2016 SONS Transfers - Part 2: Background | Office of Planning and Analysis

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 2017 and Spring 2018.)

Response	Number	Percent
Not concerned	207	18%
Somewhat concerned	328	28%
Concerned	253	22%
Very concerned	383	33%

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)	718
Applied for financial aid (including work-study)	61%
Asked financial aid office to reevaluate my application	229
Asked financial aid office to reevaluate my application	19%
Plan to buy fewer books than required, buy cheaper used books, borrow/read books on reserve, rent books	675
	57%
Will take more courses per term to complete on-time or early	322
	27%
Will take fewer courses so I can work for pay	72
Will take fewer courses so I can work for pay	6%
Will accept AP or similar credit instead of taking the course	135
	11%
Will take or have taken a community college course because community college courses are cheaper	425
	36%
Will take or have taken an online course because online courses are cheaper	71
	6%
Worked for pay to save for college	469
Worked for pay to save for college	40%
Plan to work for pay at least my first year	307
Plan to work for pay at least my first year	26%
Requested a triple (3-person room) to save money	124
Requested a triple (3-person room) to save money	11%
Will live at home to reduce expenses	159
Will live at home to reduce expenses	13%
Don't expect cost to be a significant problem	213
Don't expect cost to be a significant problem	18%
Applied for outside scholarships/grants	550
Applied for outside scholarships/grants	47%
Other (please specify) *[Contact OPA for more information]*	67
	6%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	593	51%
No	573	49%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	454	39%
No	705	61%

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.

Response	Number	Percent
Strongly disagree	103	9%
Disagree	95	8%
Somewhat disagree	165	14%
Somewhat agree	372	32%
Agree	289	25%
Strongly agree	143	12%

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.)?

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	369	32%
No	795	68%

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

	Selected
Housing	146
Housing	40%
Food	237
Food	64%
Books	230
Books	62%
Health care	101
Health care	27%
Other (Please explain) *[Contact OPA for more information]*	51
	14%

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 true	Sometimes true	Never true
The food that I bought just didn't last, and I didn't have money to get more.	77	336	733
	7%	29%	64%
I couldn't afford to eat balanced meals.	149	320	675
I couldn't afford to eat balanced meals.	13%	28%	59%

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?

Response	Number	Percent
No	789	68%
Yes, almost every month	134	12%
Yes, some months, but not every month	161	14%
Yes, only 1 or 2 months	79	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?

Response	Number	Percent
No	837	72%
Yes	326	28%

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?

Response	Number	Percent
No	897	77%
Yes	264	23%

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

[Contact OPA for more information]

Family & Culture

When did you come to the United States to live?

Response	Number	Percent
I was born in the U.S.	675	59%
1996 or earlier	43	4%
1997	8	1%
1998	13	1%
1999	11	1%
2000	8	1%
2001	13	1%
2002	8	1%
2003	6	1%
2004	8	1%
2005	9	1%
2006	7	1%
2007	9	1%
2008	8	1%
2009	16	1%
2010	26	2%
2011	29	3%
2012	64	6%
2013	85	7%
2014	98	9%
2015 or later	6	1%

When did you learn to speak English?

Response	Number	Percent
English is my native language	608	53%
Before I was 6 years old	208	18%
When I was 6-10 years old	148	13%
When I was 11-15 years old	89	8%
After turning 16 years old	99	9%

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

	In the U.S.	Outside the U.S.	Do not know	N/A
Parent/Guardian 1	444	698	2	0
Parent/Guardian 1	39%	61%	0%	0%
Parent/Guardian 2	392	733	5	0
Parent/Guardian 2	35%	65%	0%	0%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Zero	239	21%
One	58	5%
Two	160	14%
Three	39	3%
Four	652	57%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Wealthy	19	2%
Upper-middle or professional-middle	198	17%
Middle-class	419	36%
Working-class	307	27%
Low-income or poor	209	18%

Are you a financially independent student?
Some students have no contact with their parents, and therefore cannot use their tax information for filing the FAFSA. If you find yourself in this situation and have been formally declared an independent student, then please answer yes.

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	392	34%
No	758	66%

To the best of your knowledge, which category includes the total annual combined income of your parent(s) before taxes in 2015?

Response	Number	Percent
Less than $10,000	34	5%
$10,000 to $19,999	56	8%
$20,000 to $34,999	81	11%
$35,000 to $49,999	63	9%
$50,000 to $64,999	68	10%
$65,000 to $79,999	73	10%
$80,000 to $99,999	81	11%
$100,000 to $124,999	106	15%
$125,000 to $149,999	35	5%
$150,000 to $199,999	54	8%
$200,000 to $499,000	55	8%
$500,000 or more	11	2%

To the best of your knowledge, which category includes your household's total annual combined income before taxes in 2015?

Response	Number	Percent
Less than $10,000	136	35%
$10,000 to $19,999	98	26%
$20,000 to $34,999	68	18%
$35,000 to $49,999	22	6%
$50,000 to $64,999	16	4%
$65,000 to $79,999	9	2%
$80,000 to $99,999	11	3%
$100,000 to $124,999	12	3%
$125,000 to $149,999	2	1%
$150,000 to $199,999	5	1%
$200,000 to $499,000	5	1%
$500,000 or more	1	0%

What is your religious/spiritual preference?

Response	Number	Percent
Spiritual but not associated with a major religion	180	16%
Not particularly spiritual	131	12%
No preference	186	17%
Agnostic	110	10%
Atheist	102	9%
Baptist	12	1%
Buddhist	47	4%
Christian Church (Disciples)	68	6%
Eastern Orthodox	14	1%
Hindu	4	0%
Jewish	24	2%
Lutheran	4	0%
Methodist	3	0%
Muslim	33	3%
Presbyterian	14	1%
Roman Catholic	107	10%
Seventh Day Adventist	2	0%
Sikh	7	1%
Taoist	3	0%
Unitarian/Universalist	3	0%
Other Christian	41	4%
Other Religion	15	1%

With which gender do you identify?

Response	Number	Percent
Male	529	47%
Female	586	52%
Trans Male/Trans Man	3	0%
Trans Female/Trans Woman	3	0%
Genderqueer/Gender Non-Conforming	10	1%
Different identity	6	1%

Do you consider yourself to be:

Response	Number	Percent
Heterosexual or straight	925	81%
Gay or lesbian	47	4%
Bisexual	95	8%
Questioning/Unsure	39	3%
Not listed above, please specify *[Contact OPA for more information]*	30	3%

How would you characterize your political orientation?

Response	Number	Percent
Very liberal	181	16%
Liberal	367	33%
Slightly liberal	157	14%
Moderate or middle of the road	256	23%
Slightly conservative	57	5%
Conservative	42	4%
Very conservative	6	1%
Other, please elaborate *[Contact OPA for more information]*	57	5%

Living Conditions

Where are you living this term?

Response	Number	Percent
Clark Kerr Campus	7	1%
Foothill	12	1%
Bowles	0	0%
Stern	14	1%
Unit 1	28	3%
Unit 2 (excluding Wada Apartments)	21	2%
Unit 3 (including Beverly Cleary Hall)	10	1%
Channing-Bowditch Apartments	65	6%
Martinez Commons	70	6%
University Village Albany (family housing)	45	4%
Wada Apartments	65	6%
New Sequoia or Garden Village Apartments	65	6%
Mills College or Holy Names University	6	1%
Living with family	69	6%
Sorority or fraternity	3	0%
Co-op Housing	9	1%
Living off-campus in a house or apartment	596	53%
I have not (yet) found housing	15	1%
Other *[Contact OPA for more information]*	28	3%

How far from campus are you living this term?

Response	Number	Percent
On campus or less than 1 mile	486	43%
1 mile to 2 miles	249	22%
3 miles to 10 miles	163	14%
11 miles to 20 miles	101	9%
21 miles or more	131	12%

Do you have a UC Berkeley Meal Plan for this semester?

Response	Number	Percent
Yes - Not sure which plan	19	2%
Yes - Standard Plan (included in housing, 10-12 meals/wk.)	114	10%
Yes - Premium Plan (included in housing + $350/yr, 12-16 meals/wk.)	25	2%
Yes - Ultimate Plan (included in housing + $750/yr, 19+ meals/wk.)	5	0%
Yes - Non-Resident BLUE (5-6 meals/wk.)	101	9%
Yes - Non-Resident GOLD (7-8 meals/wk.)	28	3%
Yes - Non-Resident PLATINUM (9-11 meals/wk.)	19	2%
No	822	73%

With whom are you living this term?

Response	Number	Percent
No one. I live alone	99	9%
I share an apartment or dorm room with at least one other UC Berkeley student	620	55%
I share an apartment with peers who are not UC Berkeley students	117	10%
I live with my spouse or domestic partner (with or without others)	105	9%
I live with at least one parent	89	8%
Other *[Contact OPA for more information]*	96	9%

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

	0 (Zero)	1	2	3	4	5 or more
College students or other adults (count yourself as 1)	-	167	274	208	239	197
College students or other adults (count yourself as 1)	-	15%	25%	19%	22%	18%
Children or teenagers under the age of 18 (do NOT count yourself as 1)	891	80	37	17	9	12
	85%	8%	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)

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	45	4%
No	1080	96%

Are you a parent or legal guardian?

Response	Number	Percent
No	908	81%
Yes	216	19%

IF YES:
How many children or dependents do you care for?

Response	Number	Percent
None	29	39%
1	28	37%
2	13	17%
3	4	5%
4	1	1%
5 or more	0	0%

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

Response	Number	Percent
None	29	40%
1	28	38%
2	13	18%
3	3	4%
4	0	0%
5 or more	0	0%

Challenge and 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 all	Rarely	Occasionally	Frequently	All the time
Job responsibilities (e.g., paid employment)	339	177	307	166	96
Job responsibilities (e.g., paid employment)	31%	16%	28%	15%	9%
Family responsibilities	259	269	307	164	92
Family responsibilities	24%	25%	28%	15%	8%
Other responsibilities (e.g., athletics, clubs, internship)	203	225	372	209	80
	19%	21%	34%	19%	7%
Weak English skills	712	146	124	70	39
Weak English skills	65%	13%	11%	6%	4%
Weak writing skills	609	181	191	78	35
Weak writing skills	56%	17%	18%	7%	3%
Weak math skills	564	250	186	68	21
Weak math skills	52%	23%	17%	6%	2%
Inadequate study skills (e.g., knowing how to start, knowing how to get help, organizing material)	348	301	299	102	43
	32%	28%	27%	9%	4%
Poor study behaviors (e.g., wait until the last minute, too much social time, too much web surfing)	263	283	338	153	59
	24%	26%	31%	14%	5%
Poor study environment (e.g., noisy roommate, poor Internet access, inadequate computer or software)	321	332	286	109	47
	29%	30%	26%	10%	4%
Feeling depressed, stressed, or upset	155	244	338	253	108
Feeling depressed, stressed, or upset	14%	22%	31%	23%	10%
Physical illness or condition	443	371	186	55	34
Physical illness or condition	41%	34%	17%	5%	3%
Military deployment	954	65	47	13	11
Military deployment	88%	6%	4%	1%	1%
Going hungry, not having enough food	641	230	157	43	21
Going hungry, not having enough food	59%	21%	14%	4%	2%
Inconsistent access to housing, or homelessness	894	105	59	19	17
Inconsistent access to housing, or homelessness	82%	10%	5%	2%	2%
Inability to concentrate on my work	256	273	355	139	74
Inability to concentrate on my work	23%	25%	32%	13%	7%
Reluctance to ask for academic help when I need it	332	307	297	116	41
Reluctance to ask for academic help when I need it	30%	28%	27%	11%	4%

In general, I consider myself:

Response	Number	Percent
(1) not a very happy person	26	2%
(2)	39	4%
(3)	102	9%
(4)	197	18%
(5)	310	28%
(6)	290	26%
(7) a very happy person	136	12%

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

Response	Number	Percent
(1) less happy	70	6%
(2)	90	8%
(3)	135	12%
(4)	226	21%
(5)	256	23%
(6)	201	18%
(7) more happy	119	11%

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

	Selected
Friends nearby	592
Friends nearby	53%
Friends who are not nearby (e.g., home or high school friends)	625
	56%
Boyfriend or girlfriend, partner, spouse or significant other	452
	40%
Teachers, coaches	117
Teachers, coaches	10%
Parents, guardians	631
Parents, guardians	56%
Siblings	465
Siblings	41%
Other family	212
Other family	19%
Clergy	20
Clergy	2%
Counselors, therapists	122
Counselors, therapists	11%
UCB student services support staff (counselor, advisor, etc.)	118
	11%
No one (else) / myself only	81
No one (else) / myself only	7%
Other (please specify) *[Contact OPA for more information]*	35
	3%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Very dissatisfied	33	3%
Fairly dissatisfied	69	7%
A little dissatisfied	84	8%
A little satisfied	131	13%
Fairly satisfied	366	36%
Very satisfied	323	32%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Very dissatisfied	47	4%
Fairly dissatisfied	77	7%
A little dissatisfied	87	8%
A little satisfied	138	13%
Fairly satisfied	413	38%
Very satisfied	316	29%

Do you know that all UC Berkeley students are eligible for up to 5 free counseling visits at Tang Center-University Health Services regardless of whether they have UC Berkeley SHIP (Student Health Insurance Plan)?

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	571	52%
No	529	48%