2018 SONS Transfers - Part 2: Affordability & Background

Concern about Cost & Food Security

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

Response	Number	Percent
Not concerned	245	18%
Somewhat concerned	443	32%
Concerned	319	23%
Very concerned	381	27%

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)	768
Applied for financial aid (including work-study)	53%
Asked financial aid office to reevaluate my application	220
Asked financial aid office to reevaluate my application	15%
Plan to buy fewer books than required (buy/rent used books, borrow/read books on reserve)	689
	48%
Will take more courses per term to complete on-time or early	354
	25%
Will take fewer courses so I can work for pay	105
Will take fewer courses so I can work for pay	7%
Will accept AP or similar credit instead of taking the course	142
	10%
Will take or have taken a community college course because community college courses are cheaper	463
	32%
Will take or have taken an online course because online courses are cheaper	98
	7%
Worked for pay to save for college	507
Worked for pay to save for college	35%
Plan to work for pay at least my first year	370
Plan to work for pay at least my first year	26%
Requested a triple (3-person room) to save money	152
Requested a triple (3-person room) to save money	11%
Will live at home to reduce expenses	204
Will live at home to reduce expenses	14%
Applied for outside scholarships/grants	593
Applied for outside scholarships/grants	41%
Don't expect cost to be a significant problem	243
Don't expect cost to be a significant problem	17%
Other (please specify) *[Contact OPA for more information]*	54
	4%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	621	45%
No	752	55%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	413	30%
No	957	70%

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	113	8%
Disagree	115	8%
Somewhat disagree	185	14%
Somewhat agree	453	33%
Agree	353	26%
Strongly agree	151	11%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Yes, I accepted subsidized loans that I was offered	396	44%
No, I did not accept subsidized loans that I was offered	498	56%
I do not know if I have accepted a subsidized loan	117
Not Applicable; I was not offered subsidized loans	358

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?

Response	Number	Percent
I did not work any hours this summer	534	39%
1-5 hours	42	3%
6-10 hours	72	5%
11-15 hours	118	9%
16-25 hours	213	16%
26-35 hours	164	12%
More than 35	226	17%

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

Response	Number	Percent
I do not plan to work this semester	760	56%
1-5 hours	77	6%
6-10 hours	205	15%
11-15 hours	158	12%
16-25 hours	106	8%
26-35 hours	38	3%
More than 35	20	2%

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	391	29%
No	973	71%

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

	Selected
Housing	133
Housing	34%
Food	285
Food	73%
Books	223
Books	57%
Health care	146
Health care	37%
Other (Please explain below) *[Contact OPA for more information]*	45
	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.	118	391	848
	9%	29%	63%
I couldn't afford to eat balanced meals.	186	398	759
I couldn't afford to eat balanced meals.	14%	30%	57%

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	934	68%
Yes, almost every month	140	10%
Yes, some months, but not every month	203	15%
Yes, only 1 or 2 months	91	7%

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	1,000	73%
Yes	368	27%

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	1,078	79%
Yes	291	21%

Is there anything else that you would like to tell us about the impact of the cost of attendance on your educational experience at UC Berkeley?

[Contact OPA for more information]

Family & Culture

When did you come to the United States to live?

Response	Number	Percent
I was born in the U.S.	734	54%
1998 or earlier	51	4%
1999	18	1%
2000	17	1%
2001	11	1%
2002	9	1%
2003	15	1%
2004	9	1%
2005	12	1%
2006	8	1%
2007	11	1%
2008	10	1%
2009	14	1%
2010	23	2%
2011	20	2%
2012	31	2%
2013	37	3%
2014	89	7%
2015	99	7%
2016	124	9%
2017 or later	23	2%

When did you learn to speak English?

Response	Number	Percent
English is my native language	657	48%
Before I was 6 years old	237	17%
When I was 6-10 years old	211	16%
When I was 11-15 years old	124	9%
After turning 16 years old	133	10%

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	466	882	7
Parent/Guardian 1	34%	65%	1%
Parent/Guardian 2	432	892	12
Parent/Guardian 2	32%	67%	1%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Zero	277	20%
One	67	5%
Two	176	13%
Three	48	4%
Four	791	58%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Wealthy	31	1%
Upper-middle or professional-middle	211	15%
Middle-class	496	36%
Working-class	372	27%
Low-income or poor	262	19%

Are you a financially independent student?

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	466	34%
No	901	66%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Less than $10,000	55	7%
$10,000 to $19,999	75	9%
$20,000 to $34,999	104	12%
$35,000 to $49,999	74	9%
$50,000 to $64,999	78	9%
$65,000 to $79,999	71	8%
$80,000 to $99,999	77	9%
$100,000 to $124,999	120	14%
$125,000 to $149,999	53	6%
$150,000 to $199,999	62	7%
$200,000 to $499,000	61	7%
$500,000 or more	15	2%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Less than $10,000	130	29%
$10,000 to $19,999	95	21%
$20,000 to $34,999	88	20%
$35,000 to $49,999	41	9%
$50,000 to $64,999	33	7%
$65,000 to $79,999	16	4%
$80,000 to $99,999	13	3%
$100,000 to $124,999	15	3%
$125,000 to $149,999	7	2%
$150,000 to $199,999	4	1%
$200,000 to $499,000	5	1%
$500,000 or more	1	0%

What is your religious/spiritual preference?

Response	Number	Percent
Spiritual but not associated with a major religion	209	16%
Not particularly spiritual	180	14%
No preference	225	17%
Agnostic	119	9%
Atheist	104	8%
Baptist	9	1%
Buddhist	56	4%
Christian Church (Disciples)	110	8%
Eastern Orthodox	7	1%
Episcopalian	1	0%
Hindu	7	1%
Jewish	20	2%
Lutheran	4	0%
Methodist	4	0%
Mormon	2	0%
Muslim	72	6%
Presbyterian	17	1%
Quaker	0	0%
Roman Catholic	93	7%
Seventh Day Adventist	3	0%
Sikh	4	0%
Taoist	5	0%
Unitarian/Universalist	0	0%
United Church of Christ/Congregational	0	0%
Other Christian	42	3%
Other Religion	20	2%

With which gender do you identify?

Response	Number	Percent
Male	579	43%
Female	743	55%
Trans Male/Trans Man	6	0%
Trans Female/Trans Woman	6	0%
Genderqueer/Gender Non-Conforming	13	1%
Different identity	8	1%

Do you consider yourself to be:

Response	Number	Percent
Heterosexual or straight	1,121	83%
Gay or lesbian	57	4%
Bisexual	101	8%
Questioning/Unsure	32	2%
Not listed above, please specify *[Contact OPA for more information]*	38	3%

How would you characterize your political orientation?

Response	Number	Percent
Very liberal	192	14%
Liberal	458	34%
Slightly liberal	169	13%
Moderate or middle of the road	333	25%
Slightly conservative	61	5%
Conservative	30	2%
Very conservative	11	1%
Other, please elaborate *[Contact OPA for more information]*	9	6%

Living Conditions

Where are you living this term?

Response	Number	Percent
Clark Kerr Campus	15	1%
Foothill	31	2%
Bowles Hall	2	0%
Stern	15	1%
Unit 1	32	2%
Unit 2 (excluding Wada Apartments)	47	4%
Unit 3 (including Beverly Cleary Hall)	122	9%
Channing-Bowditch Apartments	60	5%
Martinez Commons	56	4%
University Village Albany (family housing)	49	4%
Wada Apartments	73	5%
New Sequoia or Garden Village Apartments	3	0%
Blackwell Hall	1	0%
International House	10	1%
Sorority or fraternity	3	0%
Global Edge Program Housing (abroad)	1	0%
Co-op housing	40	3%
Living with family	75	6%
Living off-campus in a house or apartment	642	48%
I have not (yet) found stable housing	13	1%
Other *[Contact OPA for more information]*	55	4%

How far from campus are you living this term?

Response	Number	Percent
On campus or less than 1 mile	648	48%
1 mile to 2 miles	239	18%
3 miles to 10 miles	227	17%
11 miles to 20 miles	118	9%
21 miles or more	115	9%

With whom are you living this term?

Response	Number	Percent
No one. I live alone	110	8%
I share an apartment or dorm room with at least one other UC Berkeley student	829	62%
I share an apartment with peers who are not UC Berkeley students	107	8%
I live with my spouse or domestic partner (with or without others)	111	8%
I live with at least one parent	103	8%
Other *[Contact OPA for more information]*	83	6%

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)	-	195	302	287	233	287
College students or other adults (count yourself as 1)		15%	23%	22%	18%	22%
Children or teenagers under the age of 18 (do NOT count yourself as 1)	1,080	79	51	26	18	18
	85%	6%	4%	2%	1%	1%

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	40	3%
No	1,304	97%

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

Response	Number	Percent
No	1,251	93%
Yes	90	7%

IF YES: How many?

Response	Number	Percent
1	28	44%
2	25	39%
3	7	11%
4	4	6%

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

Response	Number	Percent
No	1,287	96%
Yes	50	4%

IF YES: How many?

Response	Number	Percent
1	20	74%
2	5	19%
3	1	4%
4	1	4%

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

Response	Number	Percent
No	1,215	91%
Yes	127	10%

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

Response	Number	Percent
None	17	21%
1	33	41%
2	22	27%
3	6	7%
4	3	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 all	Rarely	Occasionally	Frequently	All the time
Job responsibilities (e.g., paid employment)	403	212	385	219	83
Job responsibilities (e.g., paid employment)	31%	16%	30%	17%	6%
Family responsibilities	252	285	435	221	103
Family responsibilities	19%	22%	34%	17%	8%
Other responsibilities (e.g., athletics, clubs, internship)	239	249	483	242	75
	19%	19%	38%	19%	6%
Weak English skills	777	172	199	97	55
Weak English skills	60%	13%	15%	8%	4%
Weak writing skills	649	256	233	109	54
Weak writing skills	50%	20%	18%	8%	4%
Weak math skills	619	287	258	92	38
Weak math skills	48%	22%	20%	7%	3%
Inadequate study skills (e.g., knowing how to start, knowing how to get help, organizing material)	369	340	390	156	47
	28%	26%	30%	12%	4%
Poor study behaviors (e.g., wait until the last minute, too much social time, too much web surfing)	305	302	408	215	72
	23%	23%	31%	17%	6%
Poor study environment (e.g., noisy roommate, poor Internet access, inadequate computer or software)	372	355	360	157	59
	29%	27%	28%	12%	5%
Feeling depressed, stressed, or upset	186	240	416	297	163
Feeling depressed, stressed, or upset	14%	18%	32%	23%	13%
Physical illness or condition	479	383	288	104	45
Physical illness or condition	37%	30%	22%	8%	4%
Military deployment	1,095	70	90	29	11
Military deployment	85%	5%	7%	2%	1%
Going hungry, not having enough food	743	252	213	70	24
Going hungry, not having enough food	57%	19%	16%	5%	2%
Inconsistent access to housing, or homelessness	1,021	113	113	36	15
Inconsistent access to housing, or homelessness	79%	9%	9%	3%	1%
Inability to concentrate on my work	334	264	397	204	101
Inability to concentrate on my work	26%	20%	31%	16%	8%
Reluctance to ask for academic help when I need it	412	300	385	147	60
Reluctance to ask for academic help when I need it	32%	23%	30%	11%	5%

In general, I consider myself...

Response	Number	Percent
(1) Not a very happy person	42	3%
(2)	66	5%
(3)	127	10%
(4)	275	21%
(5)	352	27%
(6)	295	22%
(7) A very happy person	161	12%

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

Response	Number	Percent
(1) Less happy	83	6%
(2)	111	9%
(3)	180	14%
(4)	320	24%
(5)	261	20%
(6)	227	17%
(7) More happy	130	10%

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

	Selected
Friends nearby	758
Friends nearby	54%
Friends who are not nearby (e.g., home or high school friends)	721
	51%
Boyfriend or girlfriend, partner, spouse or significant other	471
	33%
Teachers, coaches	129
Teachers, coaches	9%
Parents, guardians	753
Parents, guardians	53%
Siblings	515
Siblings	37%
Other family	232
Other family	16%
Clergy	18
Clergy	1%
Counselors, therapists	150
Counselors, therapists	11%
UCB student services support staff (counselor, advisor, etc.)	125
	9%
No one (else) / myself only	91
No one (else) / myself only	6%
Other (please specify) *[Contact OPA for more information]*	34
	2%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Very dissatisfied	59	5%
Fairly dissatisfied	75	6%
A little dissatisfied	119	10%
A little satisfied	157	13%
Fairly satisfied	458	38%
Very satisfied	346	29%

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

Response	Number	Percent
Very dissatisfied	51	4%
Fairly dissatisfied	81	6%
A little dissatisfied	130	10%
A little satisfied	197	15%
Fairly satisfied	472	36%
Very satisfied	364	28%

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)?

Response	Number	Percent
Yes	1,014	77%
No	299	23%