2003-2012 Trends for National First Year Student

Survey

• Ten Year Trends for first year St. Norbert Students

• Charts for demographics, political orientation, reasons for choosing SNC, self-rated skills, and life objectives

Race and Religion

• Ten year trends show modest increases in diversity students (more so for men) and students who are not Catholic (more so for women).

• Since 2008, approximately equal percentages of first year men and women describe themselves as Catholic. In 2012, both sexes are below 60% (also true in 2009).

First Year Student Survey Trends, 2003-2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 201285

90

95

100

Percent Freshmen reporting race as "White"

Men

Women

Year entered SNC

Per

cen

t re

po

rtin

g

First Year Student Survey Trends, 2003-2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 201240

50

60

70

80

90

Percent Freshmen reporting Religious Preference as "Catholic"

Men

Women

Year entered SNC

Per

cen

t re

po

rtin

g

Why Choose St Norbert College

• The four reasons cited most frequently are shown next.

• Academic Reputation is most-often cited reason for choosing SNC.

• Graduates get good jobs is cited equally by 2012 first year men and women.

• Conversely, Size of College is much less cited by 2012 first year men.

• More women continue to cite Religious Affiliation of SNC as an important reason for choice.

First Year Student Survey Trends, 2003-2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Academic Reputation

50

60

70

80

90

Reason Freshmen Chose SNC: Academic Reputation

Men

Women

Per

cen

t re

po

rtin

g "

very

im

pro

rtan

t"

First Year Student Survey Trends, 2003-2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Post-graduation Employment

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Reason Freshmen Chose SNC: Post-graduation Employment

Men

Women

Per

cen

t R

epo

rtin

g "

Ver

y Im

po

rtan

t

First Year Student Survey Trends, 2003-2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Size of College

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Reason Freshmen Chose SNC: Size of College

Men

Women

Per

cen

t R

epo

rtin

g "

Ver

y Im

po

rtan

t"

First Year Student Survey Trends, 2003-2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Religious Affiliation

0

10

20

30

40

Reason Freshmen Chose SNC: Religious Affiliation

Men Women

Per

cen

t re

po

rtin

g "

Ver

y Im

po

rtan

t"

Political Orientation

• More first year women continue to describe themselves as “Middle of the Road.”

• “Middle of the Road” and “Conservative” freshman men are about equal in number.

First Year Student Survey Trends, 2003-2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 20120

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Political Self-Description: Freshman Women

Liberal

Middle of the road

Conservative

Year entered SNC

Per

cen

t re

po

rtin

g

First Year Student Survey Trends, 2003-2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 20120

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Political Self-Description: Freshman Men

Liberal

Middle of the road

Conservative

Year entered SNC

Per

cen

t R

epo

rtin

g

Self Ratings

• On Academic Ability about an equal number of first year women and men describe themselves as “above-average” or “top 10%” when compared with peers.

• Slightly more women continue to describe their Drive to Achieve as “above-average.”

• More first year men continue to describe their Leadership Ability as “above-average.”

• Fifty percent or less of first year men and women rate their Writing Ability and Spirituality as “above-average.”

First Year Student Survey Trends, 2003-2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 201240

50

60

70

80

90

Academic Ability: Entering Freshmen Self-Ratings

Men

Women

Academic AbilityPercent rating self "Above-Average/Top 10%"

% r

atin

g s

elf

"ab

ove

ave

./to

p 1

0%"

First Year Student Survey Trends, 2003-2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Drive to Achieve

50

60

70

80

90

Drive to Achieve: Entering Freshmen Self-Ratings

Men

Women

Percent rating self "Above-Average/Top 10%

% r

atin

g >

Ave

/t0p

10%

First Year Student Survey Trends, 2003-2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Leadership Ability

40

50

60

70

80

90

Leadership Ability: Entering Freshmen Self-Ratings

Men

Women

Percent rating self "Above-Average/Top 10%"

% r

atin

g s

elf

"ab

ove

ave

./to

p 1

0%"

First Year Student Survey Trends, 2003-2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Writing Ability

30

40

50

60

70

Writing Ability: Freshmen Self-Ratings

Men

Women

Percent rating self "Above-Average/Top 10%

% r

atin

g s

elf

>A

ve./

To

p 1

0%

First Year Student Survey Trends, 2003-2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Spirituality

20

30

40

50

60

Spirituality: Freshmen Self-Ratings

Men

Women

Percent Rating self "Above-Average/Top 10%"

% r

atin

g s

elf

>av

e./t

op

10%

Life Objectives

• Raising a Family is a “very important” or “essential” life goal for first year men and women, much more so for 2012 women.

• The trend is for an increasing number of both men and women to choose Being Very Well-Off Financially and Helping Others in Difficulty as “very important” life goals.

• Become an Authority in my Field trends upward for men and, especially the last three years, for women as well.

First Year Student Survey Trends, 2003-2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Raise a family (objective "essential" or "very important")

65

70

75

80

85

90

Freshman Life Goal: Raise a Family

Men

Women

% r

atin

g "

esse

nti

al/v

ery

imp

ort

ant"

First Year Student Survey Trends, 2003-2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Be very well-off financially (objective "essential" or "very important")

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

Freshman Life Goal: Be Very Well-Off Financially

Men

Women

% r

atin

g "

esse

nti

al/v

ery

imp

ort

ant"

First Year Student Survey Trends, 2003-2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Helping others in difficulty (objective "essential" or "very important")

40

50

60

70

80

90

Freshman Life Goal: Help Others in Difficulty

Men

Women

% r

atin

g "

esse

nti

al/v

ery

imp

ort

ant"

First Year Student Survey Trends, 2003-2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012Become authority in my field (objective "essential" or "very important")

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

Freshman Life Goal: Become Authority in my Field

Men

Women

% r

atin

g "

esse

nti

al/v

ery

imp

ort

ant"