2018 SONS Transfers - Part 2: Affordability & Background

Concern about Cost & Food Security
Family and Culture
Living Conditions
Challenge and Well Being

Concern about Cost & Food Security

How concerned are you about paying for your undergraduate education NEXT YEAR? (Next year is defined as Fall 2019 and Spring 2020.)

ResponseNumberPercent
Not concerned 245 18%
Somewhat concerned 443 32%
Concerned 319 23%
Very concerned 381 27%

Which of the following have you done in the past year or do you plan to do this year to meet anticipated college expenses?

Selected
Applied for financial aid (including work-study) 768
53%
Asked financial aid office to reevaluate my application 220
15%
Plan to buy fewer books than required (buy/rent used books, borrow/read books on reserve) 689
48%
Will take more courses per term to complete on-time or early 354
25%
Will take fewer courses so I can work for pay 105
7%
Will accept AP or similar credit instead of taking the course 142
10%
Will take or have taken a community college course because community college courses are cheaper 463
32%
Will take or have taken an online course because online courses are cheaper 98
7%
Worked for pay to save for college 507
35%
Plan to work for pay at least my first year 370
26%
Requested a triple (3-person room) to save money 152
11%
Will live at home to reduce expenses 204
14%
Applied for outside scholarships/grants 593
41%
Don't expect cost to be a significant problem 243
17%
Other (please specify)
[Contact OPA for more information]
54
4%

Have you heard about the Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, which ensures that scholarships and grants will cover fees for California resident students from families making less than $80,000 a year, with financial need?

Response Number Percent
Yes 621 45%
No 752 55%

Have you heard about the UC Berkeley Middle Class Access Plan (MCAP), a financial aid program available to out-of-state domestic students from families in the $80,000 - $150,000 annual income range?

ResponseNumberPercent
Yes 413 30%
No 957 70%

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement: Given the grants and scholarships, if any, that you receive, the total cost of attending UC Berkeley is manageable.

ResponseNumberPercent
Strongly disagree 113 8%
Disagree 115 8%
Somewhat disagree 185 14%
Somewhat agree 453 33%
Agree 353 26%
Strongly agree 151 11%

If you were offered subsidized loans through the Financial Aid office, did you accept them?

ResponseNumberPercent
Yes, I accepted subsidized loans that I was offered 396 44%
No, I did not accept subsidized loans that I was offered 498 56%
I do not know if I have accepted a subsidized loan 117 -
Not Applicable; I was not offered subsidized loans 358 -

Please share with us why you did not accept the subsidized loans.

[Contact OPA for more information]

If you worked for pay this past summer, how many hours per week did you usually work?

ResponseNumberPercent
I did not work any hours this summer 534 39%
1-5 hours 42 3%
6-10 hours 72 5%
11-15 hours 118 9%
16-25 hours 213 16%
26-35 hours 164 12%
More than 35 226 17%

About how many hours per week are you expecting to work (paid employment) this semester?

ResponseNumberPercent
I do not plan to work this semester 760 56%
1-5 hours 77 6%
6-10 hours 205 15%
11-15 hours 158 12%
16-25 hours 106 8%
26-35 hours 38 3%
More than 35 20 2%

Since you have come to UC Berkeley, have you encountered a situation where lack of financial resources kept you from having basic student necessities (housing, food, books, healthcare, etc.)?

ResponseNumberPercent
Yes 391 29%
No 973 71%

Please select from the following list all basics you have foregone as a result of finances.

Selected
Housing 133
34%
Food 285
73%
Books 223
57%
Health care 146
37%
Other (Please explain below)
[Contact OPA for more information]
45
12%

For the following statements, please indicate whether the statement was often true, sometimes true, or never true for you in the 12 months before coming to UC Berkeley.

Often trueSometimes trueNever true
The food that I bought just didn't last, and I didn’t have money to get more. 118 391 848
9% 29% 63%
I couldn't afford to eat balanced meals. 186 398 759
14% 30% 57%

In the 12 months before coming to UC Berkeley, did you ever cut the size of your meals or skip meals because there wasn't enough money for food?

ResponseNumberPercent
No 934 68%
Yes, almost every month 140 10%
Yes, some months, but not every month 203 15%
Yes, only 1 or 2 months 91 7%

In the 12 months before coming to UC Berkeley, did you ever eat less than you felt you should because there wasn't enough money for food?

ResponseNumberPercent
No 1,000 73%
Yes 368 27%

In the 12 months before coming to UC Berkeley, were you ever hungry but didn't eat because there wasn't enough money for food?

ResponseNumberPercent
No 1,078 79%
Yes 291 21%

Is there anything else that you would like to tell us about the impact of the cost of attendance on your educational experience at UC Berkeley?

[Contact OPA for more information]

Family & Culture 

When did you come to the United States to live?

ResponseNumberPercent
I was born in the U.S. 734 54%
1998 or earlier 51 4%
1999 18 1%
2000 17 1%
2001 11 1%
2002 9 1%
2003 15 1%
2004 9 1%
2005 12 1%
2006 8 1%
2007 11 1%
2008 10 1%
2009 14 1%
2010 23 2%
2011 20 2%
2012 31 2%
2013 37 3%
2014 89 7%
2015 99 7%
2016 124 9%
2017 or later 23 2%

When did you learn to speak English?

ResponseNumberPercent
English is my native language 657 48%
Before I was 6 years old 237 17%
When I was 6-10 years old 211 16%
When I was 11-15 years old 124 9%
After turning 16 years old 133 10%

To the best of your knowledge, where were your parents born?

In the U.S.Outside the U.S.Do not know
Parent/Guardian 1 466 882 7
34% 65% 1%
Parent/Guardian 2 432 892 12
32% 67% 1%

To the best of your knowledge, how many of your grandparents were born outside of the United States?

ResponseNumberPercent
Zero 277 20%
One 67 5%
Two 176 13%
Three 48 4%
Four 791 58%

Which of the following best describes your social class when you were growing up?

ResponseNumberPercent
Wealthy 31 1%
Upper-middle or professional-middle 211 15%
Middle-class 496 36%
Working-class 372 27%
Low-income or poor 262 19%

Are you a financially independent student?

ResponseNumberPercent
Yes 466 34%
No 901 66%

To the best of your knowledge, which category includes the total annual combined income of your parent(s) before taxes in 2017?

ResponseNumberPercent
Less than $10,000 55 7%
$10,000 to $19,999 75 9%
$20,000 to $34,999 104 12%
$35,000 to $49,999 74 9%
$50,000 to $64,999 78 9%
$65,000 to $79,999 71 8%
$80,000 to $99,999 77 9%
$100,000 to $124,999 120 14%
$125,000 to $149,999 53 6%
$150,000 to $199,999 62 7%
$200,000 to $499,000 61 7%
$500,000 or more 15 2%

To the best of your knowledge, which category includes your household's total annual combined income before taxes in 2017?

ResponseNumberPercent
Less than $10,000 130 29%
$10,000 to $19,999 95 21%
$20,000 to $34,999 88 20%
$35,000 to $49,999 41 9%
$50,000 to $64,999 33 7%
$65,000 to $79,999 16 4%
$80,000 to $99,999 13 3%
$100,000 to $124,999 15 3%
$125,000 to $149,999 7 2%
$150,000 to $199,999 4 1%
$200,000 to $499,000 5 1%
$500,000 or more 1 0%

What is your religious/spiritual preference?

ResponseNumberPercent
Spiritual but not associated with a major religion 209 16%
Not particularly spiritual 180 14%
No preference 225 17%
Agnostic 119 9%
Atheist 104 8%
Baptist 9 1%
Buddhist 56 4%
Christian Church (Disciples) 110 8%
Eastern Orthodox 7 1%
Episcopalian 1 0%
Hindu 7 1%
Jewish 20 2%
Lutheran 4 0%
Methodist 4 0%
Mormon 2 0%
Muslim 72 6%
Presbyterian 17 1%
Quaker 0 0%
Roman Catholic 93 7%
Seventh Day Adventist 3 0%
Sikh 4 0%
Taoist 5 0%
Unitarian/Universalist 0 0%
United Church of Christ/Congregational 0 0%
Other Christian 42 3%
Other Religion 20 2%

With which gender do you identify?

ResponseNumberPercent
Male 579 43%
Female 743 55%
Trans Male/Trans Man 6 0%
Trans Female/Trans Woman 6 0%
Genderqueer/Gender Non-Conforming 13 1%
Different identity 8 1%

Do you consider yourself to be:

ResponseNumberPercent
Heterosexual or straight 1,121 83%
Gay or lesbian 57 4%
Bisexual 101 8%
Questioning/Unsure 32 2%
Not listed above, please specify
[Contact OPA for more information]
38 3%

How would you characterize your political orientation?

ResponseNumberPercent
Very liberal 192 14%
Liberal 458 34%
Slightly liberal 169 13%
Moderate or middle of the road 333 25%
Slightly conservative 61 5%
Conservative 30 2%
Very conservative 11 1%
Other, please elaborate
[Contact OPA for more information]
9 6%

Living Conditions

Where are you living this term?

ResponseNumberPercent
Clark Kerr Campus 15 1%
Foothill 31 2%
Bowles Hall 2 0%
Stern 15 1%
Unit 1 32 2%
Unit 2 (excluding Wada Apartments) 47 4%
Unit 3 (including Beverly Cleary Hall) 122 9%
Channing-Bowditch Apartments 60 5%
Martinez Commons 56 4%
University Village Albany (family housing) 49 4%
Wada Apartments 73 5%
New Sequoia or Garden Village Apartments 3 0%
Blackwell Hall 1 0%
International House 10 1%
Sorority or fraternity 3 0%
Global Edge Program Housing (abroad) 1 0%
Co-op housing 40 3%
Living with family 75 6%
Living off-campus in a house or apartment 642 48%
I have not (yet) found stable housing 13 1%
Other
[Contact OPA for more information]
55 4%

How far from campus are you living this term?

ResponseNumberPercent
On campus or less than 1 mile 648 48%
1 mile to 2 miles 239 18%
3 miles to 10 miles 227 17%
11 miles to 20 miles 118 9%
21 miles or more 115 9%

With whom are you living this term?

ResponseNumberPercent
No one. I live alone 110 8%
I share an apartment or dorm room with at least one other UC Berkeley student 829 62%
I share an apartment with peers who are not UC Berkeley students 107 8%
I live with my spouse or domestic partner (with or without others) 111 8%
I live with at least one parent 103 8%
Other
[Contact OPA for more information]
83 6%

What is the composition of your residence hall or household while attending UC Berkeley this term?

0 (Zero)12345 or more
College students or other adults (count yourself as 1) - 195 302 287 233 287
- 15% 23% 22% 18% 22%
Children or teenagers under the age of 18 (do NOT count yourself as 1) 1,080 79 51 26 18 18
85% 6% 4% 2% 1% 1%

Since the beginning of this semester, have you ever been homeless? (Homeless means not having stable or reliable housing, e.g., living on the street, in vehicles, motels, camp grounds, single-occupancy facilities, or couch surfing in other people's homes for temporary sleeping arrangements)

ResponseNumberPercent
Yes 40 3%
No 1,304 97%

Do you have any biological or adopted children who live with you now?

ResponseNumberPercent
No 1,251 93%
Yes 90 7%

IF YES: How many?

ResponseNumberPercent
1 28 44%
2 25 39%
3 7 11%
4 4 6%

Do you have any biological or adopted children who live elsewhere?

ResponseNumberPercent
No 1,287 96%
Yes 50 4%

IF YES: How many?

ResponseNumberPercent
1 20 74%
2 5 19%
3 1 4%
4 1 4%

Do you have primary responsibility for caring for someone else such as a parent, grandparent or sibling?

ResponseNumberPercent
No 1,215 91%
Yes 127 10%

How many of your children are under the age of 18?

ResponseNumberPercent
None 17 21%
1 33 41%
2 22 27%
3 6 7%
4 3 3%

Challenge & Well-Being

During your first year at UC Berkeley, how often do you expect each of the following to be obstacles to your school work or academic success?

Not at allRarelyOccasionallyFrequentlyAll the time
Job responsibilities (e.g., paid employment) 403 212 385 219 83
31% 16% 30% 17% 6%
Family responsibilities 252 285 435 221 103
19% 22% 34% 17% 8%
Other responsibilities (e.g., athletics, clubs, internship) 239 249 483 242 75
19% 19% 38% 19% 6%
Weak English skills 777 172 199 97 55
60% 13% 15% 8% 4%
Weak writing skills 649 256 233 109 54
50% 20% 18% 8% 4%
Weak math skills 619 287 258 92 38
48% 22% 20% 7% 3%
Inadequate study skills (e.g., knowing how to start, knowing how to get help, organizing material) 369 340 390 156 47
28% 26% 30% 12% 4%
Poor study behaviors (e.g., wait until the last minute, too much social time, too much web surfing) 305 302 408 215 72
23% 23% 31% 17% 6%
Poor study environment (e.g., noisy roommate, poor Internet access, inadequate computer or software) 372 355 360 157 59
29% 27% 28% 12% 5%
Feeling depressed, stressed, or upset 186 240 416 297 163
14% 18% 32% 23% 13%
Physical illness or condition 479 383 288 104 45
37% 30% 22% 8% 4%
Military deployment 1,095 70 90 29 11
85% 5% 7% 2% 1%
Going hungry, not having enough food 743 252 213 70 24
57% 19% 16% 5% 2%
Inconsistent access to housing, or homelessness 1,021 113 113 36 15
79% 9% 9% 3% 1%
Inability to concentrate on my work 334 264 397 204 101
26% 20% 31% 16% 8%
Reluctance to ask for academic help when I need it 412 300 385 147 60
32% 23% 30% 11% 5%

In general, I consider myself...

ResponseNumberPercent
(1) Not a very happy person 42 3%
(2) 66 5%
(3) 127 10%
(4) 275 21%
(5) 352 27%
(6) 295 22%
(7) A very happy person 161 12%

In the past 3 months, compared to most of my peers, I consider myself ...

ResponseNumberPercent
(1) Less happy 83 6%
(2) 111 9%
(3) 180 14%
(4) 320 24%
(5) 261 20%
(6) 227 17%
(7) More happy 130 10%

Whom can you really count on to help you feel better when you are feeling upset?

Selected
Friends nearby 758
54%
Friends who are not nearby (e.g., home or high school friends) 721
51%
Boyfriend or girlfriend, partner, spouse or significant other 471
33%
Teachers, coaches 129
9%
Parents, guardians 753
53%
Siblings 515
37%
Other family 232
16%
Clergy 18
1%
Counselors, therapists 150
11%
UCB student services support staff (counselor, advisor, etc.) 125
9%
No one (else) / myself only 91
6%
Other (please specify)
[Contact OPA for more information]
34
2%

In general, how satisfied are you with how available these people are to you?

ResponseNumberPercent
Very dissatisfied 59 5%
Fairly dissatisfied 75 6%
A little dissatisfied 119 10%
A little satisfied 157 13%
Fairly satisfied 458 38%
Very satisfied 346 29%

Overall, how satisfied are you with the support that you have?

ResponseNumberPercent
Very dissatisfied 51 4%
Fairly dissatisfied 81 6%
A little dissatisfied 130 10%
A little satisfied 197 15%
Fairly satisfied 472 36%
Very satisfied 364 28%

Do you know that the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at the Tang Center offers short term counseling, that there is no charge to get started, and that all registered UC Berkeley students can access services regardless of whether they have UC Berkeley SHIP (Student Health Insurance Plan)?

ResponseNumberPercent
Yes 1,014 77%
No 299 23%

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