CR-159 Transition to College - Does Attending Your First Choice Matter

Ellen Bara Stolzenberg, Ph.D.
Higher Education Research Institute
University of California, Los Angeles
Overview
ž  Background
ž  Enrollment
Management Report
ž  Adjustment
by Choice
CIRP Student Surveys*
College entry
Freshman
Survey
(TFS)
End of 1st
year
Your First
College
Year
(YFCY)
2nd or 3rd year
Diverse
Learning
Environments
(DLE)
*Faculty Survey administered every 3 years
Senior year
College
Senior
Survey
(CSS)
Background: Despite concerted efforts, attrition
remains highest during first-year of college
20
18.4
% of Students
15
10
8.7
8.9
5
3.4
1.3
0
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Purpose of the First-Year
Retention Calculator
ž  To
examine how pre-college student and
institutional characteristics are related to
first-year retention
ž  To
provide institutions with a tool to
inform enrollment management
ž  Developed
by Eagan and Ruiz Alvarado
Results: Financial Considerations
and College Choice
INCREASED ODDS
DECREASED ODDS
ž  Aid: Family Resources
ž  Aid: Loans
ž  Aid: Grants/Scholarships
ž  Aid: My Own
Resources
ž  First Choice College
ž  Financial Concerns:
ž  Reason for Choosing:
Major
Cost
ž  College Reputation
ž  Reason for College: To
Gain a General Education
Results: Expectations and
Intended Major
INCREASED ODDS
ž  Expectation: Change
Major
ž  Likelihood of College
Involvement
ž  Major: Education
DECREASED ODDS
ž  Expectation: Transfer
ž  Major: STEM
Enrollment Management Report
2013 TFS Findings
ž 
55% of incoming freshmen applied to four or more
colleges (in addition to currently enrolled institution)
—  Highest it has been since question was
introduced in 1974
ž 
56.9% of incoming freshmen enrolled in their firstchoice campus
—  Lowest it has been since 1974
ž 
45.9% of incoming freshmen indicated that the cost
of attending their current institution was a “very
important” factor in their decision to attend
—  Highest it has been since question was
introduced a decade ago
Enrollment Management Report
ž  Standard
reporting feature (as of 2013) for
the TFS survey provided to each
participating institution
ž  Compares
the responses from students who
indicated they had enrolled in their firstchoice institution with their peers who did not
enroll in their first-choice campus
Sample Report
Methods: Sample & Analysis
ž  Approximately
7,600 students
ž  2013 Freshman Survey (TFS)
ž  2014 Your First College Year (YFCY)
ž  Analysis
—  Frequencies & Crosstabs
—  ANOVA & Post-hoc comparisons
Variables
ž  To
create comparison groups (2013 TFS)
—  To how many colleges other than this one did you
apply for admission this year? (None/
1/2/3/4/5/6/7-10/11 or more)
—  Were you accepted by your first choice college?
(Yes/No)
—  Is this college your: (First choice/Second choice/
Third choice/Less than third choice)
ž  Academic
& social adjustment (2014 YFCY)
Students not attending first choice institution are
LESS likely than those attending first choice to…
ž 
ž 
ž 
ž 
ž 
ž 
ž 
ž 
ž 
ž 
ž 
ž 
Develop effective study skills
Agree that faculty empower them to learn
Feel that at least 1 staff member has taken an interest in
their development
Feel part of the campus community
Feel valued at the institution
Feel a sense of belonging on campus
Interact with other students
Feel an overall sense of community among students
Recommend the institution to others
Be satisfied with the amount of contact with faculty
Be satisfied with first-year programs
Be satisfied with the overall college experience
Sense of Belonging Construct
100.0%
90.0%
23.9%
26.1%
32.7%
80.0%
70.0%
60.0%
44.8%
45.1%
50.0%
45.9%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
31.4%
28.8%
21.4%
10.0%
0.0%
Got in to first choice but went elsewhere
Did not get in to first choice
Low
Average
High
Attending first choice
Overall Satisfaction Construct
100.0%
90.0%
21.3%
24.1%
31.8%
80.0%
70.0%
60.0%
37.6%
37.7%
50.0%
39.3%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
41.1%
38.2%
28.9%
10.0%
0.0%
Got in to first choice but went elsewhere
Did not get in to first choice
Low
Average
High
Attending first choice
Satisfaction with orientation and
first year programs
% Satisfied or Very Satisfied
80.0%
67.0%
70.0%
61.6%
60.0%
60.4%
53.2%
60.9%
56.5%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Got in to first choice but went elsewhere
Did not get in to first choice
Orientation for new students
First-Year Programs
Attending first choice
Students who were not admitted to their first choice
institution were LESS likely than all others to…
Interact with faculty during office hours
Interact with faculty outside of class or office
hours
ž  Ask a professor for advice after class
ž  Receive advice from professor regarding their
educational program
ž  Communicate regularly with professors
ž  Know how to achieve career goals
ž  Take a first-year seminar designed to help
students adjust to college level academics
ž  Take a first-year seminar designed to help
students adjust to college life
ž 
ž 
% Taking a first-year seminar designed to
help students adjust to college academics
58.0%
57.3%
56.9%
55.8%
56.0%
54.0%
52.0%
49.3%
50.0%
48.0%
46.0%
44.0%
—Attending 1st choice —Attending 1st choice
(applied to multiple
(applied to only 1
institutions)
institution)
—Admitted to 1st
choice but went
elsewhere
—Not admitted to their
first-choice institution
Students who were not admitted to their first choice
institution were MORE likely than all others to…
ž  Have
difficulty managing time effectively
ž  Rate themselves lower on academic
ability
ž  Feel that there is a lot of racial tension
on campus
ž  Be interested in seeking information
about current social and political issues
Students who were admitted to first choice
institution but went elsewhere were…
LESS likely to:
ž  Be satisfied with the
overall quality of
instruction
ž  Choose to enroll at
the same institution
if the given the
choice over again
MORE likely to:
ž  Be concerned about
their ability to pay for
college
If you could make your college choice over, would
you still choose to enroll at your current college?
% Definitely or Probably Yes
100.0%
90.0%
82.2%
80.0%
70.0%
67.9%
72.2%
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Got in to first choice but went
elsewhere
Did not get in to first choice
Attending first choice
Utilizing financial aid advising
% Frequently or Occasionally
60.0%
50.0%
47.8%
42.1%
38.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Got in to first choice but went elsewhere
Did not get in to first choice
Attending first choice
Future Research
ž  College
Choice
ž  Financial
ž  Types
Concerns
of Financial Support
Contact Info
Higher Education Research Institute
www.heri.ucla.edu
Ellen Bara Stolzenberg, Ph.D.
Assistant Director, CIRP
[email protected]
310-825-6991