Part 3: Random Module

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Academic Experience
Student Life and Development
Items of Special Interest

Academic Experience

1. We would like to hear more about your perception of being an undergraduate at a research university. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements.

 Strongly disagreeDisagreeDisagree somewhatAgree somewhatAgreeStrongly agree
Berkeley has a strong commitment to undergraduate education 1 3 8 76 209 150
0% 1% 2% 17% 47% 34%
Attending a university with world-class researchers is important to me 1 1 17 73 168 186
0% 0% 4% 16% 38% 42%
The emphasis on research at Berkeley detracts from the quality of teaching on this campus 34 96 120 94 59 41
8% 22% 27% 21% 13% 9%

2. How important to you are the following aspects of being an undergraduate at a research university like UC Berkeley?

 Not
important
Not very importantSomewhat importantImportantVery importantEssential
Learning about faculty research 9 25 82 146 112 73
2% 6% 18% 33% 25% 16%
Having courses with faculty members who refer to their own research as part of the class 14 60 95 140 93 44
3% 14% 21% 31% 21% 10%
Learning research methods 6 13 53 125 149 100
1% 3% 12% 28% 33% 22%
Assisting faculty members in their research, for pay or as a volunteer 5 20 64 109 149 97
1% 5% 14% 25% 34% 22%
Pursuing your own research 10 35 85 115 116 84
2% 8% 19% 26% 26% 19%
The prestige of this campus/faculty when you apply to grad school 3 11 43 109 139 141
1% 3% 10% 24% 31% 32%
The prestige of this campus when you apply for a job 2 4 23 109 141 167
0% 1% 5% 24% 32% 37%
Having access to a world-class library collection 5 14 66 116 139 104
1% 3% 15% 26% 31% 23%
Being able to attend plays, concerts, lectures, and other cultural events 9 16 60 120 137 105
2% 4% 13% 27% 31% 24%

3a. How do you expect to use the library and library staff while you are at Berkeley? (Check all that apply)

To find data and statistical information 293
65%
As a quiet place to study 291
64%
For help in learning to do academic research 276
61%
To find scholarly articles 283
63%
For help in organizing my research 276
61%
As a place to work on group projects 286
63%
For printing, copying and scanning 272
60%
To find books 290
64%
Other (please specify)
[Contact OPA for more information]
2
0%

3b. If you were seeking help in doing library research, which ways would you prefer to communicate? Rank the following from 1 to 6 or from 1 to 7 if 'Other' is specified

 1234567
Individual help at a library reference desk 190 88 48 43 23 24 6
45% 21% 11% 10% 6% 6% 1%
Individual help by appointment 76 118 69 70 56 23 6
18% 28% 17% 17% 13% 6% 1%
Take an hour-long clas in library research methods 25 34 51 56 68 174 8
6% 8% 12% 14% 16% 42% 2%
Use a virtual chat widget 29 37 67 62 113 100 9
7% 9% 16% 15% 27% 24% 2%
Email 71 92 108 76 52 21 1
17% 22% 26% 18% 12% 5% 0%
Phone 28 46 72 104 102 64 3
7% 11% 17% 25% 24% 15% 1%
Other
[Contact OPA for more information]
7 5 3 4 7 7 26
12% 9% 5% 7% 12% 12% 44%

4. While attending UC Berkeley, how often would you like to...

 NeverRarelyOccasionallySomewhat oftenOftenVery often
Interact with students from a country or state outside of your own in class (e.g., through section discussions, study groups or class projects) 0 3 23 70 192 156
0% 1% 5% 16% 43% 35%
Interact with students from a country or state outside your own in social settings (e.g., in clubs or student organizations, or in informal settings) 0 2 24 69 188 161
0% 1% 5% 16% 42% 36%
Develop a friendship with a student from a country or state outside of your own 0 0 22 57 174 191
0% 0% 5% 13% 39% 43%
Work with a faculty member on a project with an international/global theme 7 21 51 96 162 107
2% 5% 12% 22% 37% 24%
Present a paper at a symposium or conference or participate in a panel on international / global topics 33 78 88 85 98 61
7% 18% 20% 19% 22% 14%
Attend lectures, symposia, workshops or conferences on international/global topics 10 37 80 88 139 88
2% 8% 18% 20% 31% 20%
Attend a performance with an international/global focus 9 33 66 106 137 92
2% 7% 15% 24% 31% 21%

4b. What are your values and beliefs with regards to your interaction with other students while attending UC Berkeley? Please tell us your level of agreement with the following statements:

 Strongly disagreeDisagreeSomewhat disagreeSomewhat agreeAgreeStrongly agree
I believe that exposure to students from other states and countries will help me interact effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures 0 0 4 48 142 250
0% 0% 1% 11% 32% 56%
I believe that exposure to students from other states and countries will help me be more open to and understanding of different opinions and points of view 0 2 5 43 139 252
0% 1% 1% 10% 32% 57%

5. How important is it to you to graduate in four years or, if you are a transfer student, in two years?

Not important 1 0%
Not very important 5 1%
Somewhat important 29 7%
Important 73 17%
Very important 146 33%
Essential 183 41%
Not applicable 5 1%

6. Regarding choice of a major, what advice have you received?

 Decide on a major as soon as possibleTake your time; explore optionsNo advice given
From your family 126 248 67
29% 56% 15%
From Cal advisors 22 335 83
5% 76% 19%
From friends 60 286 95
14% 65% 22%
From fellow Cal students 65 291 86
15% 66% 20%
High school teachers or counselors 60 291 88
14% 66% 20%

7. What do you plan to do about a major?

I have declared a major 109 25%
I will declare a major as soon as possible 188 43%
I plan to take my time and explore options 144 33%

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Student Life and Development

Goals & Aspirations

1. Indicate how important each of the following college goals is to you.

 Not importantSomewhat importantVery important
Be in a position to give back to my community after finishing my education 21 136 285
5% 31% 65%
Acquire a well-rounded general education 7 61 375
2% 14% 85%
Explore and discover my personal identity 10 64 370
2% 14% 83%
Discover what kind of person I really want to be 9 55 380
2% 12% 86%
Achieve a high GPA 10 131 302
2% 30% 68%
Form (a) romantic relationship(s) 130 199 114
29% 45% 26%
Establish meaningful friendships 1 59 382
0% 13% 86%
Prepare for graduate or professional school 17 104 323
4% 23% 73%
Obtain the skills I need to pursue my chosen career 2 35 406
1% 8% 92%
Be in a position to make a lot of money after finishing my education 30 164 250
7% 37% 56%
Explore new ideas 6 96 342
1% 22% 77%
Enjoy my college years before assuming adult responsibilities 24 105 315
5% 24% 71%
Develop a personal code of values and ethics 18 128 297
4% 29% 67%
Develop an in-depth understanding of a specific field of study 3 66 375
1% 15% 85%
Integrate spirituality into my life 198 109 136
45% 25% 31%
Establish social networks that will help further my career 13 111 318
3% 25% 72%
Obtain the skills I need to function in the international arena 33 161 248
8% 36% 56%

2. Please indicate how much you agree or disagree that the following factors influenced your decision to choose UC Berkeley: UC Berkeley would...

 Strongly disagreeDisagreeSomewhat disagreeSomewhat agreeAgreeStrongly agree
Challenge and/or change my perspective 10 18 28 129 162 95
2% 4% 6% 29% 37% 22%
Prepare me to succeed in a career 0 1 2 42 170 226
0% 0% 1% 10% 39% 51%
Prepare me to build a better life for myself and/or my family 1 2 8 60 170 202
0% 1% 2% 14% 38% 46%
Teach me to interact effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures 1 11 19 100 178 135
0% 3% 4% 23% 40% 30%
Prepare me to make a difference in this world 1 2 16 81 163 180
0% 1% 4% 18% 37% 41%
Allow me to create own field of study (combine disciplines, create own major, etc.) 18 51 82 127 86 76
4% 12% 19% 29% 20% 17%
Prepare me to get the job I desire 1 5 6 60 179 193
0% 1% 1% 14% 40% 44%
Help increase my social consciousness (e.g., be more aware of people and issues regardless of background, ethnicity; doing things for the public good) 7 7 23 87 166 150
2% 2% 5% 20% 38% 34%
Help me to be more open to and understanding of different opinions and points of view (e.g., openness, freedom) 7 8 20 79 188 140
2% 2% 5% 18% 43% 32%

3. How concerned are you now about each of the following?

 Not at all concernedUnconcernedSomewhat unconcernedSomewhat concernedConcernedVery concerned
Financing my education at Berkeley 52 44 50 111 87 98
12% 10% 11% 25% 20% 22%
Finding affordable housing while I'm a student at Berkeley 40 32 52 124 112 82
9% 7% 12% 28% 25% 19%
Getting into my first choice of major 66 52 54 106 81 82
15% 12% 12% 24% 18% 19%
Being able to maintain a high GPA 5 9 14 87 161 164
1% 2% 3% 20% 37% 37%
Getting the academic advising I need 22 39 73 144 97 61
5% 9% 17% 33% 22% 14%
Getting the career and professional advising I need 19 30 66 136 118 71
4% 7% 15% 31% 27% 16%
Getting the psychological counseling I might need 60 120 109 84 43 23
14% 27% 25% 19% 10% 5%
Getting along with my roommate(s) 68 114 88 101 34 35
16% 26% 20% 23% 8% 8%
Being able to balance academic and social activities 14 23 49 137 125 93
3% 5% 11% 31% 28% 21%
Being able to make the kind of friends I want 16 33 67 109 111 101
4% 8% 15% 25% 25% 23%
Being away from family and friends; being 'homesick' 61 77 70 115 75 43
14% 18% 16% 26% 17% 10%
Being able to maintain good health 29 50 63 136 108 55
7% 11% 14% 31% 25% 13%
Being able to cope with expectations of parents and family 60 66 81 116 73 44
14% 15% 18% 26% 17% 10%
Being overwhelmed with all the things I'm expected to do my first semester 17 23 42 127 125 104
4% 5% 10% 29% 29% 24%
Regretting my decision to attend Berkeley 189 77 57 63 31 24
43% 18% 13% 14% 7% 5%

4. Based on your experience and observation, rate the general climate for students at Berkeley along the following dimensions: Campus climate is...

6 - Friendly 135 31%
5 191 43%
4 99 23%
3 13 3%
2 2 1%
1 - Hostile 0 0%
6 - Caring 90 21%
5 144 33%
4 144 33%
3 50 11%
2 8 2%
1 - Impersonal 4 1%
6 - Intellectual 245 56%
5 142 32%
4 42 10%
3 9 2%
2 1 0%
1 - Not intellectual 0 0%
1 - Appreciative of diversity 178 40%
5 157 36%
4 78 18%
3 22 5%
2 4 1%
1 - Unappreciative of diversity 2 1%
6 - Safe 70 16%
5 134 31%
4 131 30%
3 80 18%
2 23 5%
1 - Dangerous 1 0%
6 - Too hard academically 42 10%
5 175 40%
4 182 41%
3 37 8%
2 4 1%
1 - Too easy academically 0 0%
6 - Affordable 31 7%
5 57 13%
4 141 32%
3 106 24%
2 77 18%
1 - Not affordable 28 6%

5. As you start your first semester at Cal, please rank your concerns in these five general areas. One (1) is first or the area of most concern. (Rank the following from 1 to 5)

 12345
Being successful academically (e.g., understanding material, GPA, getting into the major I want) 214 123 61 32 8
49% 28% 14% 7% 2%
Financing my education at Cal (e.g., money for expenses, being able to work, finding affordable housing) 62 54 59 62 200
14% 12% 14% 14% 46%
Making good choices, finding direction for my life (e.g., what I want to do after college, making the right career choice) 37 73 71 150 107
8% 17% 16% 34% 24%
Balancing things, finding time for everything (e.g., balancing academic and social life, not being overwhelmed) 85 102 138 85 28
19% 23% 32% 19% 6%
Making friends, having a personal life (e.g., not being lonely, having a good relationship) 40 86 108 108 95
9% 20% 25% 25% 22%

6. As a beginning UC Berkeley student, how would you rate your competencies below?

 Very poorPoorFairGoodVery goodExcellent
Understanding of the complexities of global issues 8 63 135 131 72 28
2% 14% 31% 30% 17% 6%
Ability to apply disciplinary knowledge in a global context 4 66 114 156 70 26
1% 15% 26% 36% 16% 6%
Linguistic and cultural competency in at least one language other than my own 25 58 99 111 89 55
6% 13% 23% 25% 20% 13%
Ability to work with people from other cultures 1 9 42 160 153 72
0% 2% 10% 37% 35% 17%
Comfort working with people from other cultures 0 7 46 132 146 107
0% 2% 11% 30% 33% 24%

7. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following?

 Strongly disagreeDisagreeDisagree somewhatAgree somewhatAgreeStrongly agree
Opportunities for community service while at Berkeley are important to me 9 22 41 127 148 83
2% 5% 10% 30% 34% 19%
Opportunities to develop my leadership skills while at Berkeley are important to me 1 6 17 105 161 141
0% 1% 4% 24% 37% 33%
Opportunities to connect my academic work with community-based experience at Cal are important to me 3 10 22 93 173 129
1% 2% 5% 22% 40% 30%

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Items of Special Interest

Advising and Course Selection

1. What type of advising do you expect and hope to receive from an advisor? Please rank from 1 to 7, in order of what is personally important to you, assigning a 1 to the option you feel is most important.

 1234567
Career and Professional advising 78 86 85 69 51 41 30
18% 20% 19% 16% 12% 9% 7%
Choosing classes 118 90 68 48 49 42 24
27% 21% 16% 11% 11% 10% 6%
Enrichment opportunities (e.g., Study abroad, research) 42 62 76 80 76 57 46
10% 14% 17% 18% 17% 13% 11%
Financial aid and scholarships 54 55 59 64 60 65 81
12% 13% 14% 15% 14% 15% 19%
Understanding Campus Resources 17 30 29 56 78 116 112
4% 7% 7% 13% 18% 27% 26%
Selecting a major 56 48 36 58 58 64 117
13% 11% 8% 13% 13% 15% 27%
Academic Support 71 65 85 62 70 54 31
16% 15% 19% 14% 16% 12% 7%

2a. With whom did you consult with when selecting courses for your first semester? Please select all that apply.

CalSO leader (i.e., student CalSO staff) 95
21%
College advisor in your home College (e.g., Letters & Science, College of Engineering) 199
44%
Major advisor 167
37%
Co-curricular Advisors/Student Services Support Staff (e.g., advising staff working in offices such as the Student Life Advising Services, Bridge, the Berkeley International Office, the Transfer, Reentry, & Student Parent Center) 48
11%
Faculty member 33
7%
Another student 209
47%
Parent, Guardian, or family member 206
46%
Online (e.g., departmental website, forum, catalog review) 193
43%
Friend(s) 198
44%
No one 23
5%
Other (please specify)
[Contact OPA for more information]
9
2%

2b. Who provided the most useful guidance in the selection of your courses for the current term?

CalSO leader 15 3%
College advisor in your home College (e.g., Letters & Science, College of Engineering) 91 21%
Major advisor 71 16%
Co-curricular Advisors/Student Services Support Staff (e.g., advising staff working in offices such as the Student Life Advising Services, Bridge, the Berkeley International Office, the Transfer, Reentry, & Student Parent Center) 19 4%
Faculty member 5 1%
Another student 47 11%
Parent, Guardian, or family member 43 10%
Online (e.g., departmental website, forum, catalog review) 77 18%
Friend(s) 22 5%
No one 47 11%
Other (please specify)
[Contact OPA for more information]
4 1%

2c. How satisfied are you with the amount of individualized guidance you received from the people you consulted with in selecting your courses?

Very dissatisfied 16 4%
Dissatisfied 24 5%
Somewhat dissatisfied 62 14%
Somewhat satisfied 109 25%
Satisfied 180 41%
Very satisfied 51 12%

3. Since being admitted, have you ever received advice from two different offices or staff members at Cal that was contradictory or in conflict?

Yes 55 12%
No 387 88%

3a. Please explain what happened (when you received advice from two different offices or staff members at Cal that was contradictory or in conflict)

[Contact OPA for more information]

3b. Please describe how you decided which advice to follow

[Contact OPA for more information]

4. Select the top three factors that most influenced how you selected courses for your first semester.

First:

Academic Advisor 78 18%
Co-curricular Advisor/Student Services Support Staff 3 1%
Course(s) fulfilled a general or breadth requirement (e.g., Reading and Composition, American Cultures, Foreign Languages, etc.) 147 33%
I found the subject generally interesting 165 37%
I thought/had heard a course was not as rigorous or demanding 3 1%
Parental desires 4 1%
Recommendation of another new UC Berkeley student 3 1%
Recommendation of continuing UC Berkeley student 36 8%
Reputation of professor 2 1%

Second:

Academic Advisor 87 20%
Co-curricular Advisor/Student Services Support Staff 5 1%
Course(s) fulfilled a general or breadth requirement (e.g., Reading and Composition, American Cultures, Foreign Languages, etc.) 110 25%
I found the subject generally interesting 131 30%
I thought/had heard a course was not as rigorous or demanding 20 5%
Parental desires 9 2%
Recommendation of another new UC Berkeley student 11 3%
Recommendation of continuing UC Berkeley student 39 9%
Reputation of professor 27 6%

Third:

Academic Advisor 70 16%
Co-curricular Advisor/Student Services Support Staff 8 2%
Course(s) fulfilled a general or breadth requirement (e.g., Reading and Composition, American Cultures, Foreign Languages, etc.) 92 21%
I found the subject generally interesting 68 16%
I thought/had heard a course was not as rigorous or demanding 40 9%
Parental desires 21 5%
Recommendation of another new UC Berkeley student 26 6%
Recommendation of continuing UC Berkeley student 53 12%
Reputation of professor 54 13%

5. What other factors did you consider when setting up your course schedule for the current term?

[Contact OPA for more information]

6. How satisfied are you with each of the following, based on your experiences with accessing courses for the current semester?

 Very dissatisfiedDissatisfiedSomewhat dissatisfiedSomewhat satisfiedSatisfiedVery satisfied
Availability of courses for general education or breadth requirements 5 18 53 108 180 74
1% 4% 12% 25% 41% 17%
Availability of courses to fulfill prerequisite requirements 3 16 43 109 188 77
1% 4% 10% 25% 43% 18%
Ability to get into the lectures or seminars (i.e., primary courses) you wanted 15 38 67 122 131 65
3% 9% 15% 28% 30% 15%
Ability to get into the discussion sections or labs (i.e., secondary courses) you wanted 10 38 65 124 142 58
2% 9% 15% 28% 33% 13%
Variety of courses available 2 4 16 88 183 145
1% 1% 4% 20% 42% 33%
Access to small classes 18 39 68 138 124 51
4% 9% 16% 32% 28% 12%

AP Experiences

At UC Berkeley, there are "common-good" courses that are identified as serving the broad student community as well as being critical to students' intellectual development, academic success, and timely graduation. These common-good courses include Reading and Composition (both 1a and 1b), lower division "gateway" courses in Math & Science (Chemistry, Statistics, Math, Physics, and Biology), and Foreign Language Instruction. As the campus continues to work toward increasing access to these common-good courses, planning for the appropriate number of students who will be enrolling in these courses is essential for proper resource allocation. Thus, we would like to get a sense of whether you, personally, have fulfilled some of these requirements through exams (e.g., AP, A-level English, International Baccalaureate Higher Level English Language A1 or A2) and, if so, if you still plan to enroll in a course at Berkeley that would also fulfill the requirement.

1. Do you have an exam score in the appropriate subject that, if used, will fulfill your UC Berkeley Reading and Composition 1a requirement?

Yes 281 64%
No 134 31%
Don't know 25 6%

2. Do you have an exam score in the appropriate subject that, if used, will fulfill your UC Berkeley Reading and Composition 1b requirement?

Yes 109 25%
No 292 67%
Don't know 38 9%

1a. Will you use your exam score to actually fulfill the Reading & Composition 1a requirement?

Yes 251 89%
No 19 7%
Don't know 11 4%

2a. Will you use your exam score to actually fulfill the Reading & Composition 1b requirement?

Yes 99 91%
No 6 6%
Don't know 4 4%

1b. You indicated that you have an exam score that will fulfill your UC Berkeley Reading & Composition 1a requirement, but that you will NOT use this score to fulfill the requirement. Please share with us the reason(s) why you will not use your exam score to fulfill your R&C 1a requirement and will instead enroll in one of the UCB courses that will fulfill this requirement.

[Contact OPA for more information]

2b. You indicated that you have an exam score that will fulfill your UC Berkeley Reading & Composition 1b requirement, but that you will NOT use this score to fulfill the requirement. Please share with us the reason(s) why you will not use your exam score to fulfill your R&C 1b requirement and will instead enroll in one of the UCB courses that will fulfill this requirement.

[Contact OPA for more information]

3. Are you currently enrolled/planning to complete a Reading & Composition 1a course this semester?

Yes 106 24%
No 334 76%

4. Are you currently enrolled/planning to complete a Reading & Composition 1b course this semester?

Yes 88 20%
No 352 80%

3a. Why did you not enroll in a Reading & Composition 1a course this semester? (Please select the primary reason)

I had a preference for an R&C 1a course in a particular department, but it was already full 8 9%
I could not gain access into ANY of the R&C 1a courses offered across the various departments on campus 11 13%
I did not like the times of the remaining courses that had available seats 3 3%
I decided to wait until another semester for reasons not listed above 25 28%
I will be using exam credit (e.g., AP, A-level English, International Baccalaureate Higher Level English Language A1 or A2) instead 4 5%
I did not know my AP score 1 1%
I have not yet passed the Analytical Writing Paper Exam (AWPE) 17 19%
I don't know 5 6%
Other (please specify)
[Contact OPA for more information]
14 16%

4a. Why did you not enroll in a Reading & Composition 1b course this semester? (Please select the primary reason)

I have not yet satisfied the first half of the R&C requirement (R&C 1a) 118 47%
I had a preference for an R&C 1b course in a particular department, but it was already full 18 7%
I could not gain access into ANY of the R&C 1b courses offered across the various departments on campus 8 3%
I did not like the times of the remaining courses that had available seats 8 3%
I decided to wait until another semester for reasons not listed above 61 24%
I will be using exam credit (e.g., AP, A-level English, International Baccalaureate Higher Level English Language A1 or A2) instead 2 1%
I did not know my AP score 12 5%
I don't know 11 4%
Other, please specify:
[Contact OPA for more information]
16 6%

You indicated that the primary reason for not enrolling in an R&C course was because you had a preference for an R&C course offered in a particular department and that course was full. May you please share with us which department(s) you were hoping to take an R&C course from and briefly describe why you prefer to take a course from that particular department:

[Contact OPA for more information]

5. Did you have an AP of 4 or 5 in Math, Chemistry, Biology or Physics?

Yes 288 66%
No 150 34%

6. Regarding use of AP eligibility, what advice have you received?

 Don't AP out; take the entry course at BerkeleyAP out; take a more advanced courseNo advice given
From my family 48 153 234
11% 35% 54%
From Cal advisors 129 76 228
30% 18% 53%
From friends 47 211 178
11% 48% 41%
From fellow Cal students 76 170 188
18% 39% 43%
High school teachers or counselors 45 188 201
10% 43% 46%

7. If you could have used your AP scores for course credits, what did/will you do?

Not applicable 67 15%
I am taking all the credit that I can and enrolling in advanced courses 171 39%
I am taking some credit but not all that I could 145 33%
I am taking the entry courses at Berkeley instead of the credit 41 9%
Other, please specify:
[Contact OPA for more information]
18 4%

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