2016 SONS Freshman - Part 3: Random Module

Academic Experience
Student Life and Development
Items of Special Interest (Advising and Course Selection)Items of Special interest (AP Experiences)

Academic Experience

We would like to hear more about your perception of being an undergraduate at a research university. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements.

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Disagree somewhat	Agree somewhat	Agree	Strongly agree
UC Berkeley has a strong commitment to undergraduate education	9	14	35	156	303	183
	1%	2%	5%	22%	43%	26%
Attending a university with world-class researchers is important to me	8	11	28	148	262	237
	1%	2%	4%	21%	38%	34%
The emphasis on research at UC Berkeley detracts from the quality of teaching on this campus	47	133	121	158	136	97
	7%	19%	18%	23%	20%	14%

How important to you are the following aspects of being an undergraduate at a research university like UC Berkeley?

	Not important at all	Not very important	Somewhat important	Important	Very important	Essential
The prestige of this campus/faculty when you apply to grad school	24	17	87	197	212	163
	3%	2%	12%	28%	30%	23%
The prestige of this campus when you apply for a job	9	11	50	165	257	204
	1%	2%	7%	24%	37%	29%
Having access to a world-class library collection	13	62	130	173	185	135
	2%	9%	19%	25%	27%	19%
Being able to attend plays, concerts, lectures, and other cultural events	24	65	115	189	167	136
	3%	9%	17%	27%	24%	20%

How do you expect to use the library and library staff while you are at UC Berkeley? (Check all that apply)

	Selected
To find data and statistical information	414
	59%
As a quiet place to study	400
	57%
For help in learning to do academic research	410
	58%
To find scholarly articles	365
	52%
For help in organizing my research	397
	56%
As a place to work on group projects	379
	54%
For printing, copying and scanning	396
	56%
To find books	372
	53%
Other (please specify) [Contact OPA for more information]	7
	1%

If you were seeking help in doing library research, which ways would you prefer to communicate? Rank the following in order of preference from 1 (strongest preference) to 6 or from 1 to 7 if you select 'Other' below.

- Individual help at a library reference desk

Response	Number	Percent
1	266	41%
2	139	22%
3	101	16%
4	83	13%
5	29	5%
6	17	3%
7	8	1%

- Individual help by appointment

Response	Number	Percent
1	109	17%
2	173	27%
3	132	21%
4	104	16%
5	82	13%
6	37	6%
7	3	1%

- Take an hour-long class in library research methods

Response	Number	Percent
1	35	6%
2	28	4%
3	65	10%
4	63	10%
5	116	18%
6	308	48%
7	23	4%

- Use a virtual chat widget

Response	Number	Percent
1	45	7%
2	77	12%
3	82	13%
4	122	19%
5	173	27%
6	129	20%
7	7	1%

- Email

Response	Number	Percent
1	142	22%
2	156	24%
3	124	19%
4	109	17%
5	74	11%
6	39	6%
7	4	1%

- Phone

Response	Number	Percent
1	55	9%
2	66	10%
3	129	20%
4	152	24%
5	147	23%
6	85	13%
7	8	1%

- Other [Contact OPA for more information]

Response	Number	Percent
1	6	5%
2	8	7%
3	6	5%
4	3	3%
5	10	8%
6	14	12%
7	72	61%

While attending UC Berkeley, how often would you like to interact with students from a country or state outside of your own in class (e.g., through section discussions, study groups or class projects)?

Response	Number	Percent
Never	4	1%
Rarely	16	2%
Occasionally	86	12%
Somewhat often	166	24%
Often	239	35%
Very often	181	26%

How important is it to you to graduate in four years or, if you are a transfer student, in two years?

Response	Number	Percent
Not important	3	0%
Not very important	8	1%
Somewhat important	45	7%
Important	98	14%
Very important	220	32%
Essential	307	45%
Not applicable	0	0%

If changes to course availability and other factors made it possible to earn your degree in 3 years, what is the likelihood you would attempt to graduate in 3 years?

Response	Number	Percent
Very likely	162	24%
Somewhat likely	228	33%
Neither likely nor unlikely	124	18%
Somewhat unlikely	101	15%
Very unlikely	75	11%

Regarding choice of a major, what advice have you received?

	Decide on a major as soon as possible	Take your time; explore options	No advice given
From your family	213	375	96
	31%	55%	14%
From UC Berkeley advisors	43	505	138
	6%	74%	20%
From friends	102	415	167
	15%	61%	24%
From fellow UC Berkeley students	104	424	156
	15%	62%	23%
From former teachers, instructors, or counselors	76	468	139
	11%	69%	20%

What do you plan to do about a major?

Response	Number	Percent
I have declared a major	183	27%
I will declare a major as soon as possible	322	47%
I plan to take my time and explore options	183	27%

Student Life & Development

Indicate how important each of the following college goals is to you.

	Not important	Somewhat important	Very important
Be in a position to give back to my community after finishing my education	39	220	412
	6%	33%	61%
Acquire a well-rounded general education	16	117	538
	2%	17%	80%
Explore and discover my personal identity	30	145	494
	5%	22%	74%
Achieve a high GPA	16	184	470
	2%	28%	70%
Form (a) romantic relationship(s)	180	293	199
	27%	44%	30%
Establish meaningful friendships	7	91	571
	1%	14%	85%
Be in a position to make a lot of money after finishing my education	40	251	381
	6%	37%	57%
Explore new ideas	9	145	516
	1%	22%	77%
Enjoy my college years before assuming adult responsibilities	29	163	478
	4%	24%	71%
Develop an in-depth understanding of a specific field of study	6	116	550
	1%	17%	82%
Integrate spirituality into my life	334	195	143
	50%	29%	21%
Establish social networks that will help further my career	17	170	485
	3%	25%	72%

On the scale from 1 to 6 below, please indicate how concerned you are about each of the following:

	Not at all concerned (1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	Very concerned (6)
Financing my education at UC Berkeley	155	102	91	105	93	121
	23%	15%	14%	16%	14%	18%
Finding affordable housing while I'm a student at UC Berkeley	95	75	121	114	124	133
	14%	11%	18%	17%	19%	20%
Getting into my first choice of major	138	66	82	95	115	169
	21%	10%	12%	14%	17%	25%
Being able to maintain a high GPA	16	19	60	122	192	255
	2%	3%	9%	18%	29%	38%
Getting the academic advising I need	56	83	99	155	142	127
	9%	13%	15%	23%	22%	19%
Getting the career and professional advising I need	50	65	93	146	160	147
	8%	10%	14%	22%	24%	22%
Getting the psychological counseling I might need	137	163	126	118	66	53
	21%	25%	19%	18%	10%	8%
Getting along with my roommate(s)	147	137	125	106	76	71
	22%	21%	19%	16%	12%	11%
Being able to balance academic and social activities	27	45	114	159	170	150
	4%	7%	17%	24%	26%	23%
Being able to make the kind of friends I want	41	58	80	141	161	182
	6%	9%	12%	21%	24%	28%
Being away from family and friends; being 'homesick'	151	145	122	106	61	77
	23%	22%	18%	16%	9%	12%
Being able to maintain good health	68	98	117	145	118	117
	10%	15%	18%	22%	18%	18%
Being able to cope with expectations of parents and family	124	116	114	134	80	95
	19%	18%	17%	20%	12%	14%
Being overwhelmed with all the things I'm expected to do my first semester	60	62	96	159	126	159
	9%	9%	15%	24%	19%	24%
Regretting my decision to attend UC Berkeley	284	127	86	81	39	48
	43%	19%	13%	12%	6%	7%

Based on your experience and observation, rate the general climate for students at UC Berkeley along the following dimensions:

Campus climate is...

Response	Number	Percent
(6) Friendly	185	28%
(5)	269	41%
(4)	146	22%
(3)	46	7%
(2)	11	2%
(1) Hostile	2	0%

Response	Number	Percent
(6) Caring	138	21%
(5)	195	30%
(4)	193	29%
(3)	85	13%
(2)	33	5%
(1) Impersonal	14	2%

Response	Number	Percent
(6) Intellectual	354	54%
(5)	201	31%
(4)	75	11%
(3)	23	4%
(2)	3	1%
(1) Not intellectual	2	0%

Response	Number	Percent
(6) Appreciative of diversity	270	41%
(5)	215	33%
(4)	126	19%
(3)	31	5%
(2)	13	2%
(1) Unappreciative of diversity	5	1%

Response	Number	Percent
(6) Safe	86	13%
(5)	167	25%
(4)	207	32%
(3)	129	20%
(2)	58	9%
(1) Dangerous	10	2%

Response	Number	Percent
(6) Too hard academically	86	13%
(5)	235	36%
(4)	265	40%
(3)	59	9%
(2)	6	1%
(1) Too easy academically	5	1%

Response	Number	Percent
(6) Affordable	43	7%
(5)	120	18%
(4)	214	33%
(3)	159	24%
(2)	83	13%
(1) Not affordable	36	6%

As you start your first semester at UC Berkeley, please rank your concerns in these five general areas. One (1) is first or the area of most concern. (Rank the following from 1 to 5)

- Being successful academically (e.g., understanding material, GPA, getting into the major I want)

Response	Number	Percent
1	324	49%
2	177	27%
3	74	11%
4	50	8%
5	32	5%

- Financing my education at UC Berkeley (e.g., money for expenses, being able to work, finding affordable housing)

Response	Number	Percent
1	96	15%
2	52	8%
3	72	11%
4	87	13%
5	347	53%

- Making good choices, finding direction for my life (e.g., what I want to do after college, making the right career choice)

Response	Number	Percent
1	72	11%
2	103	16%
3	136	21%
4	223	34%
5	123	19%

- Balancing things, finding time for everything (e.g., balancing academic and social life, not being overwhelmed)

Response	Number	Percent
1	107	16%
2	184	28%
3	198	30%
4	125	19%
5	43	7%

- Making friends, having a personal life (e.g., not being lonely, having a good relationship)

Response	Number	Percent
1	56	9%
2	141	22%
3	185	28%
4	169	26%
5	106	16%

As a beginning UC Berkeley student, how would you rate your competencies below?

	Very poor	Poor	Fair	Good	Very good	Excellent
Understanding of the complexities of global issues	8	54	212	202	130	54
	1%	8%	32%	31%	20%	8%
Ability to apply disciplinary knowledge in a global context	9	56	195	221	123	54
	1%	9%	30%	34%	19%	8%
Comfort working with people from other cultures	4	10	81	183	240	138
	1%	2%	12%	28%	37%	21%

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
Opportunities to develop my leadership skills while at UC Berkeley are important to me.

Response	Number	Percent
Strongly disagree	19	3%
Disagree	7	1%
Disagree somewhat	21	3%
Agree somewhat	150	23%
Agree	289	44%
Strongly agree	174	26%

Items of Special Interest (Advising and Course Selection)

What type of advising do you expect and hope to receive from an advisor? Please rank from 1 to 7, in order of what is personally important to you, assigning a 1 to the option you feel is most important.

- Career and Professional advising

Response	Number	Percent
1	116	18%
2	113	18%
3	125	20%
4	95	15%
5	85	13%
6	65	10%
7	41	6%

- Choosing classes

Response	Number	Percent
1	170	27%
2	149	23%
3	97	15%
4	77	12%
5	66	10%
6	45	7%
7	37	6%

- Enrichment opportunities (e.g., Study abroad, research)

Response	Number	Percent
1	78	12%
2	87	14%
3	121	19%
4	89	14%
5	91	14%
6	102	16%
7	71	11%

- Financial aid and scholarships

Response	Number	Percent
1	65	10%
2	68	11%
3	67	11%
4	74	12%
5	92	14%
6	109	17%
7	164	26%

- Understanding Campus Resources

Response	Number	Percent
1	31	5%
2	52	8%
3	60	9%
4	93	15%
5	120	19%
6	158	25%
7	125	20%

- Selecting a major

Response	Number	Percent
1	94	15%
2	96	15%
3	49	8%
4	74	12%
5	82	13%
6	95	15%
7	149	23%

- Academic Support

Response	Number	Percent
1	96	15%
2	76	12%
3	117	18%
4	132	21%
5	98	15%
6	68	11%
7	51	8%

With whom did you consult with when selecting courses for your first semester? Please select all that apply.

	Selected
- CalSO leader (student CalSO staff)	113
	17%
- College advisor in your home College (e.g., Letters & Science, College of Engineering)	305
	46%
- Major advisor	286
	43%
- Co-curricular Advisors/Student Services Support Staff (e.g., advising staff working in offices such as the Educational Opportunity Program, the Berkeley International Office, the Transfer Center)	58
	9%
- Faculty member	62
	9%
- Another student	287
	43%
- Parent, Guardian, or family member	318
	48%
- Online (e.g., departmental website, forum, catalog review)	319
	48%
- Friend(s)	312
	47%
- No one	25
	4%
Other [Contact OPA for more information]	3
	0%

Who provided the most useful guidance in the selection of your courses for the current term?

Response	Number	Percent
CalSO leader	15	2%
College advisor in your home College (e.g., Letters & Science, College of Engineering)	117	18%
Major advisor	110	17%
Co-curricular Advisors/Student Services Support Staff (e.g., advising staff working in offices such as the Educational Opportunity Program, the Berkeley International Office, the Transfer Center)	18	3%
Faculty member	13	2%
Another student	88	14%
Parent, Guardian, or family member	59	9%
Online (e.g., departmental website, forum, catalog review)	129	20%
Friend(s)	51	8%
No one	39	6%
Other (please specify) [Contact OPA for more information]	2	0%

How satisfied are you with the amount of individualized guidance you received from the people you consulted with in selecting your courses?

Response	Number	Percent
Very dissatisfied	25	4%
Dissatisfied	50	8%
Somewhat dissatisfied	75	12%
Somewhat satisfied	174	27%
Satisfied	244	38%
Very satisfied	71	11%

Since being admitted, have you ever received advice from two different offices or staff members at UC Berkeley that was contradictory or in conflict?

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	98	15%
No	543	85%

Please provide a brief explanation of what happened (when you received advice from two different offices or staff members at UC Berkeley that was contradictory or in conflict)

[Contact OPA for more information]

Select the top three factors that most influenced how you selected courses for your first semester.

- First:

Response	Number	Percent
Academic Advisor	46	7%
Co-curricular Advisor/Student Services Support Staff	1	0%
Course(s) fulfilled a general or breadth requirement (e.g., Reading and Composition, American Cultures, Foreign Languages, etc.)	81	13%
Course(s) fulfilled a major requirement	216	34%
I found the subject generally interesting	186	29%
I thought/had heard a course was not as rigorous or demanding	5	1%
Parental desires	8	1%
Prepares me for my major	47	7%
Recommendation of another new UC Berkeley student	4	1%
Recommendation of continuing UC Berkeley student	30	5%
Reputation of professor	5	1%
The course fit my schedule	6	1%

Second:

Response	Number	Percent
Academic Advisor	50	8%
Co-curricular Advisor/Student Services Support Staff	3	1%
Course(s) fulfilled a general or breadth requirement (e.g., Reading and Composition, American Cultures, Foreign Languages, etc.)	193	30%
Course(s) fulfilled a major requirement	123	19%
I found the subject generally interesting	79	13%
I thought/had heard a course was not as rigorous or demanding	5	1%
Parental desires	4	1%
Prepares me for my major	55	9%
Recommendation of another new UC Berkeley student	12	2%
Recommendation of continuing UC Berkeley student	43	7%
Reputation of professor	26	4%
The course fit my schedule	41	7%

Third:

Response	Number	Percent
Academic Advisor	42	7%
Co-curricular Advisor/Student Services Support Staff	5	1%
Course(s) fulfilled a general or breadth requirement (e.g., Reading and Composition, American Cultures, Foreign Languages, etc.)	96	15%
Course(s) fulfilled a major requirement	76	12%
I found the subject generally interesting	119	19%
I thought/had heard a course was not as rigorous or demanding	20	3%
Parental desires	6	1%
Prepares me for my major	95	15%
Recommendation of another new UC Berkeley student	16	3%
Recommendation of continuing UC Berkeley student	30	5%
Reputation of professor	26	4%
The course fit my schedule	101	16%

What other factors did you consider when setting up your course schedule for the current term?

[Contact OPA for more information]

How satisfied are you with each of the following, based on your experiences with accessing courses for the current semester?

	Very dissatisfied	Dissatisfied	Somewhat dissatisfied	Somewhat satisfied	Satisfied	Very satisfied
Availability of courses for general education or breadth requirements	12	32	66	177	269	83
	2%	5%	10%	28%	42%	13%
Availability of courses to fulfill prerequisite requirements	13	29	44	164	298	90
	2%	5%	7%	26%	47%	14%
Ability to get into the lectures or seminars (i.e., primary courses) you wanted	28	56	98	150	242	64
	4%	9%	15%	24%	38%	10%
Ability to get into the discussion sections or labs (i.e., secondary courses) you wanted	24	56	76	199	224	59
	4%	9%	12%	31%	35%	9%
Variety of courses available	4	7	29	130	292	174
	1%	1%	5%	20%	46%	27%
Access to small classes	33	72	119	205	157	51
	5%	11%	19%	32%	25%	8%

Items of Special Interest (AP Experiences)

At UC Berkeley, there are "common-good" courses that are identified as serving the broad student community as well as being critical to students' intellectual development, academic success, and timely graduation. These common-good courses include Reading and Composition (both 1a and 1b), lower division "gateway" courses in Math & Science (Chemistry, Statistics, Math, Physics, and Biology), and Foreign Language Instruction.

As the campus continues to work toward increasing access to these common-good courses, planning for the appropriate number of students who will be enrolling in these courses is essential for proper resource allocation. Thus, we would like to get a sense of whether you, personally, have fulfilled some of these requirements through exams (e.g., AP, A-level English, International Baccalaureate Higher Level English Language A1 or A2) and, if so, if you still plan to enroll in a course at Berkeley that would also fulfill the requirement.

Do you have an exam score in the appropriate subject that, if used, will fulfill your UC Berkeley Reading and Composition 1a requirement?

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	410	64%
No	193	30%
Don't know	38	6%

Do you have an exam score in the appropriate subject that, if used, will fulfill your UC Berkeley Reading and Composition 1b requirement?

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	159	25%
No	430	67%
Don't know	52	8%

Will you use your exam score to actually fulfill the Reading & Composition 1a requirement?

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	364	90%
No	22	5%
Don't know	20	5%

Will you use your exam score to actually fulfill the Reading & Composition 1b requirement?

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	125	79%
No	24	15%
Don't know	9	6%

You indicated that you have an exam score that will fulfill your UC Berkeley Reading & Composition 1a requirement, but that you will NOT use this score to fulfill the requirement. Please share with us the reason(s) why you will not use your exam score to fulfill your R&C 1a requirement and will instead enroll in one of the UCB courses that will fulfill this requirement.

[Contact OPA for more information]

You indicated that you have an exam score that will fulfill your UC Berkeley Reading & Composition 1b requirement, but that you will NOT use this score to fulfill the requirement. Please share with us the reason(s) why you will not use your exam score to fulfill your R&C 1b requirement and will instead enroll in one of the UCB courses that will fulfill this requirement.

[Contact OPA for more information]

Are you currently enrolled/planning to complete a Reading & Composition 1a course this semester?

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	134	21%
No	509	79%

Are you currently enrolled/planning to complete a Reading & Composition 1b course this semester?

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	120	19%
No	523	81%

Why did you not enroll in a Reading & Composition 1a course this semester? (Please select the primary reason)

Response	Number	Percent
I had a preference for an R&C 1a course in a particular department, but it was already full	16	11%
I could not gain access into ANY of the R&C 1a courses offered across the various departments on campus	24	17%
I did not like the times of the remaining courses that had available seats	9	6%
I decided to wait until another semester for reasons not listed above	42	29%
I will be using exam credit (e.g., AP, A-level English, International Baccalaureate Higher Level English Language A1 or A2) instead	6	4%
I did not know my AP score	9	6%
I have not yet passed the Analytical Writing Paper Exam (AWPE)	5	4%
I don't know	13	9%
Other, please specify: [Contact OPA for more information]	19	13%

Why did you not enroll in a Reading & Composition 1b course this semester? (Please select the primary reason)

Response	Number	Percent
I have not yet satisfied the first half of the R&C requirement (R&C 1a)	154	39%
I had a preference for an R&C 1b course in a particular department, but it was already full	28	7%
I could not gain access into ANY of the R&C 1b courses offered across the various departments on campus	22	6%
I did not like the times of the remaining courses that had available seats	18	5%
I decided to wait until another semester for reasons not listed above	85	22%
I will be using exam credit (e.g., AP, A-level English, International Baccalaureate Higher Level English Language A1 or A2) instead	7	2%
I did not know my AP score	24	6%
I don't know	32	8%
Other, please specify: [Contact OPA for more information]	25	6%

You indicated that the primary reason for not enrolling in an R&C course was because you had a preference for an R&C course offered in a particular department and that course was full.  Please share with us which department(s) you were hoping to take an R&C course from and briefly describe why you prefer to take a course from that particular department:

[Contact OPA for more information]

Did you have an AP of 4 or 5 in Math, Chemistry, Biology or Physics?

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	455	72%
No	177	28%

Regarding use of AP eligibility, what advice have you received?

	Don't AP out; take the entry course at Berkeley	AP out; take a more advanced course	No advice given
From my family	92	246	282
	15%	40%	46%
From UC Berkeley advisors	202	124	288
	33%	20%	47%
From friends	76	341	199
	12%	55%	32%
From fellow UC Berkeley students	119	260	234
	19%	42%	38%
From former teachers, instructors, or counselors	108	213	289
	18%	35%	47%

If you could have used your AP scores for course credits, what did/will you do?

Response	Number	Percent
Not applicable	28
I am taking all the credit that I can and enrolling in advanced courses	256	47%
I am taking some credit but not all that I could	229	42%
I am taking the entry courses at UC Berkeley instead of the credit	56	10%
Other, please specify: [Contact OPA for more information]	6	1%

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