the Past Year

Frequently /Occasionally Participated during the Past Year

Frequently /Occasionally Participated during the Past Year

Very Good Chance

FSU students rank themselves very highly with respect to academic preparation skills; however, their disengagement behaviors are higher than the comparison populations. A consistent theme across the CIRP survey is the high engagement FSU students have with socializing, online networks, and student groups and clubs in high school. This has been steady for several years, as indicated in the table below. Interestingly, along with high perceived ability, students anticipate they will be successful in college, by making at last a ‘B’ average, more often than national peers.

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Along with comparing FSU to highly selective public universities and all public universities, it is interesting to note that although there have been large changes in other behaviors and perspectives, FSU students are arriving to college with similar academic behaviors as previous years.

Academics: FSU Academic Disengagement Behaviors Was bored in class* Came late to class Skipped school/class Fell asleep in class Failed to complete homework on time Academic Enhancement Plans Participate in a study abroad program Interaction with Teachers Accept mistakes as part of the learning process Asked a teacher for advice after class Ask questions in class Seek feedback on academic work Active & Collaborative Learning Tutored another student Studied with other students Performed community service as a part of a class

2014

2013

2012

2011

42.6% 56.7% 36.5% 41.9% 50.3%

43.1% 57.6% 38.8% 45.4% 51.6%

41.1% 54.7% 34.1% 47.4% 47.6%

42.7% 55.7% 37.6% 48.7% 49.1%

34.5%

31.5%

30.0%

58.0% 28.8% 59.6% 49.6%

59.0% 27.8% 59.4% 49.1%

57.7% 31.1% 60.4% 51.2%

56.5% 31.0% 57.1% 51.5%

69.3% 92.8% 60.7%

67.2% 91.8% 61.7%

70.6% 91.6% 57.3%

64.8% 89.8% 57.5%

Frequently/Occasionally Participated during the Past Year

Very Good Chance

Frequently /Occasionally Participated during the Past Year

Frequently /Occasionally Participated during the Past Year

28.5%

*only frequently

Civic Engagement

This theme contains items related to the levels of engagement and satisfaction with community and volunteer work in high school as well as items that reflect future orientation towards volunteer and community service.

Civic Engagement High School Participation Demonstrated for a cause (e.g., boycott, rally, protest) Performed volunteer work Voted in a student election* Performed community service as a part of a class Discussed politics* Worked on a local, state, or national political campaign Publicly communicated my opinion about a cause Helped raise money for a cause or campaign Volunteer work 4 Self-rated Competencies Ability to see the world from some elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective Tolerance of others with different beliefs Openness to having my own views challenged Ability to discuss and negotiate controversial issues Ability to work cooperatively with diverse people 4

FSU

Univ Hi

All Public Univ

24.1% 95.1% 22.7% 60.7% 35.3% 9.3% 46.2% 59.9% 8.0%

20.5% 92.8% 19.1% 52.2% 34.7% 8.2% 43.0% 56.6% 4.1%

20.8% 89.8% 18.8% 54.2% 31.1% 8.3% 43.3% 55.6% 4.9%

83.1% 85.1% 67.0% 78.2% 90.4%

79.4% 85.6% 64.4% 73.7% 87.7%

78.2% 83.4% 64.2% 72.4% 86.7%

Frequently /Occasionally Participated during the Past Year

A Major Strength/Somewhat Strong

11 or more hours Student Affairs Assessment & Research | 2014 CIRP Report | 8

Civic Engagement Understanding of problems facing your community Understanding of national issues Understanding of global issues Awareness and Values Influencing social values Helping others who are in difficulty Participating in a community action program Helping to promote racial understanding Keeping up to date with political affairs Becoming a community leader Plan to Do in College Participate in student government Participate in student protests or demonstrations Participate in volunteer or community service work * Frequently only

FSU Univ Hi All Public Univ 45.9% 43.0% 42.5% 43.8% 38.7% 36.3% 43.8% 38.7% 36.3% Level of Importance: Essential / Very Important 46.6% 38.0% 40.4% 68.6% 69.2% 70.4% 29.0% 28.5% 28.7% 34.8% 33.2% 34.6% 43.4% 39.8% 36.6% 38.7% 39.0% 36.6% Very Good Chance to do in College 10.6% 6.3% 6.3% 6.2% 4.5% 5.0% 36.8% 38.7% 34.4%

With respect to civic engagement, although FSU consistently ranks higher in preparation, competencies, awareness, and intentions, there were large reductions across the board for FSU students. According to the 2014 CIRP national summary, The American Freshman, this decrease mirrors that of national peers (Eagan et al., 2014). Unfortunately, there is a downward trend of participation in the theme of civic engagement.

Students, across the country and including at FSU, are volunteering, voting in student elections, discussing politics, working on political campaigns, publically communicating an opinion about a cause, and helping raise money for a cause less than in previous years. There is also less understanding of problems facing the community, national issues, or global issues. In addition to this trend, there are more noteworthy changes.

For example, while FSU students feel becoming a community leader is less essential or important, the comparison groups both increased.

Also, FSU students previously ranked themselves the highest regarding tolerance of others with different beliefs, but in the last year, highly selective university students have surpassed our students. Lastly, FSU students plan to participate in student government significantly more than their peers, and this trend has been emerged over the last few years. The chart below highlights some of the major changes from previous years for FSU students.

Civic Engagement High School Participation Demonstrated for a cause (e.g., boycott, rally, protest) Discussed politics* Worked on a local, state, or national political campaign Publicly communicated my opinion about a cause Helped raise money for a cause or campaign Volunteer work 5 Self-rated Competencies

5

2014

2013

2012

2011

24.1%

26.9%

28.5%

28.8%

35.3%

42.4%

35.6%

36.4%

9.3%

12.7%

9.7%

11.3%

46.2%

48.6%

51.3%

52.4%

59.9% 8.0%

62.8% 9.3%

66.1% 9.7%

68.6% 6.7%

Frequently /Occasionally Participated during the Past Year

Major Strength/Somewhat Strong Or Highest 10%/Above Average

11 or more hours Student Affairs Assessment & Research | 2014 CIRP Report | 9

Civic Engagement Ability to see the world from some else’s perspective Tolerance of others with different beliefs Openness to having my own views challenged Ability to discuss and negotiate controversial issues Ability to work cooperatively with diverse people Awareness and Values Helping others who are in difficulty Participating in a community action program Helping to promote racial understanding Becoming a community leader Plan to Do in College Participate in student government Participate in volunteer or community service work * Frequent only

2014

2013

2012

2011

83.1%

83.4%

76.1%

74.2%

85.1% 67.0%

84.8% 65.9%

80.3% 58.9%

78.2% 62.3%

78.2%

77.7%

71.2%

71.4%

90.4%

89.8%

85.9%

82.8%

Level of Importance: Essential / Very Important 68.6% 70.6% 79.5% 29.0% 31.2% 37.1% 34.8% 34.1% 39.5% 38.7% 40.6% 46.6% Very Good Chance to do in College 10.6% 9.8% 9.6% 36.8%

33.8%

74.3% 34.8% 35.2% 44.7% 9.4%

44.7%

41.0%

College Choice

This theme illustrates the issues students may have considered in choosing to attend college in general, as well as a particular college.

College Choice Top Six Reasons to Attend College in General To learn more things that interest me To be able to get a better job To get training for a specific career To gain general education and appreciation of ideas To be able to make more money To prepare myself for graduate or professional school Top Reasons to Attend FSU It has a very good academic reputation It has a good reputation for its social activities A visit to its Campus Its graduates get good jobs I wanted to go to a school about its size The cost of attending this college Its graduates gain admission to top graduate/professional schools I was offered financial assistance The percentage of students that graduate from it Rankings in national magazines Choice First choice Second choice Third choice Less than third choice

FSU

Univ Hi

All Public Univ

85.0% 83.0% 76.1% 72.0% 69.9% 65.8%

84.0% 87.0% 71.2% 70.9% 68.2% 59.7%

82.5% 86.1% 75.1% 69.4% 71.9% 60.1%

62.8% 61.0% 48.5% 47.5% 38.2% 37.4%

85.0% 47.1% 43.3% 68.0% 32.2% 31.0%

69.5% 45.1% 38.3% 54.8% 30.9% 43.8%

32.3%

47.8%

35.9%

29.5% 24.7% 24.1%

30.3% 30.8% 34.1%

39.3% 28.0% 23.3%

69.3% 23.2% 5.0% 2.4%

56.7% 24.7% 11.2% 7.4%

54.6% 26.0% 11.5% 7.9%

Students Considered as “Very Important Reason”

Students Considered as “Very Important Reason”

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Likelihood of transferring to another college before graduation Very good chance 3.1% Some chance 13.5% Very little chance 37.2% No chance 46.3% Likelihood of needing extra time to complete degree requirements Very good chance 4.2% Some chance 15.7% Very little chance 49.6% No chance 30.4%

2.1% 10.2% 42.4% 45.4%

4.2% 15.6% 40.4% 39.8%

4.5% 26.8% 52.1% 16.6%

5.4% 27.8% 49.4% 17.5%

Along with comparing FSU to highly selective public universities and all universities, it is interesting to note the changes within FSU over the last four years.

College Choice: FSU Top Six Reasons to Attend College in General To be able to get a better job To learn more things that interest me To get training for a specific career To gain general education and appreciation of ideas To be able to make more money To prepare myself for graduate or professional school Top Five Reasons to Attend Your College It has a very good academic reputation It has a good reputation for its social activities A visit to its Campus It graduates get good jobs Its graduates gain admission to top graduate/professional schools

2014

2013

2012

2011

83.0% 85.0% 76.1%

84.6% 83.6% 78.3%

85.2% 88.0% 81.6%

84.4% 85.7% 80.5%

72.0%

72.9%

78.2%

74.3%

69.9%

71.3%

69.2%

67.2%

65.8%

68.4%

69.6%

67.3%

Students Considered as “Very Important Reason”

Students Considered as “Very Important Reason”

62.8% 61.0% 48.5% 47.5%

66.6% 62.9% 47.8% 47.1%

73.0% 59.3% 48.2% 59.7%

68.8% 56.9% 45.8% 53.6%

32.3%

29.6%

41.1%

35.4%

Similar to previous years, the top reason students choose to attend college is to learn more, and students also want to be able to obtain a better job post-graduation. A noteworthy observation is an increased importance of graduate or professional school graduation as a reason to attend FSU. Interestingly, it has decreased in value as a reason to attend college in general, but students are attracted to FSU for this reason.

Another interesting note involves the expected years to graduation. FSU students believe they will not transfer nor will they require additional time to graduate with their degree. When we compare these expectations to actual graduation rates, we find that the 2008 full-time, first time in college cohort’s 4-year graduation rate is 61.2% and the 6-year graduation rate is 79.0%. Trying to minimize the gap between expectations and reality would have many positive implications for the students and institution.

Examining trend data, FSU students are the most ambitious of the group with their expected graduation date being four years or less.

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Expected years to graduation Do not plan to graduate from this college 6 or more 5 4 3 2 1

2014

2013

2012

FSU

Univ. Hi

All Public

FSU

Univ. Hi

All Public

FSU

Univ. Hi

All Public

0.2%

0.1%

0.8%

0.5%

0.3%

1.2%

0.1%

0.0%

0.0%

1.5% 2.8% 82.2% 10.4% 2.8% 0.1%

2.0% 9.9% 85.9% 1.9% 0.1% 0.0%

2.3% 8.5% 85.8% 2.2% 0.2% 0.0%

2.7% 4.1% 79.5% 11.2% 1.9% 0.0%

2.4% 5.4% 87.7% 3.7% 0.4% 0.0%

3.3% 8.3% 83.1% 3.5% 0.5% 0.1%

1.3% 8.1% 83.6% 4.4% 2.2% 0.3%

0.4% 3.8% 88.3% 5.2% 2.0% 0.2%

0.4% 2.8% 84.7% 7.8% 3.1% 1.2%

Figure: College Choice 75

Students who identify the institution as their 1st choice

Percentage

70

65

60 FSU Highly Selective

55

All Public 50

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

The graph above is of particular interest as it shares that students are consistently identifying FSU as their first choice. The finding that FSU is consistently around 68% but peer institutions are falling highlights the success of FSU’s reputation and recruitment efforts.

Diversity and Perspectives

This theme relates to social attitudes and experiences with diversity. It also incorporates data that relates to students’ behaviors, viewpoints, values, and behavioral expectations regarding social justice issues.

Diversity Behaviors and Experiences in High School Socialized with someone of another racial/ethnic group Competencies Ability to see the world from someone else’s perspective Tolerance of others with different beliefs Openness to having my own views challenged Ability to discuss and negotiate controversial issues Ability to work cooperatively with diverse people

FSU

Univ Hi

All Public Univ

84.5%

75.4%

73.3%

83.1% 85.1% 67.0% 78.2% 90.4%

79.4% 85.6% 64.4% 73.7% 87.7%

78.2% 83.4% 64.2% 72.4% 86.7%

Frequently /Occasionally Participated during Past Year A Major Strength/Somewhat Strong

Student Affairs Assessment & Research | 2014 CIRP Report | 12

Knowledge of people from different races/cultures Ability to get along with people of different races/cultures Viewpoints Students from disadvantaged social backgrounds should be given preferential treatment in college admissions Through hard work, everybody can succeed in American society Racial discrimination is no longer a major problem in America.

Same-sex couples should have the right to legal marital status Undocumented immigrants should be denied access to public education Federal military spending should be increased The death penalty should be abolished Addressing global climate change should be a federal priority The chief benefit of a college education is that it increases one’s earning power Values Influencing social values Helping to promote racial understanding Improving my understanding of other countries and cultures Plan to Do in College Socialize with someone of another racial/ethnic group Have a roommate of different race/ethnicity

50.3%

45.1%

44.4%

88.1%

85.5%

84.7%

Agree Strongly /Agree Somewhat

35.4%

38.5%

44.4%

77.7%

70.8%

74.1%

23.0%

23.8%

25.1%

84.7%

86.6%

85.0%

36.1%

35.4%

35.5%

42.2% 34.0%

28.2% 44.2%

32.3% 42.2%

62.8%

69.9%

68.8%

65.3%

62.2%

66.3%

Essential / Very Important

46.6% 34.8%

38.0% 33.2%

40.4% 34.6%

53.8%

55.4%

52.0%

Very Good Chance to do in College

66.0% 26.8%

71.3% 34.4%

67.8% 31.1%

In 2014, several highly intense events focused on race occurred in the United States, and many transpired on college campuses. As such, the construct of diversity is especially relevant and important. In high school, the percentage of students that socialized with someone of another racial/ethnic group increased for FSU but decreased for the other two groups. This could be interpreted to mean that students are more aware of diversity and have experience with identifies outside of their own, but more data are required to support this. FSU students perceive themselves to be highly capable of dealing with, experiencing debate with, and getting along with people from other cultures.

Viewpoints can be seen as an extension of an individual’s political and social views. Thus, these can be used to confirm or deny students’ perceptions of their own openness. Key viewpoints, such as undocumented immigrants’ access to education, are trending in an inclusive direction, such that more students support their ability to attend college. Recognizing global climate change as a priority has increased substantially, while the perspective that the main benefit of college attendance in an increase in wage has reduced. The expectations of college, such as socializing with individuals of different ethnic and racial groups and possibly sharing living spaces, have also increased.

Each year, CIRP chooses what questions to ask, and thus, there is trend data over various years if the same questions were asked repeatedly. The following tables focuses specifically on FSU students to explore trends in viewpoints across a five-year period. Not all questions, however, have previous years’ information.

Student Affairs Assessment & Research | 2014 CIRP Report | 13

Trends of viewpoints Agree strongly/Somewhat agree Racial discrimination is no longer a major problem in America.

Students from disadvantaged backgrounds should be given preferential treatment in college admissions.

Undocumented immigrants should be denied access to public education Addressing global warming/climate change should be a federal priority The chief benefit of a college education is that it increases one’s earning power

2014

2013

2012

2011

23.0%

21.8%

28.3%

35.4%

31.7%

33.1%

2010

36.1%

40.5%

50.0%

62.8%

58.7%

57.4%

59.8%

65.3%

72.9%

68.9%

68.3%

These viewpoints lead to the discussion of political views and beliefs.

How would you characterize your political views: Far left Liberal Middle-of-the-road Conservative Far right

FSU 2.2% 27.3% 42.7% 26.0% 1.9%

Univ Hi 2.7% 33.6% 40.6% 21.6% 1.5%

All Public Univ 2.8% 31.8% 45.1% 18.9% 1.4%

This table above shows how FSU students are different than other institutions, and examining the trends over the past five years, below, demonstrates that this is consistent. FSU students are less liberal and more conservative with their political views.

How would you characterize your political views: Far left Liberal Middle-of-the-road Conservative Far right

2014 2.2% 27.3% 42.7% 26.0% 1.9%

2013 2.2% 27.8% 40.8% 27.4% 1.9%

2012 2.2% 27.4% 42.5% 26.2% 1.8%

2011 2.1% 26.6% 40.1% 29.4% 1.8%

2010 2.4% 26.3% 42.4% 27.0% 1.9%

Financing College

This theme contains items related to the financial issues associated with attending college.

Financing College Financial Reasons Associated with Attending Selected College The cost of attending I was offered financial assistance Could not afford first choice Not offered aid by first choice Employment Plans While in College Get a job to help pay for college expenses Work full-time while attending college

FSU

Univ Hi

All Public Univ

74.4% 59.8% 22.5% 19.5%

66.3% 51.8% 19.2% 18.2%

77.0% 64.5% 27.8% 25.9%

81.7% 32.5%

76.3% 21.0%

81.4% 29.9%

Students Considered as “Very Important Reason/Somewhat Important”

Very Good Chance/Some Chance

Student Affairs Assessment & Research | 2014 CIRP Report | 14

The issue of finances is once again a hot topic for the public. With the increasing numbers of students graduating with high debt, students are, not surprisingly, concerned. Below, the bar graph shares that 60% of FSU students are concerned about financing their college experience.

Figure: Students indicting their level of concern about financing college Concerns on Fiancing College

100%

8.0%

7.7%

50.5%

50.1%

11.2%

80%

Major

54.1%

60%

Some None

40% 20% 0%

41.4%

FSU

42.2%

Univ Hi

34.7%

Public Univ

Future Planning

This theme highlights items on students’ plans for the future including programs of study and careers.

Future Planning Highest Academic Degrees Planned Bachelor’s degree (B.A., B.S., etc.)

Master’s degree (M.A., M.S., etc.)

Ph.D. or Ed.D. M.D., D.O., D.D.S., D.V.M. J.D. B.D. or M.DIV. (Divinity) Other Top Five Probable Occupations Business Doctor (MD or DDS) Artist Health Professional Lawyer Top Five Probable Majors (aggregated) Biological & Life Sciences Business Arts & Humanities Engineering Social Science

FSU

Univ Hi

All Public Univ

16.6% 42.8% 19.7% 12.9% 7.3% 0.2% 0.2%

14.7% 42.7% 21.5% 15.5% 4.5% 0.1% 0.7%

19.8% 42.0% 19.8% 13.2% 3.7% 0.1% 0.8%

14.9% 13.0% 9.5% 7.6% 5.5%

13.8% 15.4% 4.0% 6.1% 3.2%

13.3% 10.9% 5.4% 7.9% 2.9%

17.5% 16.0% 9.1% 7.5% 6.9%

17.3% 12.4% 3.9% 23.7% 6.3%

15.8% 13.7% 4.9% 16.9% 7.5%

Student Affairs Assessment & Research | 2014 CIRP Report | 15

Uncertainty of Career Plan Change major field Change career choice

Very good chance to do in college

16.7% 16.8%

16.3% 16.9%

15.0% 15.0%

Almost half of FSU students plan to pursue and complete a Masters degree. Many students attend FSU to become a lawyer and/or pursue a J.D. Business continues to be a top profession and/or major anticipated by students, but FSU students, like their national peers, are unsure of the field, major, or career to pursue.

Health and Wellness

This theme gauges student behaviors, attitudes, and experiences related to health and wellness issues.

Health and Wellness Behaviors and Experiences in High School Smoked cigarettes Drank beer Drank wine or liquor Felt overwhelmed by all I had to do Felt depressed Exercise or sports (11 or more hours) Partying (11 or more hours) Self-rated Competencies and Traits Emotional Health Physical Health Risk-taking Behaviors Self-understanding Diagnosed Disabilities or Medical Conditions Learning Disability (dyslexia, etc.)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Autism spectrum/Aspergerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s syndrome Physical disability (speech, sight, mobility, hearing, etc.)

Chronic illness (cancer, diabetes, autoimmune disorders etc.)

Psychological disorder (depression, etc.)

Plan to Do in College Seek personal counseling

FSU

Univ Hi

All Public Univ

1.0% 37.5% 43.2% 38.5% 7.4% 32.3 % 7.8%

0.9% 36.5% 41.4% 32.1% 7.3% 33.8% 3.3%

1.5% 34.6% 39.3% 33.6% 8.7% 31.6% 3.7%

60.8% 64.0% 17.5% 65.8%

54.3% 59.7% 10.7% 58.6%

52.7% 56.7% 11.7% 57.5%

1.7% 6.1% 0.5%

1.6% 4.4% 0.5%

2.0% 4.9% 0.6%

3.4%

2.6%

3.1%

3.1%

2.3%

2.2%

5.9%

6.6%

7.0%

9.0%

11.2%

11.8%

Frequently /Occasionally Participated during the Past Year

Highest 10% /Above Average

Yes

Very Good Chance to do in College

Similar to national peers, FSU students are less frequently drinking beer, wine, or liquor or partying for 11 hours or more. Since 2013, there has been a decrease of ten percentage points of students that drank wine or liquor occasionally or frequently.

With the increasing prevalence of mental health issues and concerns on college campuses, CIRP began asking questions pertaining specifically to diagnosed disabilities and medical conditions. As can be seen, FSU students are similar to students from the comparison groups. There is, however, a higher occurrence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder at FSU. Not surprisingly, more students are seeking personal counseling. From 2013, the percentage of student planning to seek counseling increased 2% at FSU. It is anticipated this trend will continue.

Student Affairs Assessment & Research | 2014 CIRP Report | 16

Leadership and Service

This theme addresses issues related to leadership, such as leadership opportunities, motivations, and aspirations.

Leadership FSU Univ Hi All Public Univ Level of Importance: Essential / Very Important Ambitions & Values Becoming accomplished in the performing arts 16.1% 12.7% 14.3% Becoming an authority in my field 71.2% 60.9% 59.6% Obtaining recognition from my colleagues for 71.3% 60.9% 59.6% contributions to my specific field Influencing the political structure 26.2% 18.7% 19.7% Influencing the social values 46.6% 38.0% 40.4% Raising a family 69.6% 70.5% 71.0% Becoming a community leader 38.7% 39.0% 36.6% Being very well of financially 87.1% 80.8% 82.5% Making a theoretical contribution to science 25.8% 30.3% 28.2% Becoming successful in a business of my own 45.7% 34.3% 37.2% Writing original works (poems, novels, etc.)

14.5% 11.6% 13.9% Creating artistic works (painting, sculpture, etc.)

14.5% 10.6% 12.9% Becoming involved in programs to clean up the 22.1% 24.0% 25.6% environment Developing a meaningful philosophy of life 45.0% 47.3% 44.6% Participating in a community action program 29.0% 28.5% 28.7% Helping to promote racial understanding 34.8% 33.2% 34.6% Keeping up to date with political affairs 43.4% 39.8% 36.6% Improving my understanding of other countries 53.8% 55.4% 52.0% and cultures Adopting â&#x20AC;&#x153;greenâ&#x20AC;? practices to protect the 38.6% 43.2% 42.6% environment Plan to Do in College Very Good Chance to do in College Participate in student government 40.6% 32.7% 31.4% Join a social fraternity or sorority 31.7% 18.6% 15.1% Comparing FSU students to their national peers, our students are higher in many of the values and ambitions listed. Most noticeably, being viewed as an authority and being recognized for contributions are important to our students. Combining these findings with other aspects of CIRP, FSU students are more politically engaged, want to influence social values, and hope to make an impact in the arts and culture realm. Sustainability or green practices, however, are not a priority for most of our students. Lastly, FSU students are statistically significantly more likely to join a social fraternity or sorority than national comparison groups.

Spirituality/Religiosity

This theme relates to religious and spiritual practices and beliefs Spirituality/Religiosity Self-Rated Competencies Spirituality Participation in the last year Attended a religious service

FSU Univ Hi Highest 10%/Above Average 37.9% 31.6% Frequently/Occasionally

72.0%

70.2%

All Public Univ 32.8% 67.6%

Student Affairs Assessment & Research | 2014 CIRP Report | 17

Discussed religion Importance of the following Developing a meaningful philosophy of life FSU’s Top Five Current Religious Preferences None Roman Catholic Baptist Methodist Jewish Top Five Current Religious Preference: Father Roman Catholic None Baptist Methodist Jewish Top Five Current Religious Preference: Mother Roman Catholic None Baptist Methodist Jewish

33.8% 31.4% Essential/Very Important 45.0% 47.3%

28.9% 44.6%

29.0% 22.6% 8.4% 6.3% 5.6%

32.1% 25.4% 3.3% 3.7% 6.1%

32.4% 24.0% 4.5% 2.6% 3.8%

28.1% 16.7% 10.6% 7.3% 6.8%

29.8% 19.9% 4.2% 4.6% 7.0%

28.3% 21.3% 5.1% 3.2% 4.5%

30.0% 12.0% 10.8% 8.1% 6.7%

31.7% 14.7% 4.3% 5.3% 6.7%

30.1% 15.9% 5.3% 3.6% 4.4%

A national trend identifies decreased religious affiliation and spiritual competencies across all groups. FSU is a part of this movement. Most significantly, participation in the last year of attending a religious service or discussing religion has decreased significantly, but FSU students do engage in these behaviors more often than their peers.

CIRP Constructs

Since 2009, HERI has incorporated a series of constructs measuring various aspects of student life. These constructs were identified using Item Response Theory (IRT) and were designed to allow institutions to make benchmark comparisons as well as use the data locally for internal assessment needs. In other words, individual survey items are combined into constructs to capture a more general, accurate picture. The CIRP Constructs identified by HERI include: • Habits of Mind: a unified measure of the behaviors and traits associated with academic success. These learning behaviors are seen as the foundation of lifelong learning.

• Social Agency: measures the extent to which students value political and social involvement as a personal goal.

• Social Self-Concept: a unified measure of students’ beliefs about their abilities and confidence in social situations.

• Academic Self-Concept: a unified measure of students’ beliefs about their abilities and confidence in academic environments.

• Pluralistic Orientation: measures skills and dispositions appropriate for living and working in a diverse society.

• College Reputation Orientation: measures the degree to which students value academic reputation and future career potential as a reason for choosing this college.

• Likelihood of College Involvement: a unified measure of students’ expectations about their involvement in college life generally.

• Civic Engagement: measures the extent to which students are motivated and involved in civic, electoral, and political activities.

Student Affairs Assessment & Research | 2014 CIRP Report | 18

Figure: Constructs Longitudinal Comparison

Construct Mean Score

FSU 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47

Year

All Public

`10 `11 `12 `13 `14 `10 `11 `12 `13 `14 `10 `11 `12 `13 `14 `10 `11 `12 `13 `14 Habits of Mind

Social Agency

FSU

Univ Hi

Social Self-Concept

Academic SelfConcept

All Public

Construct Mean Score

55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 Year

Univ Hi

`10 `11 `12 `13 `14 `10 `11 `12 `13 `14 `10 `11 `12 `13 `14 `11 `12 `13 `14 Pluralistic Orientation

College Reputation Orientation

Likelihood of College Invovement

*Please note: CIRP did not include the Civic Engagement construct until 2011 CIRP Construct FSU Univ Hi Habits of Mind 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Social Agency 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Social Self-concept 2010 2011 6

*: p<0.5

**: p<0.01

Mean

Mean

FSU Diff

50.8 50.9 51.6 51.5 51.8

50.9 51.5 51.5 51.7 51.9

-0.1 -0.6 +0.1 -0.2 -0.1

50.3 50.5 51.6 49.9 49.5

48.8 49.1 49.6 49.2 49.1

+1.5 +1.4 +2.0 +0.7 +0.4

51.5 51.3

50.4 50.1

+1.1 +1.2

Sig.

All Public Univ FSU Diff

Sig. 6

49.6 50.0 50.5 50.6 50.9

+1.2 +0.9 +1.1 +0.9 +0.9

*** *** *** *** ***

*** *** *** ***

48.3 48.5 49.3 49.0 49.0

+2.0 +2.0 +2.3 +0.9 +0.5

*** *** *** ***

*** ***

49.5 49.3

+2.0 +2.0

*** ***

***

Mean

Civic Engagement*

***: p<0.001 Student Affairs Assessment & Research | 2014 CIRP Report | 19

CIRP Construct

FSU

Mean

Mean

2012 50.4 49.6 2013 51.3 50.1 2014 51.5 49.2 Academic Self-concept 2010 52.8 53.8 2011 52.1 53.4 2012 51.9 52.4 2013 52.4 53.1 2014 52.9 53.5 Pluralistic Orientation 2010 51.2 50.6 2011 51.3 51.0 2012 51.6 51.1 2013 51.7 50.6 2014 51.8 50.4 College Reputation Orientation 2010 48.9 50.8 2011 48.9 51.3 2012 49.8 51.2 2013 47.9 50.6 2014 48.0 51.3 Likelihood of College Involvement 2010 50.8 51.1 2011 50.8 51.7 2012 51.2 50.9 2013 49.6 51.0 2014 50.2 51.7 Civic Engagement 2012 52.1 50.4 2013 51.7 50.4 2014 50.8 49.7

Univ Hi FSU Diff

Sig.

Mean

+0.8 +1.2 +2.3

*** *** ***

-1.0 -1.3 -0.5 -0.7 -0.6

All Public Univ FSU Diff

Sig. 6

49.2 49.2 48.9

+1.2 +2.1 +2.6

*** *** ***

*** *** ** *** ***

50.5 50.6 50.2 51.2 51.1

+2.3 +1.5 +1.7 +1.2 +1.8

*** *** *** *** ***

+0.6 +0.3 +0.5 +1.1 +1.4

*** *** *** ***

49.6 50.1 50.4 50.3 50.3

+1.6 +1.2 +1.2 +1.4 +1.5

*** *** *** *** ***

-1.9 -2.4 -1.4 -2.7 -3.3

*** *** *** *** ***

48.5 48.8 48.8 48.6 48.9

+0.4 +0.1 +1.0 -0.7 -0.9

***

-0.3 -0.9 +0.3 -0.4 -1.5

* *** *** ***

49.1 49.7 49.6 49.7 50.0

+1.7 +1.1 +1.6 -0.1 +0.2

*** *** ***

+1.7 +1.3 +1.1

*** *** ***

49.8 49.9 49.5

+2.3 +1.8 +1.3

*** *** ***

*** *** ***

Of important note, before the table can be accurately explained, is an understanding of how the constructs are developed. Each construct is created by HERI and is weighted to reflect the purpose of the construct.

As such, these constructs may provide a different perspective of earlier findings. For example, the likelihood of college involvement construct indicates FSU students are significantly less likely to be involved compared to highly selective schools. However, earlier figures in this report provide contradictory findings. Since the construct is heavily weighted to prioritize participation in student clubs and groups, even though FSU students are significantly more likely to engage in student government opportunities, the construct indicates a different trend.

As can be seen in the table, FSUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first-time full-time freshmen are significantly different than comparison groups for the constructs of social self-concept, pluralistic orientation, and civic engagement. In other words, our students are motivated and value political, social, and civic engagement. As well, incoming freshmen are confident in their social skills and ability to be successful in a diverse environment and society.

On the other hand, incoming students to FSU are not as confident in their academic ability. In contrast to their desire for social, political, and civic engagement, they indicate they are less likely to get involved in Student Affairs Assessment & Research | 2014 CIRP Report | 20

college life, in general, compared to peer institutions. FSU’s significant difference with highly selective universities in the constructs of academic self-concept, college reputation orientation, and likelihood of college involvement suggest these specific occurrences.

Interestingly, although students are not as confident in their academic abilities in an academic environment, the habits of mind construct is similar for FSU students and peer institutions. This suggests that behaviors and traits associated with academic success are comparable to other students.

Noteworthy Trends

HERI provides a monograph that highlights the national norms and trends using data from all sampled institutions and students. From this document, we can identify trends that may be of concern and/or interest. The entire document can be viewed at: http://www.heri.ucla.edu/monographs/TheAmericanFreshman2014.pdf.

After weighing the data, responses from 1.6 million first-time, full-time students who entered 1,538 fouryear U.S. institutions in fall 2014 were compiled to identify trends. The identified trends can be grouped into four overarching categories: institutional selection, aspirations and intentions, perspectives and beliefs, and health and behaviors. Taking this information, we can compare FSU statistics to determine potential next steps and areas of interest for administration and faculty. Along with the four categories, additional noteworthy findings are also included.

Institutional Selection

 National findings The first category incorporates two noteworthy trends identified by CIRP: student mobility and early admission. According to CIRP, student mobility is of concern because of the way the federal and state governments measure, and reward, graduation rates. Nationally, students that are enrolling in less selective campuses are most likely to intend to transfer (30.3% of least selective public institutions and 29.9% of least selective private institutions). On the other hand, at more selective institutions, 11.8% of students indicate an intention to transfer. Additionally, first-time, full-time freshmen anticipate they may need extra time to complete their degree; over one-third (33.7%) of students think there is either “some” or a “very good” chance they will require extra time to obtain their degree requirements. This trend, however, varies by institution selectivity and type. The more selective an institution is, the less likely a student anticipates requiring extra time to completion, which may reflect their confidence in perceived academic ability. An important consideration, though, is students may need extra time if pursuing a double major, cooperative education experiences, or development courses before enrolling in college-level courses.

Students are increasingly rating early admission programs as important in their college choice. In line with previous years, an institution’s academic reputation continues to be the single most important factor to students in choosing their college, but the importance of early action or early decision programs is gaining footing. Since this aspect was first introduced on CIRP in 1999, it has more than doubled from 6.9% to 15.7% in 2014. Early decision programs tend to ensure students commit to an institution while early action programs inform students of their acceptance. This trend corresponds with a desire to better manage enrollment. There is a significant correlation between selectivity of the college and students’ ranking of early admission programs; the more selective the institution, the more importance a student ranks early action and decision programs. An important note: research (see Park & Eagan, 2011) indicates that early admission tends to advantage students from more affluent families and those that are less sensitive to financial aid packages. This finding should be considered before initiatives are developed or action is taken regarding early admission programs.  FSU findings Looking specifically at FSU, 16.6% of FSU students indicated there was some or a very good chance of transfer, compared to the national average of 12.3% for highly selective public institutions and 19.8% of Student Affairs Assessment & Research | 2014 CIRP Report | 21

participating public universities Based on this data, striving, and meeting, the percentage of highly selective public institutions is achievable. Incoming FSU students are significantly less likely to think they need more time to graduate (19.9% vs. 29.5%). More investigation into this finding is suggested.

The importance of early admission programs is also different for FSU students. The tables below highlights the FSU results in comparison to highly selective institutions. Although the values are lower for FSU students, in 2013, all these values were significantly lower.

Percentage of students who say early action or early decision programs are Very important to my attendance at this college Somewhat importance to my attendance at this college

Florida State University

Highly selective institutions

Male

Female

Total

Male

Female

Total

13.0

19.0

16.5

21.4

19.0

24.0

18.5

14.5

16.5

21.8

14.5

20.0

The trend data for FSU is below: Percentage of students who say early action or early decision programs are Very important to my attendance at this college Somewhat importance to my attendance at this college

2013

2014

Male

Female

Total

Male

Female

Total

8.9

13.7

11.8

13.0

19.0

16.5

16.2

15.2

15.6

18.5

14.5

16.5

These tables suggest that students are increasingly rating early action or admission programs as a priority for selection which college to attend. Observing this trend will be invaluable to determining potential additional efforts and investment in early or early decision programs in upcoming years.

Aspirations

 National findings Two areas of interest were combined to create the “aspirations” category: aspiration for advanced degrees and intention to study abroad. Interestingly, although students are expecting to take longer to complete their degree requirements, they are also entering college considering masters and doctoral degrees.

According to CIRP, in the last 40 years, the percentage of students entering college with plans to earn a master’s degree skyrocketed from 28.1% to 43.6%. In addition, students indicating they would like to earn a doctorate or first professional degree (Ph.D, Ed.D., M.D., or J.D.) increased from 21.1% to 32.9%.

Investigating this trend more deeply, there is a gender difference that emerges. Women are more likely than men to express a desire for advanced education. Obviously, this number has increased significantly from decades previously in which women were socially restricted in terms of types of degrees earned. CIRP suggests that the labor market may be directly linked to this trend. It has been said that the 90’s high school diploma is now a college degree. In other words, a minimum of a college degree is required for many entry level positions. As such, to advance to many careers, masters and doctoral degrees may be necessary. Parallel to the increased aspiration of advanced degrees, there has been an increase in first-generation students’ ambitions. Thus, the gap between the first-generation cohort and their continuing-generation peers has shrunk. Since first-generation students are more likely to complete all their postsecondary education, both baccalaureate and graduate, at the same institution, additional opportunities for engagement and advising emerge.

Second, a portrait of students intending to study abroad is revealed with this year’s CIRP data. More than a third (34.1%) of incoming freshmen state there is a “very good chance” that they will study abroad.

Of particular interest is the demographics, backgrounds, and experiences are different for those who do not Student Affairs Assessment & Research | 2014 CIRP Report | 22

intend to study abroad. Not surprisingly, students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds tend to be more likely to study abroad compared to their lower socioeconomic peers. Overall, students that intend to study aboard have parents (both mother and father) with higher incomes and more education. This has clear implications for study abroad programs. Finding ways to engage students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds with additional outreach and resources may be a valuable strategy. Looking at self-reported strengths, students intending to study abroad tend to, on average, rate foreign language ability and their knowledge of different races/cultures higher than their peers. HERI suggests that study abroad offices may try to recruit students from socially or civically engaged clubs and organizations on campus as students that intend to study abroad tend to score higher on the CIRP social agency and civic engagement constructs.

These students also tend to have personal goals of keeping up to date with political affairs and influencing social values compare to those students that do not intend to study abroad.  FSU findings Examining FSU specifically, there are interesting findings. Both the national findings of an increased aspiration for advanced degrees and more economically advantaged populations intending to study abroad more than lower socioeconomic peers are consistent. The percentage of students intending to study abroad is increasing at FSU, which is in line with the national reference group. Examining aspiration for advanced degrees, once again, FSU trends are consistent with that of the nation. Similar to the nation, women at FSU tend to aspire for graduate education more often than their male peers. Unfortunately, why this significant gap between genders at FSU exists is unknown, and further investigation into this area of interest is required. An interesting finding also emerges when exploring what degrees FSU students wish to pursue.

Across both genders a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) signifying advanced education in the field of Law is consistently higher than that of the comparison group. For example, 7.3% of FSU students plan to obtain a J.D. as their highest degree, compared to 3.7% of the national population. Additionally, when asked about the highest degree planned at the college they are currently attending, 2.6% of respondents identified FSU as the institution they wish to receive their J.D., while only 0.5% indicated they would obtain the degree at the comparison public university cohort.

Perspectives and Beliefs:

 National findings The category of perspectives and beliefs brings together three key findings from CIRP 2014: students are identifying a declining religious affiliation, more liberal views, and increased confidence in interaction with diverse populations. A central theme of the 2014 CIRP was students’ lack of religious affiliation and decreased self-rated spirituality. Gender differences exist in this movement as well. To demonstrate the change, in 1971, 17.3% of men and 13.5% of women did not affiliate with any religion. In 2014, these values increased to 30% of men and 25.4% of women. Supporting research (Pew, 2014) found that 29% of Millennials remain religiously unaffiliated compared to 21% of Generation Xers, 16% of Baby Boomers, and 9% of the “Silent” Generation. In line with the diminishing affiliation with a religion, students are ranking themselves lower in spirituality. Bringing the two findings together, students that indicate they are affiliated with a religion tend to have increased spirituality self-rating. The data suggests that many students clearly separate spirituality from a religious affiliation.

The fall 2014 incoming cohort of freshmen are confident in their ability to interact with diverse peers; approximately 90% indicated that working cooperatively with diverse people is a strength. Not surprisingly, students that have interacted more often with diverse communities and groups identify this ability as a strength more often. The high school that a student attended plays a significant role in who the student intends to interact with while at college. For students that come from either completely white or non-white neighborhoods (23.1% of incoming students), they indicate they are less likely to “frequently” socialize with someone of another racial or ethnic background. This is a valuable reminder that incoming freshmen are not just embracing new academic experiences, but social ones as well. While students feel confident in interacting with diverse peers, they are less certain about their knowledge of individuals from different cultures and races or about their willingness to promote racial understanding. A third of incoming freshmen students to American colleges and universities indicate that helping to promote racial Student Affairs Assessment & Research | 2014 CIRP Report | 23

understanding is “very important” or “essential” to them, but the demographics of these students is unique.

Generally speaking, for racial and ethnic minority students, specifically African American students, it is more important to promote racial understanding. With racial tension high in the US, there is an opportunity for institutions to find ways to unite students from all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds to understand diverse views, experiences, and perspectives.

The CIRP results from the last several years have indicated there is a trend of students increasingly moving in a liberal direction on many social issues, even though approximately half identify as “middle of the road.” For example, since 2012, support for same-sex couples having the legal right to marry increased 6.5 percentage points to 81.5%. In addition to same-sex marriage, another issue uniting students is supporting the federal government to do more to address global climate change. Nearly half of first-time, full-time freshmen students agree that students from disadvantaged backgrounds should be given preferential treatment in the admissions process and that undocumented immigrants should have access to public education. One area where students’ views have diverged towards the left is military spending. After a 13-year low of support for increased spending on military in 2008, this number has gradually increased 9.3 percentage points to 37.3%.  FSU findings The national trend of declining religious affiliation for freshmen students is consistent at FSU. The percentage of students that identify with no religious affiliation has increased from 23.6% in 2012, to 24.9% in 2013, and now to 29.0% in 2014. However, the FSU freshmen differ with respect to the other two national observations. First, although students across the US are exhibiting more liberal views, at FSU, the students are more conservative. Interestingly, this has been steady across several years and several cohorts.

Second, FSU students are similar to their national peers as they identify higher confidence levels of the ability to work cooperatively with diverse people, but the height of their confidence is significantly higher than comparison groups. Over 90% of FSU freshmen indicate that this ability is a major strength or somewhat strong. As an overall trend, FSU incoming students tend to be very confident in their abilities with respect to diversity, but also in academic and social ability. Given national and local trends and events, efforts and work in these areas continue to be impactful.

Health and Behaviors

 National findings The final category amalgamates three key findings related to health and behavior: while there are continued mental and emotional health concerns for students, there is a reduction in partying and socializing, alcohol use, and tobacco use. As social media use continues to rise, the amount of time students report socializing with friends during their final year in high school continues to decline (Eagan et al., 2014).

There is an additional race variation with White or Caucasian students more likely to report spending 16 hours or more with their friends and Latino/a students least likely to do so. In line with reduced socializing, there is less reporting of partying during their senior year of high school. In 2014, 41.3% of students reported not partying at all. Looking at time trends, from 1987 until 2014, the number of students who party less than an hour a week increased from 24.3% to 61.4% and those that partied six hours or more a week decreased from 34.5% to 8.6%. While students’ partying behaviors and time spent partying has decreased significantly, students still rank the social reputation of the institution as one of the top factors impacting college choice. This leads to the hypothesis that students are increasingly seeking institutional support with social opportunities.

In line with the reduced partying, students’ alcohol and cigarette use has decreased as well; it is the lowest self-reported rate in over 30 years. In 1981, 74.2% of students indicated they “frequently” or “occasionally” drank beer, while in 2014, this value has declined to 33.5%. Wine consumption has fallen as well, from 67.8% in 1987 to 38.7% in 2014. Not surprisingly, frequent cigarette smoking has decreased from 9.2% in 1981 to 1.7% of students in 2014. Unfortunately, students’ first experimentation or experiences with alcohol may still occur while at FSU, so although frequency of use is decreasing, alcohol use is still of concern to college and university campuses. This change in behavior has important implications for alcohol education and similar prevention programs. A note of interest includes a correlation between behavior and Student Affairs Assessment & Research | 2014 CIRP Report | 24

attitude; students that drink more often indicate that the social reputation of their selected institution was important in the decision to attend that specific college. Additionally, those who drink alcohol more frequently are significantly more likely to join a sorority or fraternity.

The last trend of concern identified in the HERI monograph is the continued declining emotional health of students across the country. On the CIRP survey, students are asked to rate their emotional health in relation to peers their age. In this most recent survey, students’ self-rated emotional health hit its lowest level ever at 50.7%, which is 2.3% lower than the cohort of 2013. Additionally, the percentage of students who “frequently” felt depressed increased to 9.5%. While emotional health and feelings of depression are highly correlated, they are also associated with student success. Students that report feeling depressed are less engaged in class and with their peers. This translates into students frequently coming to class late and/or falling asleep in class. Students reporting that they frequently felt depressed were significantly more likely to seek counseling; it is anticipated that the pressure on the University Counseling Center to meet student demands will continue in the next few years. An additional point of concern regarding students’ declining emotional health is that lower levels of emotional health are associated with less satisfaction in college and a weaker sense of belonging.  FSU findings When examining health behaviors, FSU freshmen are in line with national trends. In other words, incoming students to FSU have reduced incidences of partying and socializing, reduced alcohol and tobacco consumption, and continued emotional health concerns. What is of note, however, is the occurrence of these incidents. As demonstrated from last year’s CIRP, social reputation and social engagement is a significant reason why students chose to attend FSU, and in line with this finding, the FSU incoming freshmen cohort have the highest incidences of partying, socializing, and tobacco and alcohol use among peer institutions. Fortunately, these behaviors are following national trends, but it is important to be aware of the expectations and preferences of incoming students. These findings present a clear opportunity to reach students in alternative and innovative ways, specifically for mental health. Alcohol-free programming needs to continue to be emphasized to support positive health and substance use behaviors.

Recommendations for FSU

The CIRP data provide an opportunity to identify trends, both positive and negative, for FSU administrators, faculty, staff, and students to consider. Aligning with the mission and vision of the institution, as well as its strategic priorities, suggestions for the institution are included below, along with those mentioned in the above discussion. Using the 2014 CIRP monograph as a frame, there are several opportunities for FSU to consider.

Many of the trends are associated with the academic prestige of the institution. This continues to be a priority for the University, but Student Affairs could play a larger role as well. Students want to come to FSU for their undergraduate career, but also stay and continue their pursuit of advanced degrees. The Division of Student Affairs can support this ambition by continuing to build affinity between students and the institution. Not surprisingly, the social aspect is still important for incoming freshmen studies, and this cannot be overlooked as the focus on academic prestige sharpens. Additionally, emotional and mental health needs are still paramount in students’ lives. Continuing to offer alternative programming, such as alcohol free, political discourse, and psychological strategy development is recommended. A new area of opportunity includes the students that are engaged or study abroad. Examining these prospects and the potential for students of all backgrounds, ethnicities, and socioeconomic statuses is valuable.

While students are exploring their identities during their college years, it is imperative FSU provide opportunities for students to engage in conversations and experiences that will cement the values FSU holds dear. Creating safe spaces for students to discuss their spirituality, religion, ethnicity, and educational aspirations, among others, needs to continue to be a focus of the institution, and with adequate attention, the affinity and pride students feel towards FSU will continue to develop and will ensure they are Seminoles that live the strength, skill, and character FSU advocates post-graduation.

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For additional information regarding CIRP data and discussion, please contact Assessment & Research in the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs: James M. Hunt, Ph. D. Coordinator, Assessment and Research 850-644-1331 jhunt@admin.fsu.edu

Shermin Murji Graduate Assistant, Assessment and Research 850-645-9837 smurji@fsu.edu

References Eagan, K., Stolzenberg, E.B., Ramirez, J.J., Aragon, M.C., Suchard, M.R., & Hurtado, S. (2014). The American Freshman: National Norms fall 2014. Retrieved from http://www.heri.ucla.edu/monographs/theamericanfreshman2014.pdf.

Park, J. J., & Eagan Jr, M. K. (2011). Who goes early? A multi-level analysis of enrolling via early action and early decision admissions. Teachers College Record, 113(11), 2345-2373.

Pew Research Center (2014). Millennials in adulthood: Detached from institutions, networked with friends.

Washington, DC: Pew Research Center.

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