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Astin, Alexander W.; And Others
AUTHOR
for Fall
The American Freshman: National. Norms
TITLE
1984.
D.C.;
American Council on Education, Washington,
INSTITUTION
School of
California -niv., Los Angeles. Graduate
Education
Education, Washington, DC.
Department
SPONS AGENCY
Dec 84
7JB DATE
300-84-0163
CONTRACT
print.
193p.; Some tables contain small
NOTE
Higher
Cooperative Institutional Research Program,
AVAILABLE FROM
School of
Education Research Institute, Graduate
Angeles, CA
Education, University of California, Los
90024 ($8.25).
Statistical Data (110) -- Reports
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Freshmen;
Church Related Colleges; *College
DESCRIPTORS
Females;
Cor,arative Analysis; Computer Literacy;
Higher
Full Time Students; Grade Point Average;
National Surveys;
Education; Males; *National Norms;
Attitudes; Private
Occupational Aspiration; Political
Methodology;
Colleges; Questionnaires; Research
Attitudes;
Social Attitudes; State Colleges; *Student
Financial Aid; Two
*Student Characteristics; Student
a
Year Colleges; Values
*Cooperative Institutional Research Program
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
of
National normative data on characteristics
first-time, full-time freshmen are
students entering college as
of the fall 1984 Cooperative Research
presented, based on the results
weighted to represent the population of
Program survey. The data are
reported separately for
freshmen. Extensive statistical data are
based on the
37 institutional groupings,
women and men, and for
of selectivity, control (public,
school's enrollment size, degree
Protestant), religious
private-nonsectarian, Roman Catholic, and
The survey results revealed
affiliation, and racial composition.
and
in student attitudes on political
several continuing trends
materialism
continue to show increasing
social issues. Student values
for careers in the professions,
that is also reflected in preferences
also show declining student
engineering, and business. The data
High school grade inflation
participation in government aid programs.
found of the growing role of
declined, and further evidence was
of the
Included are: a narrative summary
computers in education.
methodology, the 1984 Student
results, information on the research
ler
coding
of region categories and the
Information Form, a specification
institutions, and a sample freshman
scheme, a list of participating
institution. (SW)
provided to a participating
survey report
iR
Freshman
The American
for Fall 1984
National Norms
Research Institute
The Higher Education
Education
Graduate School of
Angeles
University of California, Los
the
Prepared by the Staff of
institute
Cooperative' Institutional Research
and Director
0.slexander W. Astin, Professor
Director
Kenneth C. Gmen, Associate
Programmer
William S. Korn, Principal
Coordinator
Mary Jane Maier, Staff
THIS
"PERMISSION TO REPROOUCE
MICROFICHE ONLY
December 1984
IN
MATERIAL
HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION
,N.f.tiRMA TViN
,-
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,
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41
f, ,111 1,1
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(nor rl1
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RESOURCES
TO THE EDUCATIONAL.
t,fe,l,n.1}14 .1
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)"
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It
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.''.1.4 (0,1 " tho.
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fittlMti
COOPRIKTIVI aSTITOTIOSAL
of the
UEIVERSITT OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES sod the AMEEICAX COUNCIL ON EDUCATION
The Cooperative Institutions/ Research Program (CIRP) is a national
longitudinal study of the American' higher education system.
Established in 1966
at the American Council on Education, the CIRP is now the nation's largest and
longest empirical study of higher education -- involving data on some 1,300
institutions, over 5 million students, and over 100,000 faculty.
To maximize
the use of these data in research and training, the CRP was transferred to the
Graduate School of Education at UCLA in 1973.
The annual CIRP freshman and
follow-up surveys of entering freshmen are now administered by UCLA's Higher
Education Research Institute, under the continuing spons6tship of the American
Council on Education.
AMERICAN CODICIL OW EDUCATION
is a council of
The American Council on Education, founded
in 1918,
educational organizations and institutions.
Its purpose is to advance education
and educational methods through comprehensive voluntary and cooperative action
on the part of American educational associations, organizations, and
institutions.
HIGHER EDUCATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, DIIIVERSITT OF CALIFORRIA, LOS ANGELES
The Higher Education Research Institute is based in UCLA's Graduate School.
The Institute serves as an interdisciplinary center for
of Education.
research, evaluation, information, policy studies, and research trainis4 in
postsecondary education.
CIRP PROJECT STAFF
Kenneth C. Green
Alexander W. Actin
Associate Director
Professor and Director
William Korn Mary Jane Maier
Staff Coordinator
Principal Programmer
Susan Strummer Marilynn Schalit
Staff Associate
Staff Associate
CLIP ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Mary Norman, President
Robert Albright, Presl,lent
orange County Community Collexe
Johnson C. Smith University
Elmore Semite, Research Director
James Appleberry, President
Nortnern Michigan University
National Association for Equal
Opportunity in Higher Education
Peter Armacost, President
Eckert College William J. Sewell
Vilas Research Ptofess,,r Emeritus
Richard K. Greenfield, Chancellor Department of Sociology
University of Wisconsin
St. Louis Community College
Gregory Jackson, Professor
Elaine El-Khawas (ex-officio)
Vice President, Research and Policy
Graduate School of Education
Analysis
Harvard University
American Council on Education
James L. Morrison, Professor
Robert Atwell (ex-officio)
Department of Education
President
University of North Carolina
Ass.zican Council on education
Additional copies of this report may be purchased. from the Cooperative
Institutional Reaew.ch Program, Graduate School of Education, University of
Crlifornie, Los Angeles, CA
90024.
Please remit $8.25 with your order.
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
TOE AMERICAN FRESHMAN
NATIONAL NORMS FOR FALL 1984
Table of Contents
s
Page,
The American Freshman: National
I
1
Norms for Fall 1984
1984 National Norms
II
Control for:
Type of Institution and
A.
11
Men
1.
27
Women
2.
43
All Freshmen
3.
59
Level, by Sex
Universities by Selectivity
B.
75
Level
Four-Year Colleges by Selectivity
C.
91
Geographic Region, by Sex
D.
107
Research Methodology
APPENDIX A:
III
121
1984 Student Information Form
APPENDIX B:
IV
Region Categories and Coding
APPENDIX C:
V
127
Scheme for 'Collapsed Items
the
Institutions Participating in
APPENDIX D:
VI
133
Program
Cooperative Institutional,Research
Data and
Precision of the Normative
APPENDIX E:
VII
157
'Their Comparisions
Institutions
Sample Report Furnished to
APPENDIX F:
VIII
161
Freshman Survey
Participating in the 1984
Tj
4
List of Figures
Page
Trends in Freshman Political
Fig.
1
Preferences, 1969-1984
3
Freshman Attitudes on Political
Fig.
2
and Social Issues
3
Freshman Participation in
Fig.
3
Financial Aid Programs
4
4
Trends in Student Objectives, 1967-1984
Fig.
4
Trends in, High School Grades
Fig.
5
6
Among Entering Freshmen
Freshman Interest in Education
Fig.
6
6
Careers, 1966-1984
110
The 1984 Data Bank Population
Fig. A-1
Dist of Tables
1984 ACE/UCLA Sample and Weights Used in
Table A-1
113
Computing National Norma
Uses of the 1984 Student Information Form
Table A-2
115
Items in Earlier Surveys
Number of Institutions and Students Used
Table A-3
in Computing Weighted National NOrms
116
for 1984
Standard Errors of CategoriCal Response
Table E-1
Percentages for Norms Groups of
160
Various Sizes
-ii
5
a
TEE AMERICAN FREUDIAN:
1984*
National Norms for. Fall
normative data on
annual report of national
This is the nineteenth
first-time, full-time
entering college as
characteristics of students
the Cooperative
in 1966, is part of
This series, initiated
freshmen.
longitudinal study of the
Program (CIRP), a continuing
Institutional Research
by the American Council on
system sponsored
American higher educational
UCLA.
School of Education at
Education and the Graduate
the effects of college on
of the CIRP is to assess
The principal purpose
normative,
During the -past nineteen years,
1966).
students (Astin, et. al.,
pertinent to
research has produced informatiop
substantive, and methodological
higher education.
of issues in American
a wide range
been weighted to provide a
data reported here have
The freshman survey
population for persons
full-time college freshman
normative picture of the
administration,
human resource planning, campus
engaged in policy analysis,
general
well as for the
guidance and counseling, as
educational research,
the Student
The survey instrument,
and parents.
community of students
the changing concerns
revised annually to reflect
Information Form (SIF), is
The SIF data
the information.
and of others who use
of the academic community
Follow-up
longitudinal research.
input information for
also provide initial
various
are conducted at
students in entering classes
surveys of individual
longitudinal follow
In recent years,
survey**.
intervals after the initial
dropouts (Astin,
in major studies of
students have been used
ups of CIRP
1975), education and
Bayer, & Bisconti,
(Astia, Astin,
1975), campus protests
student
change (Astin, 1976),
Solr.00,, 1976), campus
work (Bisconti and
participation in higher
1977), and minority group
development (Astin,
education (Astin, 1982).
37
and men, and for
reported separately for women
The normative data are
The
Population, page 110).
groupings (see Data Bank
different institutional
(predominantly black versus
factors are institutional race
major stratifying
college, university),
(two-year college, four-year
predominantly white), type
and
Catholic, and Protestant),
private-nonsectarian, Roman
control (public',
of the
(A complete discussion
level" of the institution.
the "selectivity
Appendix A.)
methodology is presented in
CIRP freshman survey
from the U.S.
Contract No. 300-84-0163
supported in part by
* This research is
Department of Education.
have
have been published as
from follow-up studies
,ve results
**
Nori.
from the freshman survey
student subgroups abstracted
descriptive profiles for
(Astin, 1977), and The
Critical Years
See, for example, Four
information.
1981).
1982 (Green, et. al.,
American College Student
SAD? OF MAJOR TRENDS rim THE 1984 FRESHMAN SURVEY
n's
The Fall 1984 national survey of entering freshmen reveals several,
continuing trends in student attitudes on political and social issues.
Student values continue to show increasing materialism which is also reflected
The
in preferences for careers' in the professions, engineering, and business.
data also show declining student participation in government aid programs.
The
Student attitudes towards political issues showed mixed trends.,
proportion of, entering freshmen who identified their political preference as
being "middle-of-the-road" declined this year, down to 57.4 percent from a
This decline reflected a
high of 60.3 percent in Fall 1983 (Figure 1).
"liberal" and "conservative"
movement of student preferences into both the
The "liberal/left" position continued th rise for the third
camps.
consecutive year, up to 22.1 percent in 1984 from 21.1 percent in 1983 and
Although on the rise, the
from the low of 19.7 percent in 1981.
"liberal/left" proportion is far below the peak of 38.1 percent in Fall 1971.
On the conservative-side, 20.5 percent of this year's entering freshmen
identified themselves .as being "conservative" or "far right" politically.
(18.7 percent) but is
This represents an increase over the 1983 figure
slightly below the high of 20.7 percent recorded in Fall 1981.
Although the CIRP data show a thirteen year movement from the liberal
endorse a
posture to the political center, entering students continue to
For example,
variety of traditionally liberal political and social issues.
control
77.7 percent feel the federal government is not doing enough to
pollution, 54.1 percent feel abortion should be legalized, and 61.4 percent
While student support
national health insurance program (Figere 2).
endorse
of students
for these issues has declined during recent years, the majority
Similarly, a shrinking
still support these traditionally liberal positions.
(32.5 percent,
minority of 1984 freshmen want to increase defense spending
38.9 percent in 1982), while 65.6 percent feel
versus 36.9 percent in 1983 and
disarmament.
the federal government should do more to promote nuclear
FinPlly, a record 53.6 percent of this year's freshmen support school busing
Fall 1983 and 43.3
to promote racial integration, up from 50.7 percent in
percent in 1971.
The 1984 survey data point to declining freshman participation in
The perentage of freshmen receiving Pell Grants
government aid programs.
high of
dropped to 19.8 in 1984, down from 26.5 percent in 1983 and from a
Participation in the SEOG and
31.5 percent in 1979 and 1980 (Figure 3).
College Work-Study programs also fell, as did participation in state
aid
Among government aid programs, only the GSL program registered any
programs.
1983 (but still
gain in 1984, up to 23.4 percent from 21.8 percent in Fall
Of the major
be,low the peak participation level of 26.3 percent in 1981).
non-family aid sources, only institutional grants showed an, increase in 1984,
up to 16.7 percent from 15.3 percent last year.
The movement in student values towards material concerns and financial
Fully
(Figure 4).
security continued this year, reaching an all-time high
(71.2 percent) indicated that "being very well off
seven students in ten
The 1984 figure is up from 69.3
financially" was an important personal goal.
In contrast, student interest
percent in 1983 and only 43.5 percent in 1967.
this year, up
in "developing a meaningful life philosophy" was at 44.6 percent
-2-
Preferences, 1969-1984
Trends in Freshman Political
fig. 1:
percent
70
60
50
Middle-of-the-road
40
Liberal/Left
30
min.:111101.
20
Conservative/Riglit
10
0
1984
1982
1980
1978
1976
1974
1972
1970
Yeat
Political and Social Issues
Freshman Attitudes on
Fig.
2%.,
agree)
(percentage who agree or strongly
percent
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Miami
School
Legalize
Cav't Do
Increase
Gov't Do
Gov't Do
Health
Abortion
More to
146ing
More for
More for
Military
Care'
Control
Disarnenent
Consum er
Spending
Pollution
Protection
-.3_
8
,i.
Freshman Participation in Financial Aid
Fig. 3:
Programs
(percentage of freshmen participatinq in federal aid programs)
percent
Guaranteed Student Loan
1984
1982
1980
1978
1976
1974
-v,
Fig. 4:
Trends ih Student Objectives, 1967-1984
percent
90
Developing a meaningful Life Philosophy
80
70
60
50
40
Being Very Vall-Off Financially
30
20
10
.11M11K
1
1
I
0
1984
1982
1980
1978
1974
1976
1972
1970
1968
-4-
=
4
the peak of.
but well below
of 44,1 percent
from the /983 low
very slightly
1967.
82.9 percent in Fall
the
Fall 1984, marking
inflation declined again in
'High schooltgraae
the ptoportion of
slight decline in
of no gain or
fifth consecutive year
One
(Figure 5).
school grade averages
reporting A /A- high
entering freshmen
'school grade average
percent) reported a high
freshmen (20.0
in five entering
1978 but still well
of 23.3 percent in
down from a peak
in the A/A- range,
of
Similarly, the proportion
1969 and,1970.
12.5 percent in
above the Unkof
20.5 percent last year
21.3 percent, up from
increased this year to
C students
slight
Although there has been a
in 1978.
of 17.3 percent
and from the low
recent years,
C averages in
of students reporting
increase in the percentage
Fall 1969.
of 31.6 percent in
well below the peak
the, gains are still
growing role of
evidence of the
provides further
This year's survey
sharp increase in the
As in 1983, there was a
education.
computers in
program in the
had written a comiust-ar
entering freshmen who
percentage of
in
and 27.3 percent
37.5Joercent last xear
up from
prior year (50.6 percent,
asoisted
had taken a computer
entering students who
The percentage of
1982).
from 25.6 percent
to 40.1 percent
increased dramatically
(CAI) course also
have more
Although students now
in 1982.
just 17.4 percent
last year and
less interest in
college, there is
prior to entering
contact with computers
programmer
plan a career as a
only 6.1 percent
traditional computer careers:
in Fall
peak of 8.9 percent
in 1983 and the
down from 8.5 percent
or analyst,
1982.
The
trends.
showed mixed
in professional. careers
Student interest
rise,
business continued to
careers in
students aspiring to
percentage of
The
in 1983).
1984 (up from 20.4 percent
high of 22.2 in
reaching an all-time
in legal and medical
expressing an interest
entering freshmen
percentage of
4.0 percent
year, to a
(0.1 percent) this past
only very slightly
careers rose
education
Elementary and
4.1 percent in law.
in medicine and
5.1
5.5 percent from
to
straight year, up to
for the second
registered gains
proportion
Similarly, the
4.7 percent in 1982.
1943 and a low of
percent in
0.3
teaching rose to
interest in college
freshmen expressing
of entering
decade of continuing
'1.982, thus ending a
0.2 percent in
percent, up from
declined
engineering careers
the percent choosing
On the other hand,
decline.
in 1983 to 10.4
from 10.8 percent
second straight year,
slightly for the
1984.
percent in
-5-