2018 SONS Freshmen - Part 2: Affordability and Background

Concern about Cost

Family and Culture

Living Conditions

Challenge and Well Being

Concern about Cost

How concerned are you about paying for your undergraduate education NEXT YEAR? (Next year is defined as Fall 2019 and Spring 2020.)

ResponseNumberPercent
Not concerned 952 30%
Somewhat concerned 1,083 35%
Concerned 530 17%
Very concerned 572 18%

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) 1,342
41%
Asked financial aid office to reevaluate my application 311
10%
Plan to buy fewer books than required (buy/rent used books, borrow/read books on reserve) 1,677
51%
Will take more courses per term to complete on-time or early 637
19%
Will take fewer courses so I can work for pay 117
4%
Will accept AP or similar credit instead of taking the course 1,313
40%
Will take or have taken a community college course because community college courses are cheaper 626
19%
Will take or have taken an online course because online courses are cheaper 187
6%
Worked for pay to save for college 820
25%
Plan to work for pay at least my first year 673
21%
Requested a triple (3-person room) to save money 1,007
31%
Will live at home to reduce expenses 125
4%
Applied for outside scholarships/grants 1,487
45%
Don't expect cost to be a significant problem 912
28%
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 1,116 36%
No 1,996 64%

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?

ResponseNumberPercent
Yes 821 26%
No 2,290 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.

ResponseNumberPercent
Strongly disagree 227 7%
Disagree 309 10%
Somewhat disagree 482 16%
Somewhat agree 1,025 33%
Agree 800 26%
Strongly agree 265 9%

If you were offered subsidized loans through the Financial Aid office, did you accept them?

ResponseNumberPercent
Yes, I accepted subsidized loans that I was offered 668 41%
No, I did not accept subsidized loans that I was offered 963 59%
I do not know if I have accepted a subsidized loan 335
Not Applicable; I was not offered subsidized loans 1,143

Please share with us why you did not accept the subsidized loans.

[Contact OPA for more information]

If you worked for pay this past summer, how many hours per week did you usually work?

ResponseNumberPercent
I did not work any hours this summer 1,740 56%
1-5 hours 188 6%
6-10 hours 236 8%
11-15 hours 226 7%
16-25 hours 311 10%
26-35 hours 183 6%
More than 35 214 7%

About how many hours per week are you expecting to work (paid employment) this semester?

ResponseNumberPercent
I do not plan to work this semester 2,128 69%
1-5 hours 226 7%
6-10 hours 395 13%
11-15 hours 216 7%
16-25 hours 82 3%
26-35 hours 26 1%
More than 35 22 1%

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.)?

ResponseNumberPercent
Yes 408 13%
No 2,675 87%

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

Selected
Housing 59
15%
Food 281
69%
Books 245
60%
Health care 113
28%
Other (Please explain below)
[Contact OPA for more information]
20
5%

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 trueSometimes trueNever true
The food that I bought just didn't last, and I didn’t have money to get more. 138 492 2,430
5% 16% 80%
I couldn't afford to eat balanced meals. 173 470 2,397
6% 16% 79%

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?

ResponseNumberPercent
No 2,685 87%
Yes, almost every month 134 4%
Yes, some months, but not every month 166 5%
Yes, only 1 or 2 months 99 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?

ResponseNumberPercent
No 2,663 86%
Yes 419 14%

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?

ResponseNumberPercent
No 2,752 89%
Yes 330 11%

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 and Culture

When did you come to the United States to live?

ResponseNumberPercent
I was born in the U.S. 2,124 70%
1998 or earlier 7 0%
1999 12 0%
2000 114 4%
2001 34 1%
2002 30 1%
2003 41 1%
2004 39 1%
2005 38 1%
2006 30 1%
2007 16 1%
2008 22 1%
2009 10 0%
2010 26 1%
2011 17 1%
2012 23 1%
2013 28 1%
2014 67 2%
2015 38 1%
2016 12 0%
2017 or earlier 326 11%

When did you learn to speak English?

ResponseNumberPercent
English is my native language 1,810 59%
Before I was 6 years old 825 27%
When I was 6-10 years old 309 10%
When I was 11-15 years old 106 4%
After turning 16 years old 15 1%

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

In the U.S.Outside the U.S.Do not know
Parent/Guardian 1 909 2,143 4
30% 70% 0%
Parent/Guardian 2 839 2,172 9
28% 72% 0%

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

ResponseNumberPercent
Zero 492 16%
One 130 4%
Two 304 10%
Three 90 3%
Four 2,044 67%

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

ResponseNumberPercent
Wealthy 105 3%
Upper-middle or professional-middle 1,141 37%
Middle-class 1,012 33%
Working-class 439 14%
Low-income or poor 370 12%

Are you a financially independent student?

ResponseNumberPercent
Yes 151 5%
No 2,909 95%

To the best of your knowledge, which category includes the total annual combined income of your parent(s) before taxes in 2017?

ResponseNumberPercent
Less than $10,000 91 3%
$10,000 to $19,999 128 5%
$20,000 to $34,999 253 10%
$35,000 to $49,999 189 7%
$50,000 to $64,999 160 6%
$65,000 to $79,999 171 7%
$80,000 to $99,999 217 8%
$100,000 to $124,999 295 11%
$125,000 to $149,999 197 7%
$150,000 to $199,999 348 13%
$200,000 to $499,000 496 19%
$500,000 or more 100 4%

To the best of your knowledge, which category includes your household's total annual combined income before taxes in 2017?

ResponseNumberPercent
Less than $10,000 17 12%
$10,000 to $19,999 17 12%
$20,000 to $34,999 16 11%
$35,000 to $49,999 10 7%
$50,000 to $64,999 10 7%
$65,000 to $79,999 7 5%
$80,000 to $99,999 8 6%
$100,000 to $124,999 10 7%
$125,000 to $149,999 9 6%
$150,000 to $199,999 13 9%
$200,000 to $499,000 17 12%
$500,000 or more 7 5%

What is your religious/spiritual preference?

ResponseNumberPercent
Spiritual but not associated with a major religion 280 10%
Not particularly spiritual 408 14%
No preference 374 13%
Agnostic 308 11%
Atheist 291 10%
Baptist 37 1%
Buddhist 84 3%
Christian Church (Disciples) 190 7%
Eastern Orthodox 22 1%
Episcopalian 8 0%
Hindu 146 5%
Jewish 74 3%
Lutheran 12 0%
Methodist 13 0%
Mormon 6 0%
Muslim 67 2%
Presbyterian 62 2%
Quaker 1 0%
Roman Catholic 342 12%
Seventh Day Adventist 3 0%
Sikh 22 1%
Taoist 3 0%
Unitarian/Universalist 2 0%
United Church of Christ/Congregational 4 0%
Other Christian 135 5%
Other Religion 38 1%

With which gender do you identify?

ResponseNumberPercent
Male 1,244 41%
Female 1,745 58%
Trans Male/Trans Man 8 0%
Trans Female/Trans Woman 4 0%
Genderqueer/Gender Non-Conforming 24 1%
Different identity 12 0%

Do you consider yourself to be:

ResponseNumberPercent
Heterosexual or straight 2,547 85%
Gay or lesbian 101 3%
Bisexual 203 7%
Questioning/Unsure 118 4%
Not listed above, please specify
[Contact OPA for more information]
43 1%

How would you characterize your political orientation?

ResponseNumberPercent
Very liberal 289 10%
Liberal 1,115 37%
Slightly liberal 588 20%
Moderate or middle of the road 640 22%
Slightly conservative 179 6%
Conservative 86 3%
Very conservative 15 1%
Other, please elaborate
[Contact OPA for more information]
9 2%

Living Conditions

Where are you living this term?

ResponseNumberPercent
Clark Kerr Campus 338 11%
Foothill 329 11%
Bowles Hall 19 1%
Stern 97 3%
Unit 1 717 23%
Unit 2 (excluding Wada Apartments) 554 18%
Unit 3 (including Beverly Cleary Hall) 509 17%
University Village Albany (family housing) 1 0%
Wada Apartments 2 0%
International House 1 0%
Living with family 30 1%
Co-op housing 6 0%
Living off-campus in a house or apartment 52 2%
Blackwell Hall 393 13%
Global Edge Program Housing (abroad) 1 0%
I have not (yet) found stable housing 2 0%
Other
[Contact OPA for more information]
9 0%

How far from campus are you living this term?

ResponseNumberPercent
On campus or less than 1 mile 2,588 86%
1 mile to 2 miles 335 11%
3 miles to 10 miles 45 2%
11 miles to 20 miles 20 1%
21 miles or more 23 1%

With whom are you living this term?

ResponseNumberPercent
No one. I live alone 39 1%
I share an apartment or dorm room with at least one other UC Berkeley student 2,914 96%
I share an apartment with peers who are not UC Berkeley students 12 0%
I live with my spouse or domestic partner (with or without others) 9 0%
I live with at least one parent 42 1%
Other
[Contact OPA for more information]
24 1%

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

0 (Zero)12345 or more
College students or other adults (count yourself as 1) - 140 672 974 103 1,113
5% 22% 32% 3% 37%
Children or teenagers under the age of 18 (do NOT count yourself as 1) 2,229 220 120 69 51 193
77% 8% 4% 2% 2% 7%

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)

ResponseNumberPercent
Yes 42 1%
No 2,974 99%

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

ResponseNumberPercent
No 2,961 98%
Yes 48 2%

IF YES: How many?

ResponseNumberPercent
1 1 50%
2 1 50%

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

ResponseNumberPercent
No 2,951 98%
Yes 53 2%

IF YES: How many?

ResponseNumberPercent
1 6 60%
2 2 20%
4 1 10%
5 or more 1 10%

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

ResponseNumberPercent
No 2,918 97%
Yes 98 3%

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 allRarelyOccasionallyFrequentlyAll the time
Job responsibilities (e.g., paid employment) 1,374 572 684 245 93
46% 19% 23% 8% 3%
Family responsibilities 970 926 750 224 89
33% 31% 25% 8% 3%
Other responsibilities (e.g., athletics, clubs, internship) 467 513 1,142 656 179
16% 17% 39% 22% 6%
Weak English skills 2,031 425 315 128 54
69% 14% 11% 4% 2%
Weak writing skills 1,546 633 517 190 72
52% 21% 18% 6% 2%
Weak math skills 1,405 664 572 218 93
48% 23% 19% 7% 3%
Inadequate study skills (e.g., knowing how to start, knowing how to get help, organizing material) 937 831 815 269 112
32% 28% 28% 9% 4%
Poor study behaviors (e.g., wait until the last minute, too much social time, too much web surfing) 708 696 947 436 177
24% 24% 32% 15% 6%
Poor study environment (e.g., noisy roommate, poor Internet access, inadequate computer or software) 789 925 837 306 104
27% 31% 28% 10% 4%
Feeling depressed, stressed, or upset 562 698 950 520 235
19% 24% 32% 18% 9%
Physical illness or condition 1,240 975 548 146 56
42% 33% 19% 5% 2%
Military deployment 2,579 188 138 37 18
87% 6% 5% 1% 1%
Going hungry, not having enough food 2,065 492 289 88 30
70% 17% 10% 3% 1%
Inconsistent access to housing, or homelessness 2,494 227 165 47 23
84% 8% 6% 2% 1%
Inability to concentrate on my work 867 780 860 333 122
29% 26% 29% 11% 4%
Reluctance to ask for academic help when I need it 922 846 777 294 125
31% 29% 26% 10% 4%

In general, I consider myself...

ResponseNumberPercent
(1) Not a very happy person 57 2%
(2) 112 4%
(3) 238 8%
(4) 558 19%
(5) 910 30%
(6) 805 27%
(7) A very happy person 317 11%

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

ResponseNumberPercent
(1) Less happy 115 4%
(2) 212 7%
(3) 357 12%
(4) 736 25%
(5) 689 23%
(6) 599 20%
(7) More happy 286 10%

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

Selected
Friends nearby 2,253
70%
Friends who are not nearby (e.g., home or high school friends) 2,148
67%
Boyfriend or girlfriend, partner, spouse or significant other 676
21%
Teachers, coaches 365
11%
Parents, guardians 2,078
65%
Siblings 1,501
47%
Other family 658
21%
Clergy 47
2%
Counselors, therapists 205
6%
UCB student services support staff (counselor, advisor, etc.) 204
6%
No one (else) / myself only 88
3%
Other (please specify)
[Contact OPA for more information]
47
2%

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

ResponseNumberPercent
Very dissatisfied 79 3%
Fairly dissatisfied 124 4%
A little dissatisfied 234 8%
A little satisfied 322 11%
Fairly satisfied 1,258 44%
Very satisfied 870 30%

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

ResponseNumberPercent
Very dissatisfied 64 2%
Fairly dissatisfied 129 4%
A little dissatisfied 196 7%
A little satisfied 396 13%
Fairly satisfied 1,269 43%
Very satisfied 916 31%

Do you know that the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at the Tang Center offers short term counseling, that there is no charge to get started, and that all registered UC Berkeley students can access services regardless of whether they have UC Berkeley SHIP (Student Health Insurance Plan)?

ResponseNumberPercent
Yes 2,319 78%
No 652 22%

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