2017 SONS Freshmen - Part 2: Background | Office of Planning and Analysis

Concern about Cost & Food Security

How concerned are you about paying for your undergraduate education NEXT YEAR? (Next year is defined as Fall 2018 and Spring 2019.)

Response	Number	Percent
Not concerned	874	31%
Somewhat concerned	900	32%
Concerned	500	18%
Very concerned	577	20%

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)	1296
Applied for financial aid (including work-study)	44%
Asked financial aid office to reevaluate my application	343
Asked financial aid office to reevaluate my application	12%
Plan to buy fewer books than required, buy cheaper used books, borrow/read books on reserve, rent books	1576
	54%
Will take more courses per term to complete on-time or early	666
	23%
Will take fewer courses so I can work for pay	115
Will take fewer courses so I can work for pay	4%
Will accept AP or similar credit instead of taking the course	1277
	43%
Will take or have taken a community college course because community college courses are cheaper	536
	18%
Will take or have taken an online course because online courses are cheaper	202
	7%
Worked for pay to save for college	794
Worked for pay to save for college	27%
Plan to work for pay at least my first year	633
Plan to work for pay at least my first year	22%
Requested a triple (3-person room) to save money	968
Requested a triple (3-person room) to save money	33%
Will live at home to reduce expenses	102
Will live at home to reduce expenses	4%
Don't expect cost to be a significant problem	856
Don't expect cost to be a significant problem	29%
Applied for outside scholarships/grants	1417
Applied for outside scholarships/grants	48%
Other (please specify) *[Contact OPA for more information]*	62
	2%

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	766	27%
No	2075	73%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	788	28%
No	2037	72%

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	223	8%
Disagree	270	10%
Somewhat disagree	453	16%
Somewhat agree	928	33%
Agree	692	25%
Strongly agree	258	9%

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	429	15%
No	2405	85%

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

	Selected
Housing	80
Housing	19%
Food	271
Food	64%
Books	264
Books	62%
Health care	104
Health care	24%
Other (please explain below) *[Contact OPA for more information]*	29
	7%

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.	113	435	2246
	4%	16%	80%
I couldn't afford to eat balanced meals.	159	388	2231
I couldn't afford to eat balanced meals.	6%	14%	80%

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	2453	87%
Yes, almost every month	110	4%
Yes, some months, but not every month	152	5%
Yes, only 1 or 2 months	93	3%

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	2388	85%
Yes	418	15%

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	2461	88%
Yes	343	12%

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]

Indicate which of the following technological tools you currently OWN. (Please answer NO if you are borrowing or renting a device):

	Yes, I own this device	No, I do not own this device
A laptop or a convertible computer (PC, MacBook, Linux, Surface, etc.)	1531	64
	96%	4%
A Chromebook	79	1271
A Chromebook	6%	94%
A Smart phone	1540	33
A Smart phone	98%	2%
A tablet or pad (with mobile operating system)	351	1047
A tablet or pad (with mobile operating system)	25%	75%
A Desktop computer	141	1212
A Desktop computer	10%	90%

Family & Culture

When did you come to the United States to live?

Response	Number	Percent
I was born in the U.S.	2037	73%
1997 or earlier	11	0%
1998	13	1%
1999	94	3%
2000	48	2%
2001	47	2%
2002	33	1%
2003	26	1%
2004	20	1%
2005	23	1%
2006	23	1%
2007	24	1%
2008	25	1%
2009	13	1%
2010	16	1%
2011	15	1%
2012	13	1%
2013	41	2%
2014	28	1%
2015	13	1%
2016 or later	238	9%

When did you learn to speak English?

Response	Number	Percent
English is my native language	1699	60%
Before I was 6 years old	740	26%
When I was 6-10 years old	286	10%
When I was 11-15 years old	77	3%
After turning 16 years old	10	0%

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	846	1942	6	0
Parent/Guardian 1	30%	70%	0%	0%
Parent/Guardian 2	771	1981	9	0
Parent/Guardian 2	28%	72%	0%	0%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Zero	460	16%
One	141	5%
Two	263	9%
Three	81	3%
Four	1863	66%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Wealthy	138	5%
Upper-middle or professional-middle	1080	39%
Middle-class	922	33%
Working-class	361	13%
Low-income or poor	304	11%

Are you a financially independent student?

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	139	5%
No	2659	95%

To the best of your knowledge, which category includes the total annual combined income of your parent(s) before taxes in 2016?

Response	Number	Percent
Less than $10,000	65	3%
$10,000 to $19,999	118	5%
$20,000 to $34,999	193	8%
$35,000 to $49,999	135	6%
$50,000 to $64,999	168	7%
$65,000 to $79,999	147	6%
$80,000 to $99,999	177	7%
$100,000 to $124,999	315	13%
$125,000 to $149,999	191	8%
$150,000 to $199,999	322	13%
$200,000 to $499,000	474	20%
$500,000 or more	118	5%

To the best of your knowledge, which category includes your household's total annual combined income before taxes in 2016?

Response	Number	Percent
Less than $10,000	15	12%
$10,000 to $19,999	15	12%
$20,000 to $34,999	16	13%
$35,000 to $49,999	8	6%
$50,000 to $64,999	6	5%
$65,000 to $79,999	5	4%
$80,000 to $99,999	11	9%
$100,000 to $124,999	10	8%
$125,000 to $149,999	8	6%
$150,000 to $199,999	10	8%
$200,000 to $499,000	14	11%
$500,000 or more	7	6%

What is your religious/spiritual preference?

Response	Number	Percent
Spiritual but not associated with a major religion	248	9%
Not particularly spiritual	455	17%
No preference	290	11%
Agnostic	305	11%
Atheist	305	11%
Baptist	31	1%
Buddhist	80	3%
Christian Church (Disciples)	141	5%
Eastern Orthodox	17	1%
Episcopalian	8	0%
Hindu	143	5%
Jewish	65	2%
Lutheran	15	1%
Methodist	11	0%
Mormon	6	0%
Muslim	59	2%
Presbyterian	55	2%
Quaker	4	0%
Roman Catholic	312	12%
Seventh Day Adventist	3	0%
Sikh	21	1%
Taoist	5	0%
Unitarian/Universalist	2	0%
United Church of Christ/Congregational	6	0%
Other Christian	110	4%
Other Religion	17	1%

With which gender do you identify?

Response	Number	Percent
Male	1209	44%
Female	1543	56%
Trans Male/Trans Man	4	0%
Trans Female/Trans Woman	1	0%
Genderqueer/Gender Non-Conforming	11	0%
Different identity	9	0%

Do you consider yourself to be:

Response	Number	Percent
Heterosexual or straight	2353	86%
Gay or lesbian	98	4%
Bisexual	152	6%
Questioning/Unsure	104	4%
Not listed above, please specify *[Contact OPA for more information]*	45	2%

How would you characterize your political orientation?

Response	Number	Percent
Very liberal	246	9%
Liberal	1030	38%
Slightly liberal	524	19%
Moderate or middle of the road	574	21%
Slightly conservative	160	6%
Conservative	99	4%
Very conservative	18	1%
Other, please elaborate *[Contact OPA for more information]*	82	3%

Living Conditions

Where are you living this term?

Response	Number	Percent
Clark Kerr Campus	326	12%
Foothill	337	12%
Bowles	27	1%
Stern	110	4%
Unit 1	757	27%
Unit 2 (excluding Wada Apartments)	611	22%
Unit 3 (including Beverly Cleary Hall)	534	19%
Channing-Bowditch Apartments	0	0%
Martinez Commons	1	0%
University Village Albany (family housing)	4	0%
Wada Apartments	10	0%
New Sequoia or Garden Village Apartments	0	0%
Mills College	0	0%
Living with family	20	1%
Sorority or fraternity	1	0%
Co-op housing	2	0%
International House	0	0%
Living off-campus in a house or apartment	52	2%
I have not (yet) found stable housing	1	0%
Other *[Contact OPA for more information]*	8	0%

How far from campus are you living this term?

Response	Number	Percent
On campus or less than 1 mile	2333	84%
1 mile to 2 miles	359	13%
3 miles to 10 miles	39	1%
11 miles to 20 miles	15	1%
21 miles or more	18	1%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Yes - Not sure which plan	74	3%
Yes - Standard Plan (included in housing, 10 meals/wk.)	1635	59%
Yes - Premium Plan (included in housing + $350/yr, 14 meals/wk.)	736	26%
Yes - Ultimate Access Plan (included in housing + $750/yr, 19+ meals/wk.)	234	8%
Yes - Non-Resident BLUE (5 meals/wk.)	9	0%
Yes - Non-Resident GOLD (7 meals/wk.)	11	0%
Yes - Non-Resident PLATINUM (10-12 meals/wk.)	9	0%
No	89	3%

With whom are you living this term?

Response	Number	Percent
No one. I live alone	31	1%
I share an apartment or dorm room with at least one other UC Berkeley student	2635	95%
I share an apartment with peers who are not UC Berkeley students	18	1%
I live with my spouse or domestic partner (with or without others)	2	0%
I live with at least one parent	37	1%
Other *[Contact OPA for more information]*	41	2%

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)	-	93	429	988	141	1102
College students or other adults (count yourself as 1)	-	3%	16%	36%	5%	40%
Children or teenagers under the age of 18 (do NOT count yourself as 1)	2116	165	100	64	33	133
	81%	6%	4%	3%	1%	5%

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	23	1%
No	2740	99%

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

Response	Number	Percent
No	2725	99%
Yes	38	1%

IF YES: How many?

Response	Number	Percent
1	2	29%
2	1	14%
3	1	14%
5	3	43%

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

Response	Number	Percent
No	2691	98%
Yes	68	3%

IF YES: How many?

Response	Number	Percent
1	13	43%
2	11	37%
3	2	7%
4	1	3%
5	3	10%

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

Response	Number	Percent
No	2695	98%
Yes	69	3%

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

Response	Number	Percent
None	22	82%
1	1	4%
2	2	7%
4	1	4%
5 or more	1	4%

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 all	Rarely	Occasionally	Frequently	All the time
Job responsibilities (e.g., paid employment)	1212	533	655	232	69
Job responsibilities (e.g., paid employment)	45%	20%	24%	9%	3%
Family responsibilities	884	857	691	183	84
Family responsibilities	33%	32%	26%	7%	3%
Other responsibilities (e.g., athletics, clubs, internship)	474	429	1037	601	150
	18%	16%	39%	22%	6%
Weak English skills	1882	408	272	93	39
Weak English skills	70%	15%	10%	4%	1%
Weak writing skills	1448	589	461	146	54
Weak writing skills	54%	22%	17%	5%	2%
Weak math skills	1404	583	479	164	57
Weak math skills	52%	22%	18%	6%	2%
Inadequate study skills (e.g., knowing how to start, knowing how to get help, organizing material)	856	752	752	249	86
	32%	28%	28%	9%	3%
Poor study behaviors (e.g., wait until the last minute, too much social time, too much web surfing)	618	644	867	416	157
	23%	24%	32%	15%	6%
Poor study environment (e.g., noisy roommate, poor Internet access, inadequate computer or software)	713	812	809	270	96
	26%	30%	30%	10%	4%
Feeling depressed, stressed, or upset	538	720	828	412	202
Feeling depressed, stressed, or upset	20%	27%	31%	15%	8%
Physical illness or condition	1089	955	515	99	41
Physical illness or condition	40%	35%	19%	4%	2%
Military deployment	2373	173	116	22	16
Military deployment	88%	6%	4%	1%	1%
Going hungry, not having enough food	1967	411	232	63	23
Going hungry, not having enough food	73%	15%	9%	2%	1%
Inconsistent access to housing, or homelessness	2320	199	130	31	16
Inconsistent access to housing, or homelessness	86%	7%	5%	1%	1%
Inability to concentrate on my work	822	719	768	281	111
Inability to concentrate on my work	30%	27%	28%	10%	4%
Reluctance to ask for academic help when I need it	834	728	767	282	90
Reluctance to ask for academic help when I need it	31%	27%	28%	10%	3%

In general, I consider myself...

Response	Number	Percent
(1) Not a very happy person	54	2%
(2)	106	4%
(3)	226	8%
(4)	437	16%
(5)	887	32%
(6)	737	27%
(7) A very happy person	288	11%

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

Response	Number	Percent
(1) Less happy	108	4%
(2)	191	7%
(3)	315	12%
(4)	639	23%
(5)	694	25%
(6)	533	20%
(7) More happy	252	9%

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

	Selected
Friends nearby	2032
Friends nearby	70%
Friends who are not nearby (e.g., home or high school friends)	1996
	69%
Boyfriend or girlfriend, partner, spouse or significant other	670
	23%
Teachers, coaches	360
Teachers, coaches	13%
Parents, guardians	1885
Parents, guardians	65%
Siblings	1383
Siblings	48%
Other family	554
Other family	19%
Clergy	60
Clergy	2%
Counselors, therapists	217
Counselors, therapists	8%
UCB student services support staff (counselor, advisor, etc.)	217
	8%
No one (else) / myself only	91
No one (else) / myself only	3%
Other (please specify) *[Contact OPA for more information]*	38
	1%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Very dissatisfied	79	3%
Fairly dissatisfied	109	4%
A little dissatisfied	199	8%
A little satisfied	300	12%
Fairly satisfied	1142	44%
Very satisfied	785	30%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Very dissatisfied	64	2%
Fairly dissatisfied	105	4%
A little dissatisfied	167	6%
A little satisfied	359	13%
Fairly satisfied	1168	43%
Very satisfied	847	31%

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	1918	71%
No	802	30%