2016 UCUES: Part 2

Graduation and Affordability

How important is it to you to graduate within four years after starting college?

ResponseNumberPercent
Not that important 1,038 13.9%
Somewhat important 1,834 24.6%
Very important 2,403 32.2%
Essential 2,194 29.4%
Not applicable 221 -

Will you complete a bachelor's degree this spring or summer?

ResponseNumberPercent
Probably no 5,537 72.0%
Probably yes 2,149 28.0%

How concerned have you been about paying for your undergraduate education up to now?

ResponseNumberPercent
Not concerned 2,016 26.3%
Somewhat concerned 2,350 30.6%
Concerned 1,477 19.2%
Very concerned 1,834 23.9%

How concerned are you about paying for your undergraduate education next year?

ResponseNumberPercent
Not concerned 1,373 24.9%
Somewhat concerned 1,594 28.9%
Concerned 1,063 19.2%
Very concerned 1,495 27.1%

How concerned are you about your accumulated educational debt?

ResponseNumberPercent
Not concerned 2,698 35.2%
Somewhat concerned 1,600 20.8%
Concerned 1,243 16.2%
Very concerned 2,133 27.8%

Have you ever received a Pell grant?

ResponseNumberPercent
Yes 2,930 38.7%
No 4,641 61.3%

How frequently have you engaged in the following behaviors in the past year?

NeverRarelyOccasionallySomewhat oftenOftenVery often
Skipped or cut the size of meals because there wasn't enough money for food 2,619 1,755 1,542 720 562 458
34.2% 22.9% 20.1% 9.4% 7.3% 6.0%
Cut down on personal / recreational spending 470 575 1,788 1,594 1,619 1,606
6.1% 7.5% 23.4% 20.8% 21.2% 21.0%
Worried about my debt and financial circumstances 1,134 1,114 1,533 1,069 1,115 1,691
14.8% 14.6% 20.0% 14.0% 14.6% 22.1%

For the following statements, please say whether the statement was often true, sometimes true, or never true for you in the last 12 months.

Never trueSometimes trueOften true
I was worried whether my food would run out before I got money to buy more 4,824 1,944 889
63.0% 25.4% 11.6%
The food that I bought just didn't last, and I didn't have money to get more 5,488 1,532 629
71.7% 20.0% 8.2%

Which of the following have you done this current academic year to meet college expenses?

Yes, doing now or have doneNo
Applied for financial aid, scholarships, and/or grants 5,635 1,979
74.0% 26.0%
Asked financial aid office to reevaluate my application 1,925 5,670
25.3% 74.7%
Bought fewer books, bought cheaper/used books, read books on reserve 6,531 1,086
85.7% 14.3%
Took a leave of absence or a quarter/semester off 400 7,181
5.3% 94.7%
Took more courses per term 2,930 4,665
38.6% 61.4%
Took action to graduate more quickly 2,337 5,258
30.8% 69.2%
Did not retake a class to improve my grade 2,122 5,456
28.0% 72.0%
Took a community college course because it was cheaper 2,031 5,551
26.8% 73.2%
Took a job for the first time at college 2,767 4,829
36.4% 63.6%
Worked before but increased the number of hours worked 2,124 5,445
28.1% 71.9%
Increased the debt I carry on my credit card 1,655 5,936
21.8% 78.2%
Increased my annual student loan amount 1,972 5,581
26.1% 73.9%
Have cut expenses overall / have been more frugal 5,511 2,080
72.6% 27.4%
None of the above. Cost hasn't been a problem 851 5,851
12.7% 87.3%
Other, please elaborate:
[Contact OPA for more information]
203 1,675
10.8% 89.2%

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

ResponseNumberPercent
Yes 3,969 52.0%
No 3,659 48.0%

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 753 9.9%
Disagree 960 12.6%
Somewhat disagree 1,486 19.5%
Somewhat agree 2,434 32.0%
Agree 1,458 19.1%
Strongly agree 524 6.9%

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]

Background & Personal Characteristics

When did you come to the United States to live?

ResponseNumberPercent
I was born in the U.S 5,468 71.7%
2000 or earlier 606 7.9%
2001 138 1.8%
2002 80 1.0%
2003 75 1.0%
2004 85 1.1%
2005 66 0.9%
2006 67 0.9%
2007 68 0.9%
2008 75 1.0%
2009 64 0.8%
2010 110 1.4%
2011 126 1.7%
2012 170 2.2%
2013 174 2.3%
2014 121 1.6%
2015 or later 137 1.8%

When did you learn to speak English?

ResponseNumberPercent
English is my native language 4,648 60.9%
Before I was 6 years old 1,682 22.0%
When I was 6 to 10 years old 818 10.7%
When I was 11 to 15 years old 335 4.4%
After turning 16 years old 151 2.0%

Please identify, to the best of your knowledge, where the following relatives were born.

Outside the U.S.In the U.S.
My Mother / Guardian 1 4,852 2,754
63.8% 36.2%
My Father / Guardian 2 4,715 2,811
62.6% 37.4%

Which of the following best describes the highest educational experience of your parents (guardians)?

ResponseNumberPercent
Neither parent attended any college 1,508 19.8%
One or both parents attended some college, but neither has a four-year degree 886 11.6%
One parent has a four-year degree 928 12.2%
Both parents have a four-year degree 1,230 16.2%
One parent has a graduate or professional degree 1,564 20.5%
Both parents have a graduate or professional degree 1,496 19.7%

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

ResponseNumberPercent
Low-income or poor 1,142 15.0%
Working-class 1,401 18.4%
Middle-class 2,562 33.7%
Upper-middle or professional-middle 2,307 30.3%
Wealthy 198 2.6%

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

ResponseNumberPercent
No 6,627 87.1%
Yes 978 12.9%

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

ResponseNumberPercent
Less than $10,000 264 4.1%
$10,000 to $19,999 353 5.4%
$20,000 to $34,999 617 9.5%
$35,000 to $49,999 514 7.9%
$50,000 to $64,999 532 8.2%
$65,000 to $79,999 525 8.1%
$80,000 to $99,999 654 10.1%
$100,000 to $124,999 886 13.6%
$125,000 to $149,999 510 7.9%
$150,000 to $199,999 591 9.1%
$200,000 or more 1,049 16.2%

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

ResponseNumberPercent
Less than $10,000 378 39.0%
$10,000 to $19,999 178 18.4%
$20,000 to $34,999 150 15.5%
$35,000 to $49,999 67 6.9%
$50,000 to $64,999 51 5.3%
$65,000 to $79,999 41 4.2%
$80,000 to $99,999 16 1.7%
$100,000 to $124,999 39 4.0%
$125,000 to $149,999 17 1.8%
$150,000 to $199,999 12 1.2%
$200,000 or more 19 2.0%

What is your religious/spiritual preference?

ResponseNumberPercent
Spiritual but not associated with a major religion 863 11.4%
Not particularly spiritual 1,113 14.7%
No preference 874 11.5%
Agnostic 764 10.1%
Atheist 880 11.6%
Baptist 182 2.4%
Buddhist 257 3.4%
Christian Church (Disciples) 320 4.2%
Eastern Orthodox 62 0.8%
Episcopalian 32 0.4%
Hindu 198 2.6%
Jewish 217 2.9%
Lutheran 35 0.5%
Methodist 40 0.5%
Mormon 21 0.3%
Muslim 161 2.1%
Presbyterian 187 2.5%
Quaker 5 0.1%
Roman Catholic 797 10.5%
Seventh Day Adventist 10 0.1%
Sikh 25 0.3%
Taoist 16 0.2%
Unitarian/Universalist 10 0.1%
United Church of Christ/Congregational 19 0.3%
Other Christian 371 4.9%
Other religion 111 1.5%

Do you have any physical disabilities that affect how you access or use campus facilities?

ResponseNumberPercent
No 7,351 96.6%
Yes 255 3.4%

Do you have any learning disabilities that affect how you read, study, or do your coursework?

ResponseNumberPercent
No 7,043 92.6%
Yes 562 7.4%

Do you have any psychological disabilities that affect how you learn or interact with others on campus?

ResponseNumberPercent
No 6,452 84.9%
Yes 1,151 15.1%

Do you currently receive accommodations from campus due to your disability?

ResponseNumberPercent
No 1,025 67.5%
Yes 494 32.5%

Is there anything else that you would like to tell us about how your disability affects your experiences as a student on this campus?

[Contact OPA for more information]

How do you describe yourself?

ResponseNumberPercent
Male 2,987 39.3%
Female 4,470 58.7%
Trans Male/Trans Man 12 0.2%
Trans Female/Trans Woman 9 0.1%
Genderqueer/Gender Non-Conforming 87 1.1%
Different Identity 44 0.6%

What sex were you assigned at birth, such as on an original birth certificate?

ResponseNumberPercent
Male 3,049 40.1%
Female 4,560 59.9%

Do you consider yourself to be:

ResponseNumberPercent
Heterosexual or straight 6,446 85.4%
Gay or lesbian 326 4.3%
Bisexual 499 6.6%
Not listed above, please specify
[Contact OPA for more information]
278 3.7%

A person’s appearance, style, dress, or mannerisms (such as the way they walk or talk) may affect the way people think of them. On average, how do you think other people at school would describe your appearance, style, dress, or mannerisms?

ResponseNumberPercent
Mostly feminine 2,582 34.2%
Somewhat feminine 1,497 19.9%
Equally feminine and masculine 752 10.0%
Somewhat masculine 956 12.7%
Mostly masculine 1,754 23.3%

How would you characterize your political orientation?

ResponseNumberPercent
Very liberal 888 11.8%
Liberal 2,918 38.8%
Slightly liberal 1,292 17.2%
Moderate or middle of the road 1,397 18.6%
Slightly conservative 460 6.1%
Conservative 241 3.2%
Very conservative 56 0.7%
Other, please elaborate
[Contact OPA for more information]
269 3.6%

Since attending UC Berkeley, have you ever been homeless for any of the following lengths of time (check all that apply)? (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).

NoYes
No 362 7,218
4.8% 95.2%
Yes, during Fall-Spring academic year 7,410 170
97.8% 2.2%
Yes, during Summer when taking classes 7,479 101
98.7% 1.3%
Yes, during Summer when not taking classes 7,462 118
98.4% 1.6%
Yes, during Winter break 7,495 85
98.9% 1.1%

Where are you living this term?

ResponseNumberPercent
Campus residence hall 1,668 22.0%
Campus owned apartment or house (on- or off-campus) 313 4.1%
Sorority or fraternity 435 5.7%
Co-op student housing 352 4.6%
Off-campus in an apartment 3,666 48.4%
Off-campus in a house 1,010 13.3%
No stable residence/Homeless 29 0.4%
Other, please elaborate
[Contact OPA for more information]
107 1.4%

How far do you live from campus?

ResponseNumberPercent
On campus or < 1 mile 5,006 66.0%
1 mile to 2 miles 1,611 21.2%
3 miles to 10 miles 497 6.6%
11 miles to 20 miles 230 3.0%
21 miles or more 241 3.2%

With whom do you live? Please select the option that best describes your living situation this term.

ResponseNumberPercent
I live alone 391 5.2%
I share an apartment, house, or residence hall room with at least one other UC Berkeley student 6,094 80.3%
I share an apartment or house with people who are not UC Berkeley students 405 5.3%
I live with at least one family member 313 4.1%
I am a single parent living with children 59 0.8%
I live with my spouse or domestic partner and children 73 1.0%
I live with my spouse or domestic partner without children 131 1.7%
Other, please elaborate
[Contact OPA for more information]
121 1.6%

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