What do we know about
First-Year Students?
Karen Froslid-Jones, Assistant Provost of Institutional Research and Assessment
FY
Marianne Thomson, Associate Dean for Orientation, Transition, and Retention
Jimmy Ellis, Manager of Student Success and Retention
Before AU:
Expectations and
Perceptions
FY
Freshmen/First-year Census
National Survey of
Student Engagement
RiSE Student Focus Groups
Why Come to AU? AU and DC are Distinctive
Freshmen Census Report – CIRP Ques)ons and AU Ques)ons (2014) 90% 81.5% 83.9% 84.7% 80% 71.3% 72.6% 70% 60% 56.5% 49.7% 50% 52.2% 42.0% 40% 30% Has a good Visit to campus Offered financial Graduates get Has a very good Opportunity to Strength of my Opportunity to Loca9on of the reputa9on for assistance good jobs academic study in a par9cular have an University in DC reputa9on foreign country academic internship in DC its social ac9vi9es program AU Students are Engaged
Freshmen Census Report – Goal rated “very important” or “essen9al” (2014) AU 80% 74.5% Private Universi9es 72.6% 70% 59.5% 60% 57.2% 50.9% 50% 45.7% 47.0% 42.5% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Keeping up to date with poli9cal affairs Influencing social values Promo9ng racial understanding Becoming a community leader Distinction Comes with Challenges
Freshmen Census Report (2014) AU Private Universi9es 60% 50% 40% 50.3% 37.4% 30% 20% 10% 17.5% 17.1% 14.2% 8.9% 13.7% 11.7% 0% Felt overwhelmed by all I had to Felt depressed do (frequently during the past (frequently during the past year) year) Very good chances [I] will change career choice Spent more than ten hours per week on social media during the previous year First Year: Social Abilities a Challenge for Many
Freshmen Census Report (2014) % of Freshmen Responding Students rated self Above Average or in the top 10%
70 59.9 57.9 60 54.8 47.9 50 39 40 30 61.7 42.7 42.4 39.5 27.4 20 10 0 Popularity Physical Health Emo9onal Health AU Private Universi9es Self-­‐Confidence (social) Self-­‐Confidence (intellectual) Example of Comment from NSSE
Na9onal Survey of Student Engagement (2014) “I am overall extremely happy with the quality of my educa)onal experience so far. I am coming to the end of my second semester at American University. As far as academics go, I feel that I am receiving the best possible educa9on both inside the classroom and out. However, social interac)ons at AU have been different. I expected it to be easy to make friends and that I would have a great social life being in DC. Things haven't quite turned out that way, some9mes I blame this on being financially and culturally different than most students.” First Year: Adjustment to New Environment a Challenge
Freshmen Census Report (2014) How would you describe the racial composition of the
neighborhood where you grew up? 8.5 2.3 19.8 11.9 Completely White Mostly White Roughly half White Mostly Non-­‐White Completely Non-­‐White 57.5 Concern about Financing Education
Freshmen Census Report (2014) American University
75.6% Private Universities
10.3 17.2 24.4 42.8 47 58.4 None Some Major None Some Major Focus Group Observations about Students
RiSE Assessment Subcommikee (2015) Student experiences vary depending on their )me at AU and/or background characteris)cs In the first-­‐year: o  Students have problems adjus9ng socially (esp. underrepresented groups) o  Students don’t know where things are, both physically and online Addi)onally: o Effec9ve communica9on is a challenge o Finances, for many, are a significant concern At AU:
Expectations and
Perceptions
FY
Mapworks Transition Survey
Valuable insights and timely support to help
students thrive in their first year and beyond.
Instant
Feedback
Personalized
Reports
Connection to
Resources
Self-Reflection
and Growth
Program Begins on September 21, 2015
Invitation sent to student AU email address
Important for
Success
2014F Cohort was Distinctive (and 2015F will likely be so, too)
2013F AND 2014F FY COHORTS: KEY DIFFERENCES
26%
Study without distractions/regular schedule
21%
40%
Confident about their ability to manage time well
32%
56%
Feel they can sleep and study in their room
47%
62%
Have connectd with peers that they like
54%
55%
Believe they belong and fit socially at AU
48%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Percentage of Students Indicating a “High” Rating
2013F
2014F
70%
80%
A quick note about second year students
SECOND YEAR STUDENTS COMPARED TO THEIR FIRST
YEAR
Overall satisfied with AU
55%
33%
Plans to study 11 or more hours a week
43%
Feel homesick
46%
31%
Make friends in building/satisfied with activities
56%
46%
22%
56%
Feel they can sleep and study in their room
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
61%
60%
Percentage of Students Indicating a “High” Rating
First Year in College
Second Year in College
70%
80%
Financial Confidence Varies by the Financial Issue
29% High Confidence 45% 45% 44% Mid Confidence 39% 37% 27% Low Confidence 16% 18% 0% 5% 10% 15% Social Experience 20% 25% Living Expenses 30% 35% Tui9on/Fees 40% 45% 50% Course Struggles
Course Struggles
Course Struggles
Course Struggles
60%
What steps are
students taking?
FY students say
they are
struggling in at
least one
course
84% doing the HW
65% doing readings
10% talking to prof
= 1 course
= 2+ courses
What grades are they expecting?
46% expect a B or better
24% expect a C or lower
30% do not have enough information to know
What else do we know about first-year students?
Not the best at predicting their first-term GPA
•  Expected GPA above 3.5 (1/2 correct,1/2 lower)
•  Expected GPA between 3.00 and 3.49 ( 1/3 correct, 1/3 lower, 1/3 higher)
•  Expected Below 3.0 GPA (56% correct, 44% higher)
AU was first choice for most students
•  55% first choice
•  40% second choice
•  15% third choice or lower
What else do we know about first-year students?
Most students connect with parents a moderate amount
•  72% have 1-10 interactions with parents during a typical week
•  28% have 11+ interactions with parents during a typical week
•  7% of students interact with their parents more than 25 times per week
Based on time usage data, an “average” AU students’ day is:
•  7 hours of sleep
•  4 hours of socializing/relaxing
•  4 hours of class time
•  1 hour of exercise
•  2 hours of work for pay
•  3 hours of out-of-class work
This totals 21 hours,
with 3 “unaccounted for” hours
What else do we know about first-year students?
More students would recommend AU to someone thinking about
college, than they would pick AU again if they could do it over.
•  60% would “highly” pick AU again if they could
•  70% would “highly” recommend AU to someone
Some students feel they are not getting enough sleep and/or
exercising enough to feel healthy
•  23% not sleeping enough and feel tired most days
•  31% not exercising enough to feel physically healthy
AU Retention
Trends, Observations,
and Initiatives
FY
First to Second Year Trends
NEW: Predicted Retention
NEW: Intent to Leave Research
NEW: Relationship Goals
AU’s Retention of New First-Year Students
While the ’08 -­‐ ’10 cohorts had the strongest overall reten9on performance, it also was a very different collec9on of students than AU’s the most recent cohorts (’11 – ‘14). Enrollment First to Second Year Reten9on 95.0% 2000 90.5% 88.4% 89.7% 89.7% 1800 88.2% 88.7% 88.1% 1600 85.0% 1200 1000 80.0% 800 600 75.0% 70.0% 400 1284 1571 FA07 FA08 1528 1498 1538 1594 1623 1786 FA09 FA10 FA11 FA12 FA13 FA14 New First-­‐Year Cohorts by First Enrolled Term 200 0 Cohort Size 1400 Reten)on Rate 90.0% 90.7% AU’s Retention of First-Year Students: By Key Demographics
URM
PELL
1GEN
URM
PELL
1GEN 1138
89%
URM
PELL
1GEN 185
89%
URM
PELL
1GEN 194
88%
URM
PELL
1GEN 65
85%
URM
PELL
1GEN 55
84%
URM
PELL
1GEN 78
83%
URM
PELL
1GEN 47
83%
URM
PELL
1GEN 22
73%
Number
in group
Current
retention
Predicted Retention: Introduction
Background:
•  Only uses student information prior to enrollment
•  Admissions/Office of Undergraduate Studies project
•  Used 2010-2013 data to build model for 2014
•  Probabilities range from 73% to 97%
Key Point: Most indicative of AU’s demonstrated ability to retain, less
indicative of “inherent” ability for students to persist.
Predicted Retention Quartiles: First Year Programs
Overall AU
25
25
25
25
University College
25
25
26
24
AU Scholars
CBRS
11
20
5
27
23
AU Honors
17
3 Year Programs
16
40
12
49
20
47
0%
10%
20%
Lowest (-)
33
22
24
STEP
43
40
30
30%
Mid-Low
40%
50%
Mid-High
60%
17
70%
Highest (+)
80%
6
90%
100%
Predicted Retention Quartiles: AU Experiences
Overall AU
25
Greek Life (Y)
25
20
Conduct (Y)
26
0%
10%
30
27
25
23
25
20%
Lowest (-)
25
25
30
Eagle Summit (Y)
25
30%
Mid-Low
20
24
40%
50%
Mid-High
60%
26
70%
Highest (+)
80%
90%
100%
Predicted Retention Quartiles: Orientation Programs
No Orientation Program
26
Summer Eagle Summit
24
First Year Fundamentals
25
26
36
0%
10%
Lowest (-)
29
20%
25
23
30%
Mid-Low
40%
20
50%
Mid-High
25
20
60%
70%
Highest (+)
21
80%
90%
100%
Predicted Retention: Room Type Analysis
Predicted vs. Actual Retention by room type
100%
90%
86%
90%
89%
89%
80%
Predicted
70%
60%
50%
Off-Campus
Single
Double
Triple
Predicted Retention: Room Type Analysis
Predicted vs. Actual Retention by room type
100%
90%
86%
80%
90%
89%
90%
88%
89%
80%
Predicted
70%
60%
Actual
66%
50%
Off-Campus
Single
Double
Triple
Predicted Retention: CARE Report Analysis
2014
FY FT
Predicted vs. Actual Retention
92.0%
90.0%
88.0%
86.0%
90.3%
89.1%
88.1%
89.1%
88.9%
Predicted
Actual
84.0%
82.0%
82.2%
80.0%
All Students
No Care Report
Care Report
QuickPReflection
– Last
Year’s C
Retenti
New rocess for Students onsidering Departure 2015 Adm. Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 State NY NJ CA PA MA MD FL VA CT IL 2014 Reten9on 91% 92% 85% 93% 87% 85% 85% 82% 82% 96% New Process
for
Students
Considering
Leaving
AU
New Process for Students Considering Departure Issue: •  Assessing reten9on requires learning why some students stay, while others leave. Informa)on collected previously has mostly been: •  Too general to be of subsequent use for staff and leaders •  Too inconsistently collected to accumulate worth of analysis Screenshots: Online Survey – Weighted Reasons for Leaving
Desired major not offered Academic program is too demanding Financial considera9ons Medical/mental health issues Accepted at preferred college/university Campus loca9on Family, home-­‐life, and/or work responsibili9es Dissa9sfac9on with the social environment Academic program is not challenging Other (briefly explain below Screenshots: Online Survey – Open-ended questions
Some Too Early Findings: Weighted Reasons for Leaving
Important caveat: Nearly all responses from students who requested transcripts for transfer Reason
Dissatisfaction with the social environment
Financial considerations
Academic program is not challenging Accepted at preferred college/university
Other Campus location Desired major not offered
Family, home-­‐life, and/or work responsibilities
Medical/mental health issues
Academic program is too demanding
Total Points
% Scale
99
25%
87
22%
50
13%
40
10%
37
9%
30
8%
21
5%
19
5%
13
3%
4
1%
400 100%
#1's
15
12
7
5
5
2
4
1
1
0
52
Some Too Early Findings: Weighted Reasons for Leaving
Overlap Percentage
(by Column)
Desired Major Not Offered
Desired Major Not Offered
Academic Program Too Demanding
Financial Considerations
Medical Health Issues
Accepted At Preferred College
Academic Family Dissatisfied With Campus Location
Program Not Responsibilities Environment
Challenging
0%
0%
0%
8%
13%
0%
13%
20%
18%
9%
50%
8%
7%
0%
9%
7%
0%
75%
50%
60%
75%
56%
33%
55%
0%
7%
13%
9%
7%
18%
40%
13%
34%
40%
9%
38%
44%
33%
18%
22%
7%
18%
93%
64%
Academic Program Too Demanding
0%
Financial Considerations
0%
67%
Medical Health Issues
0%
67%
13%
Accepted At Preferred College
20%
33%
26%
0%
Campus Location
40%
33%
39%
25%
50%
Family Responsibilities
0%
0%
26%
25%
8%
20%
Dissatisfied With Environment
80%
100%
78%
75%
92%
93%
88%
Academic Program Not Challenging
60%
33%
22%
25%
50%
33%
13%
44%
Other Rating
40%
0%
26%
50%
8%
13%
25%
22%
Other Rating
18%
13%
Some Too Early Findings: Open Response Broad Themes
Why did you choose AU? +  Loca9on (12) +  Academics (10) +  Reputa9on (5) +  Campus Visit (5) +  Internships (3) +  Financial Aid (2) Unexpected challenges? +  Social life (13) +  Academics (6) +  Bureaucracy (3) +  Loca9on (3) +  Athle9cs (2) +  Finances (2) Des9na9on? (2 or more) +  GW (4) +  Emerson (3) +  Georgetown (3) +  Boston University (2) +  Lafayeke (2) +  Northeastern (2) +  NYU (2) +  UVA (2) +  William and Mary (2) Relationship Goals: Compassionate and Self-Image Goals
Compassionate Goals (Crocker & Canevello, 2008).
“When people have compassionate goals they want to be a constructive force in
their interactions with others and avoid harming others; they consider others' needs,
and the impact of their behavior on others.”
“They view their relationships with others as non-zero-sum, assuming that success
for one person does not detract from others.”
Relationship Goals: Compassionate and Self-Image Goals
Self-image Goals (Crocker & Canevello, 2008).
“When people have self-image goals they want to construct, maintain, and defend
desired public and private images of the self to obtain social goods from others (e.g.,
liking, admiration, friendship) and meet their needs for belonging and acceptance.”
“They view relationships as zero-sum in nature, with gains for one person coming at
the expense of another, and hold individualistic beliefs about caregiving.”
Relationship Goals: Benefits and Costs to Students
Most students have compassion and care for others
•  70% (a lot/extremely) have compassion for others mistakes/weaknesses
•  80% (a lot/extremely) are supportive of others
•  76% (a lot extremely) aware of impact their behavior have on others
Some students have issues demonstrating vulnerabilities
•  33% (a lot/extremely) avoid showing weakness to others
•  21% (a lot/extremely) avoid revealing shortcomings or vulnerabilities
•  35% (a lot extremely) avoid the possibility of being wrong
Questions and Discussion