Part 2: Background – 2017 Survey of New Students (SONS), FPF Students

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	177	31%
Somewhat concerned	153	27%
Concerned	103	18%
Very concerned	133	24%

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)	256
Applied for financial aid (including work-study)	44%
Asked financial aid office to reevaluate my application	87
Asked financial aid office to reevaluate my application	15%
Plan to buy fewer books than required, buy cheaper used books, borrow/read books on reserve, rent books	300
	52%
Will take more courses per term to complete on-time or early	134
	23%
Will take fewer courses so I can work for pay	31
Will take fewer courses so I can work for pay	5%
Will accept AP or similar credit instead of taking the course	248
	43%
Will take or have taken a community college course because community college courses are cheaper	108
	19%
Will take or have taken an online course because online courses are cheaper	40
	7%
Worked for pay to save for college	169
Worked for pay to save for college	29%
Plan to work for pay at least my first year	126
Plan to work for pay at least my first year	22%
Requested a triple (3-person room) to save money	215
Requested a triple (3-person room) to save money	37%
Will live at home to reduce expenses	27
Will live at home to reduce expenses	5%
Applied for outside scholarships/grands	230
Applied for outside scholarships/grands	40%
Don't expect cost to be a significant problem	163
Don't expect cost to be a significant problem	28%
Other (please specify) *[Contact OPA for more information]*	6
	1%

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	145	26%
No	414	74%

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	148	27%
No	411	74%

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	40	7%
Disagree	62	11%
Somewhat disagree	106	19%
Somewhat agree	172	31%
Agree	130	23%
Strongly agree	49	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	91	16%
No	468	84%

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

	Selected
Housing	14
Housing	15%
Food	50
Food	55%
Books	54
Books	59%
Health care	19
Health care	21%
Other (Please explain below) *[Contact OPA for more information]*	11
	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 true	Sometimes true	Never true
The food that I bought just didn't last, and I didn’t have money to get more.	24	81	449
	4%	15%	81%
I couldn't afford to eat balanced meals.	32	79	438
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	490	88%
Yes, almost every month	21	4%
Yes, some months, but not every month	24	4%
Yes, only 1 or 2 months	22	4%

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	475	85%
Yes	82	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	480	86%
Yes	77	14%

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.)	308	13
	96%	4%
A Chromebook	21	252
A Chromebook	8%	92%
A Smart phone	304	13
A Smart phone	96%	4%
A tablet or pad (with mobile operating system)	79	203
A tablet or pad (with mobile operating system)	28%	72%
A Desktop computer	35	239
A Desktop computer	13%	87%

Family & Culture

When did you come to the United States to live?

Response	Number	Percent
I was born in the U.S.	399	72%
1997 or earlier	0	0%
1998	6	1%
1999	19	3%
2000	5	1%
2001	6	1%
2002	0	0%
2003	1	0%
2004	2	0%
2005	5	1%
2006	4	1%
2007	3	1%
2008	0	0%
2009	3	1%
2010	7	1%
2011	3	1%
2012	3	1%
2013	14	3%
2014	13	2%
2015	2	0%
2016 or later	60	11%

When did you learn to speak English?

Response	Number	Percent
English is my native language	350	63%
Before I was 6 years old	132	24%
When I was 6-10 years old	50	9%
When I was 11-15 years old	19	3%
After turning 16 years old	6	1%

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	198	354	2	0
Parent/Guardian 1	36%	64%	0%	0%
Parent/Guardian 2	188	355	4	0
Parent/Guardian 2	34%	65%	1%	0%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Zero	102	18%
One	23	4%
Two	70	13%
Three	29	5%
Four	333	60%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Wealthy	42	8%
Upper-middle or professional-middle	214	39%
Middle-class	171	31%
Working-class	73	13%
Low-income or poor	53	10%

Are you a financially independent student?

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	26	5%
No	528	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	16	3%
$10,000 to $19,999	24	5%
$20,000 to $34,999	33	7%
$35,000 to $49,999	35	7%
$50,000 to $64,999	33	7%
$65,000 to $79,999	33	7%
$80,000 to $99,999	39	8%
$100,000 to $124,999	47	10%
$125,000 to $149,999	29	6%
$150,000 to $199,999	59	12%
$200,000 to $499,000	97	20%
$500,000 or more	41	8%

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	2	9%
$10,000 to $19,999	0	0%
$20,000 to $34,999	2	9%
$35,000 to $49,999	2	9%
$50,000 to $64,999	4	17%
$65,000 to $79,999	1	4%
$80,000 to $99,999	1	4%
$100,000 to $124,999	4	17%
$125,000 to $149,999	0	0%
$150,000 to $199,999	3	13%
$200,000 to $499,000	3	13%
$500,000 or more	1	4%

What is your religious/spiritual preference?

Response	Number	Percent
Spiritual but not associated with a major religion	47	9%
Not particularly spiritual	73	14%
No preference	62	12%
Agnostic	59	11%
Atheist	52	10%
Baptist	5	1%
Buddhist	20	4%
Christian Church (Disciples)	30	6%
Eastern Orthodox	1	0%
Episcopalian	2	0%
Hindu	25	5%
Jewish	15	3%
Lutheran	4	1%
Methodist	4	1%
Mormon	0	0%
Muslim	15	3%
Presbyterian	16	3%
Quaker	0	0%
Roman Catholic	71	13%
Seventh Day Adventist	2	0%
Sikh	6	1%
Taoist	0	0%
Unitarian/Universalist	2	0%
United Church of Christ/Congregational	1	0%
Other Christian	21	4%
Other Religion	5	1%

With which gender do you identify?

Response	Number	Percent
Male	221	40%
Female	317	58%
Trans Male/Trans Man	3	1%
Trans Female/Trans Woman	0	0%
Genderqueer/Gender Non-Conforming	6	1%
Different identity	2	0%

Do you consider yourself to be:

Response	Number	Percent
Heterosexual or straight	474	86%
Gay or lesbian	19	4%
Bisexual	29	5%
Questioning/Unsure	19	4%
Not listed above, please specify *[Contact OPA for more information]*	8	2%

How would you characterize your political orientation?

Response	Number	Percent
Very liberal	46	9%
Liberal	204	38%
Slightly liberal	99	18%
Moderate or middle of the road	124	23%
Slightly conservative	26	5%
Conservative	21	4%
Very conservative	4	1%
Other, please elaborate *[Contact OPA for more information]*	19	4%

Living Conditions

Where are you living this term?

Response	Number	Percent
Clark Kerr Campus	44	8%
Foothill	67	12%
Bowles	1	0%
Stern	26	5%
Unit 1	76	14%
Unit 2 (excluding Wada Apartments)	119	22%
Unit 3 (including Beverly Cleary Hall)	189	34%
Channing-Bowditch Apartments	0	0%
Martinez Commons	0	0%
University Village Albany (family housing)	0	0%
Wada Apartments	3	1%
New Sequoia or Garden Village Apartments	0	0%
Mills College	0	0%
Living with family	5	1%
Sorority or fraternity	0	0%
Co-op housing	0	0%
International House	0	0%
Living off-campus in a house or apartment	10	2%
I have not (yet) found stable housing	4	1%
Other *[Contact OPA for more information]*	6	1%

How far from campus are you living this term?

Response	Number	Percent
On campus or less than 1 mile	448	82%
1 mile to 2 miles	71	13%
3 miles to 10 miles	12	2%
11 miles to 20 miles	7	1%
21 miles or more	6	1%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Yes - Not sure which plan	9	2%
Yes - Standard Plan (included in housing, 10 meals/wk.)	314	57%
Yes - Premium Plan (included in housing + $350/yr, 14 meals/wk.)	148	27%
Yes - Ultimate Access Plan (included in housing + $750/yr, 19+ meals/wk.)	59	11%
Yes - Non-Resident BLUE (5 meals/wk.)	2	0%
Yes - Non-Resident GOLD (7 meals/wk.)	2	0%
Yes - Non-Resident PLATINUM (10-12 meals/wk.)	0	0%
No	14	3%

With whom are you living this term?

Response	Number	Percent
No one. I live alone	4	1%
I share an apartment or dorm room with at least one other UC Berkeley student	500	93%
I share an apartment with peers who are not UC Berkeley students	7	1%
I live with my spouse or domestic partner (with or without others)	0	0%
I live with at least one parent	8	2%
Other *[Contact OPA for more information]*	20	4%

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)	-	17	71	219	35	188
College students or other adults (count yourself as 1)		3%	13%	41%	7%	36%
Children or teenagers under the age of 18 (do NOT count yourself as 1)	410	30	29	15	7	29
	79%	6%	6%	3%	1%	6%

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	9	2%
No	531	98%

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

Response	Number	Percent
No	526	97%
Yes	14	3%

IF YES: How many?

Response	Number	Percent
4	1	100%

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

Response	Number	Percent
No	522	97%
Yes	17	3%

IF YES: How many?

Response	Number	Percent
1	1	100%

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

Response	Number	Percent
No	515	96%
Yes	24	5%

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)	221	118	126	44	21
Job responsibilities (e.g., paid employment)	42%	22%	24%	8%	4%
Family responsibilities	169	159	145	37	14
Family responsibilities	32%	30%	28%	7%	3%
Other responsibilities (e.g., athletics, clubs, internship)	90	96	205	103	31
	17%	18%	39%	20%	6%
Weak English skills	359	67	57	34	12
Weak English skills	68%	13%	11%	6%	2%
Weak writing skills	289	102	81	43	14
Weak writing skills	55%	19%	15%	8%	3%
Weak math skills	256	87	118	45	20
Weak math skills	49%	17%	22%	9%	4%
Inadequate study skills (e.g., knowing how to start, knowing how to get help, organizing material)	164	139	144	62	20
	31%	26%	27%	12%	4%
Poor study behaviors (e.g., wait until the last minute, too much social time, too much web surfing)	124	111	179	82	32
	24%	21%	34%	16%	6%
Poor study environment (e.g., noisy roommate, poor Internet access, inadequate computer or software)	140	162	147	56	25
	26%	31%	28%	11%	5%
Feeling depressed, stressed, or upset	109	119	180	84	37
Feeling depressed, stressed, or upset	21%	23%	34%	16%	7%
Physical illness or condition	215	173	112	20	9
Physical illness or condition	41%	33%	21%	4%	2%
Military deployment	460	32	25	8	3
Military deployment	87%	6%	5%	2%	1%
Going hungry, not having enough food	370	91	47	14	7
Going hungry, not having enough food	70%	17%	9%	3%	1%
Inconsistent access to housing, or homelessness	454	38	23	8	4
Inconsistent access to housing, or homelessness	86%	7%	4%	2%	1%
Inability to concentrate on my work	158	133	151	63	24
Inability to concentrate on my work	30%	25%	29%	12%	5%
Reluctance to ask for academic help when I need it	166	137	156	49	21
Reluctance to ask for academic help when I need it	31%	26%	30%	9%	4%

In general, I consider myself...

Response	Number	Percent
(1) Not a very happy person	4	1%
(2)	20	4%
(3)	43	8%
(4)	88	16%
(5)	157	29%
(6)	155	29%
(7) A very happy person	68	13%

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

Response	Number	Percent
(1) Less happy	20	4%
(2)	33	6%
(3)	66	12%
(4)	114	21%
(5)	130	24%
(6)	106	20%
(7) More happy	64	12%

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

	Selected
Friends nearby	394
Friends nearby	70%
Friends who are not nearby (e.g., home or high school friends)	377
	67%
Boyfriend or girlfriend, partner, spouse or significant other	124
	22%
Teachers, coaches	66
Teachers, coaches	12%
Parents, guardians	356
Parents, guardians	63%
Siblings	268
Siblings	48%
Other family	119
Other family	21%
Clergy	10
Clergy	2%
Counselors, therapists	52
Counselors, therapists	9%
UCB student services support staff (counselor, advisor, etc.)	53
	9%
No one (else) / myself only	22
No one (else) / myself only	4%
Other (please specify) *[Contact OPA for more information]*	5
	1%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Very dissatisfied	17	3%
Fairly dissatisfied	20	4%
A little dissatisfied	33	7%
A little satisfied	45	9%
Fairly satisfied	244	48%
Very satisfied	148	29%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Very dissatisfied	18	3%
Fairly dissatisfied	15	3%
A little dissatisfied	28	5%
A little satisfied	66	12%
Fairly satisfied	239	45%
Very satisfied	165	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	351	66%
No	180	34%