2007 Freshman Class: 2007 Freshman Class Beliefs, Behaviors, and Attitudes
Major Sources: Major Sources Institutional
Admissions Office
ASU Fact Book
Freshman Survey
College Student Inventory (2003)
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) (2003)
National College Health Assessment Survey (2001)
National
HERI, “The American Freshman” (1971-2006)
Your First College Year (YFCY)
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
Millennials Rising, by Howe & Strauss (2000)
Generation Me, by Jean Twenge (2006)
Chronicle of Higher Education
Generational Context: Generational Context “Every college student is a product of its age.”
-Levine & Cureton, When Hope and Fear Collide
The life and times of the Class of 2007: The life and times of the Class of 2007 Born (1989)
Berlin Wall came down
Tianamen Square killings
Exxon Valdez accident
World Wide Web started
Simpsons Debut One year old (1990)
Persian Gulf War
Nelson Mandela released
Unification of Germany
Two years old (1991)
Soviet Union broke apart
Apartheid repealed in South Africa
Clarence Thomas hearings
The life and times of the Class of 2007: The life and times of the Class of 2007 Three years old (1992)
Bill Clinton elected
U. S. troops in Somalia
Los Angeles riots followed the Rodney King verdict
Four years old (1993)
Israeli-Palestinian peace accord
Branch Davidian stand off in Waco, Texas
Monica Seles stabbed
Five years old (1994)
World Series was canceled
Kurt Cobain committed suicide
Nancy Kerrigan attacked
Six years old (1995)
O. J. Simpson was acquitted
Oklahoma City federal building bombed
The life and times of the Class of 2007: The life and times of the Class of 2007 Seven years old (1996)
Unabomber arrested
Bill Clinton reelected
Olympic Park bombing
Eight years old (1997)
Simpson guilty in civil trial
Dow Jones topped 8,000
Princess Diana killed
Nine Years Old (1998)
Clinton/Lewinsky Affair
Jesse Ventura elected
Ten Years Old (1999)
Columbine High School Tragedy (and local threats)
Instant Messaging (IM) technology
US Women’s Soccer Team wins World Cup
The life and times of the Class of 2007: The life and times of the Class of 2007 Eleven Years Old (2000)
Presidential election controversy
Tech stocks start to fall
Elian Gonzales
Twelve Years Old (2001)
George W. Bush elected
Terrorist attack on U.S. territory (World Trade Center and Pentagon)
Anthrax scare
Thirteen Years Old (2002)
War on terror
Sniper shootings
Enron collapse
Fourteen Years Old (2003)
War in Iraq
Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
SARS outbreak
Sammy Sosa’s corked bat
Woman plays in PGA tour event
Governor Schwarzenegger
Slide8: The life and times of the Class of 2007 Fifteen Years Old (2004)
War in Iraq continues
Bush re-elected
Tsunami
Sixteen Years Old (2005)
Pope John Paul II dies
Steroid Controversy- baseball
Hurricane Katrina
Seventeen Years Old (2006)
Eighteen Years Old (2007)
Today’s Students (summary): Today’s Students (summary) Computers have been present their entire lives
Never known a day without AIDS
Grew up in a period of rapid change
Era of personal violence and terrorism
Generation Me: Generation Me Generation of people 35 and under
Gen Y, Millennial, iGeneration
Soaring expectations and crushing realities
Individual desires over social conventions
Over-inflated self-esteem
Stressed, anxious, & depressed Twenge, J. (2006). Generation Me.
Yeah, Right….: Yeah, Right…. Declining belief in personal responsibility and the efficacy of hard work and sacrifice
Fading idea that collective action will have an effect on politics, society, and the world
34% of freshmen say that keeping up to date with political affairs is important (60% in 1966)
Less than 20% regularly read a newspaper
Fewer than 25% vote Twenge (2006); NY Times Survey at ASU (fall 2005)
Fall 2006 ASU Freshmen: Fall 2006 ASU Freshmen Highest number of applicants ever (xxxx)
2750 entering freshmen
Average SAT score = xxxx
3.xx average High School GPA
xx% minority
Appalachian Admissions (as of May 4)
Hometowns (all undergrads): Hometowns (all undergrads) Top 6 Counties*:
1) Mecklenberg (271)
2) Wake (262)
3) Guilford (147)
4) Forsyth (133)
5) Buncombe (104)
6) Watauga (74)
Ashe & Avery combined (44) Top 6 States*:
1)North Carolina
2) Georgia (249)
3)Virginia (194)
4) South Carolina (138) 5) Florida (138)
6) Tennessee (126) *Entering 2005 Freshman ** All Undergraduate enrollment
ASU Fact Book (2005-06)
Choosing a College: Choosing a College Students (nationally) are applying to more colleges
11.5% applied to 7+
(up from 8.3% in 1991)
67.3% are attending their 1st choice
(down from 79% in 1977)
Higher Education Research Institute, 2006 College admissions is very competitive
Number of Colleges Applied To: 2005 ASU Freshmen: Number of Colleges Applied To: 2005 ASU Freshmen Freshman Survey (2005)
Primary factor influencing choice of Appalachian: Primary factor influencing choice of Appalachian Location in Mountains 28.5%
Availability of Program of Study 23.3%
Academic Reputation 13%
Distance from Home 8.4%
Other 26.7% Freshman Survey (2004)
Paying for College: Paying for College 61.9% receive some type of financial aid
26.5% - Academic
48.7% - Financial Need
2.9% - Athletic based
50.9% plan to work while in school
10.4% more than 20 hours per week ASU Freshman Survey (2005)
Thought to Ponder: Thought to Ponder What implications might this demographic information (generational context, prior achievement) have for your role in Freshman Seminar?
Behaviors: Behaviors Sex, Drugs, and Rock n Roll
Plan to smoke marijuana (incoming freshmen): Plan to smoke marijuana (incoming freshmen) Freshman Survey (2004); ACHA (2001) In 2001, 34% of students reported that they smoked marijuana within the last 30 days (national = 15%)
Freshmen and Alcohol How would you describe yourself as a drinker?: Freshmen and Alcohol How would you describe yourself as a drinker? 30% Abstainer, non-drinker
36.5% Light drinker
29.1% Moderate drinker
4.4% Heavy drinker Appalachian’s Online Health Survey, Fall 2001
Consequences of Drinking: Consequences of Drinking 43.1% reported doing something they later regretted
32.7% reported forgetting where they were or what they did
3.4% reported having someone use force or threat of force to have sex with them National College Health Assessment Survey, Spring 2001
Social Life: Social Life According to Levine & Cureton, many student affairs officers have reported rises in:
Eating disorders
Alcohol abuse
Suicide attempts
Psychological Problems: Psychological Problems 50% of students report feeling very sad
33% have felt hopeless
22% have felt so depressed they can’t function
Suicide is 2nd leading cause of death among 20-24 year olds
1 in 12 college students make a suicide plan National Mental Health Association/JED Foundation, 2002
Mental Health Concerns – ASU Freshmen: Mental Health Concerns – ASU Freshmen
Top Reasons for Counseling Visits: Top Reasons for Counseling Visits Relationships
Depression
Anxiety
Alcohol & Drugs ASU Counseling Center (2004)
Thought to Ponder: Thought to Ponder What are the implications for our work regarding students’ increasing psychological issues?
Technology is a way of life: Technology is a way of life Approach academic research differently
Engage in cyber relationships
Facebook!
Expectation of cyber service (immediate feedback)
Students are plugged-in
Trial & error as learning strategy
Video game generation
Bite size nuggets of information (read highlights)
Technology: Technology 53.3% of students spent more than 5 hours per week online
Nearly every freshman brought a computer to campus (35%-Desktop; 67.7% laptop) – totals more than 100%
93.8% brought a cell phone to campus
73.1% very often or often used e-mail to communicate with an instructor. ASU Freshman Survey (2004); NSSE (2003)
Thought to Ponder: Thought to Ponder What impact does students’ use of technology (internet, cell phones, etc) have on community, connection to ASU, and psychological well-being?
Freshmen Self Ratings: Freshmen Self Ratings Rated self above average or highest 10% Higher Education Research Institute, 2006 With rank (out of 18 choices) Millennial / Gen Me
Co-Curricular Involvement: Co-Curricular Involvement 89.6% plan to join a club/organization
38% plan to become a leader in a student organization (down from 48.5% in 1994)
21% plan to join a fraternity or sorority ↓ ASU Freshman Survey (2004)
Cultural Experiences & Expectations: Cultural Experiences & Expectations Freshman Survey (2004)
Academics: Academics Attitudes and Behaviors
Academic Disengagement Frequently Bored in Class – High School: Academic Disengagement Frequently Bored in Class – High School Higher Education Research Institute
Academic Disengagement Hours spent studying per week in last year of high school: Academic Disengagement Hours spent studying per week in last year of high school ASU Freshman Survey (2004)
Hours Planned to Study : Hours Planned to Study College Student Inventory (2003)
Academic Expectations: Academic Expectations Higher Education Research Institute
Disengagement Continues – Bad Habits in College: Disengagement Continues – Bad Habits in College 35.6% studied less than 6 hours per week during freshmen year
47.9% frequently or occasionally turned in assignments that did not reflect their best work
33.3% frequently or occasionally skipped class
32.6% frequently or occasionally came to class late Your First College Year, 2003
Why Are They Here?: Why Are They Here? To learn about things that interest me (76.8%)
To be able to get a better job (70.4%)
Training for a specific career (69.2%)
To be able to make more money (69%)
To gain a general education and appreciation of ideas (64.3%)
Prepare for graduate school (57.7%) Top Reasons for Attending College: Higher Education Research Institute, 2006
Reasons for Attending College (longitudinal): Reasons for Attending College (longitudinal) Higher Education Research Institute
Traits that Describe “A Great Student”: Traits that Describe “A Great Student” Being honest in my relationships with others (71.2%)
Searching for meaning/purpose in life (34.6%)
Engaging in self-reflection (26.3%)
Appreciating the interconnectedness of everything (24.1%) Higher Education Research Institute, 2003-04
Aspirations How important is it to you that you graduate from college? : Aspirations How important is it to you that you graduate from college?
Not at all important 0.0%
Somewhat important 2.0%
Very important 20.6%
Extremely important 77.3%
ASU Freshmen Survey (2003) ~60% will graduate (5 years)
Degree Expectations: Degree Expectations ASU Freshmen Survey (2002) 64% plan to go beyond a bachelor’s degree!
42.8% in 1971
Elite to Mass Education: Percentage of 18-21 year olds that attend college: Elite to Mass Education: Percentage of 18-21 year olds that attend college Levine and Cureton (1998); H.L Horowitz (1987)
However……….: However………. A little over 30% of people between the ages of 25-39 have a college degree.
Academic Integrity: Academic Integrity 54.4% reported that they cheated on an exam, paper, or test the year prior to enrolling in college.
16% plan to cheat during their first year in college! ASU Freshman Survey (2004)
Thought to Ponder : Thought to Ponder What are the lessons or implications of students’ academic expectations? What can we do as instructors to help bridge the disconnect between student and faculty expectations?
Career Planning: Career Planning 32.9% are “undecided” or “not very sure” about the choice of a future career.
32.6% are “undecided” or “not very sure” about the choice of an academic major.
Freshman Survey (2002)
Slide50: Personal Objectives Higher Education Research Institute, 2004-05; *2003-04
Personal Objectives (longitudinal): Personal Objectives (longitudinal) Higher Education Research Institute
Getting it Done?: Getting it Done? 45.8% of freshmen frequently felt overwhelmed by all they had to do
Only 29.1% felt very successful in managing their time effectively Your First College Year, 2003
Change Over the First Year: Change Over the First Year Spend more time studying, partying, and socializing
Spend less time exercising and reading for pleasure
Drink alcohol more frequently
Attend religious services and perform volunteer work less frequently
Feel more overwhelmed and depressed
Feel more worried about the costs of college Your First College Year, 2003 As compared with when they entered college, first-year students:
A Worthwhile Endeavor!: A Worthwhile Endeavor! Your First College Year, 2003
Putting it all Together : Putting it all Together Academics are not students’ only priority
Many engage in risky behaviors
Psychological issues
Tech savvy, yet still apprehensive
Need to understand value and purpose of a college education
Need help managing time
Need to be academically engaged & challenged
Slide56: L
H L H Suppor t Challenge Sanford, N. (1967) Development through challenge.