Who are Our Students? An Overview of Ten Year Trends

New Faculty OrientationAugust 23, 2010

We’ll survey the following topics* re: SNC Freshmen… Demographics Political Orientation Reasons for Choosing SNC Self-Rated Abilities Life Goals after College

*(data from our annual freshman survey)

But first, a quick snapshot of the 2010 1st Year Students 580 Domestic, 41 International 1st

year students, total 621 (compared w/ 544 in 2009).

68% of domestic freshmen from WI.

19% are from Illinois. 62% of domestic freshmen are

women, compared w/ 58% in 2009.

Now, we return to ten Year Trends. We begin with these

demographics:

Ethnicity Catholicity Self-reported Political Orientation

Our Freshmen are mostly Caucasian

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 201085

90

95

100

Percent Freshmen reporting race as "White"

Men

Women

Year entered SNC

Perc

ent r

epor

ting

55%-70% of Freshmen report their religious preference as

“Catholic”

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 201040

50

60

70

80

Percent Freshmen reporting Religious Preference as "Catholic"

Men

Women

Year entered SNC

Perc

ent r

epor

ting

Conservatives and Liberals about equal for Freshman

Women

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20100

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Political Self-Description: Freshman Women

Liberal

Middle of the road

Conservative

Year entered SNC

Perc

ent r

epor

ting

Freshman Men have more Conservatives

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20100

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Political Self-Description: Freshman Men

Liberal

Middle of the road

Conservative

Year entered SNC

Perc

ent R

epor

ting

Why our Freshmen Choose

St. Norbert

Academic reputation and the perception that graduates get good jobs top the list of “Very Important” reasons for choosing St. Norbert.

“Academic Reputation” is a “very important” reason for most of our freshmen (slightly more so for women)

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010The College has a very good academic reputation (percent rating "very important" for selecting SNC)

50

60

70

80

90

Reason Freshmen Chose SNC: Academic Reputation

MenWomenPe

rcen

t rep

ortin

g "v

ery

impr

orta

nt"

The perception that our grads get good jobs is a close second

reason for choosing SNC

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010Graduates get good jobs (percent rating "very important" for selecting SNC)

50

60

70

80

90

Reason Freshmen Chose SNC: Post-graduation Employment

MenWomen

Perc

ent R

epor

ting

"Ver

y Im

porta

nt

Incoming women are more enthused about the size of the

College

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010Wanted to go to a college of this size (percent rating "very important" for selecting SNC)

30

40

50

60

70

80

Reason Freshmen Chose SNC: Size of College

MenWomen

Perc

ent R

epor

ting

"Ver

y Im

porta

nt"

SNC’s religious affiliation is “very important” for about 10-20% of

new freshmen, more so for women

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010The College's religious affiliation (percent rating "very important" for selecting SNC)

0

10

20

30

40

Reason Freshmen Chose SNC: Religious Affiliation

Men

Women

Perc

ent r

epor

ting

"Ver

y Im

porta

nt"

Into a Hall of Mirrors Our freshmen rate their abilities

“compared to others my age.”

The next charts show the percent of freshmen rating themselves “above average” or “top 10%” on selected abilities.

Self-rated “Academic Ability”

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 201040

50

60

70

80

90

Academic Ability: Entering Freshmen Self-Ratings

Men

Women

Academic Ability: Freshmen rating selves "above average/top 10%"

% ra

ting

self

"abo

ve a

ve./t

op 1

0%"

Self-Rated “Writing Ability”

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010Writing Ability (percent rating self as "above average" or top 10% when compared with

peers)

30

40

50

60

70

Writing Ability: Freshmen Self-Ratings

MenWomen

% ra

ting

self

>Ave

./Top

10%

Self-rated “Drive to Achieve”

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010Drive to Achieve (percent rating self as "above average" or top 10% when compared with

peers)

50

60

70

80

90

Drive to Achieve: Entering Freshmen Self-Ratings

Men

Women

% ra

ting

>Ave

/t0p

10%

Self-Rated “Leadership”

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010Leadership Ability (percent rating self as "above average" or top 10% when compared

with peers)

40

50

60

70

80

90

Leadership Ability: Entering Freshmen Self-Ratings

Men

Women

% ra

ting

self

"abo

ve a

ve./t

op 1

0%"

Self-Rated “Spirituality”

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010Spirituality (percent rating self as "above average" or top 10% when compared with

peers)

20

30

40

50

60

Spirituality: Freshmen Self-Ratings

MenWomen

% ra

ting

self

>ave

./top

10%

The Good Life After College: “Essential” or “Very Important” Life

Goals

Raising a Family Become Leader in chosen

Profession Financial Stability Service to Others

Goal of “Raising a Family” most important for women and men

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010Raise a family (objective "essential" or "very important")

65

70

75

80

85

90

Freshman Life Goal: Raise a Family

Men

Women

% ra

ting

"ess

entia

l/ver

y im

porta

nt"

‘Becoming an authority in my field’ shows some decline

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010Become authority in my field (objective "essential" or "very important")

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

Freshman Life Goal: Become Authority in my Field"

MenWomen

% ra

ting

"ess

entia

l/ver

y im

porta

nt"

Men are more interested in being ‘well-off financially’ but women are catching up.

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010Be 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% ra

ting

"ess

entia

l/ver

y im

porta

nt"

More Women are interested in service but both sexes above 60%.

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010Helping others in difficulty (objective "essential" or "very important")

40

50

60

70

80

90

Freshman Life Goal: Help Others in Difficulty"

Men

Women

% ra

ting

"ess

entia

l/ver

y im

porta

nt"

This has been a presentation of Our Freshmen: A Quick View of Ten Year Trends

New Faculty OrientationAugust 23, 2010

Jack Williamsen, OIE