Part 2: Background

Concern About Cost

1. How concerned are you about paying for your undergraduate education NEXT YEAR? (Next year is defined as Fall 2015 and Spring 2016.)

Not concerned 366 26%
Somewhat concerned 435 31%
Concerned 277 20%
Very concerned 315 23%

2. Which of the following have you done in the past year or do you plan to do this year to meet anticipated college expenses?

Applied for financial aid 840
60%
Asked financial aid office to reevaluate my application 190
14%
Plan to buy fewer books than listed as required, to buy cheaper used books, to read books on reserve 862
61%
Will take more courses per term to complete on-time or early 325
23%
Will take fewer courses so I can work for pay 53
4%
Will accept AP or similar credit instead of taking the course 633
45%
Will take or have taken a community college course because community college courses are cheaper 184
13%
Will take or have taken an online course because online courses are cheaper 48
3%
Worked for pay to save for college 433
31%
Plan to work for pay at least my first year 373
27%
Requested a triple to save money 406
29%
Will live at home to reduce expenses 36
3%
Don't expect cost to be a significant problem 359
26%
Other (please specify)
[Contact OPA for more information]
96
7%

3a. 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?

Yes 579 42%
No 809 58%

3b. Have you heard about the Berkeley Middle Class Access Plan (MCAP), a new financial aid program available to families in the $80,000 - $150,000 annual income range?

Yes 602 43%
No 784 57%

3c. 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.

Strongly disagree 105 8%
Disagree 157 11%
Somewhat disagree 193 14%
Somewhat agree 428 31%
Agree 351 25%
Strongly agree 156 11%

3d. 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)?

Yes 206 15%
No 1185 85%

3d. Please select from the following list all basics you have foregone as a result of finances.

Housing 29
14%
Food 109
53%
Books 150
73%
Health care 49
24%
Other (Please explain below)
[Contact OPA for more information]
12
6%

4. Is there anything else that you would like to tell us about the impact of the cost to attend on your educational experience at Cal?

[Contact OPA for more information]

5. When did you come to the United States to live?

I was born in the U.S. 975 71%
1994 or earlier 3 0%
1995 8 1%
1996 38 3%
1997 15 1%
1998 24 2%
1999 12 1%
2000 27 2%
2001 33 2%
2002 18 1%
2003 13 1%
2004 9 1%
2005 13 1%
2006 10 1%
2007 17 1%
2008 7 1%
2009 10 1%
2010 12 1%
2011 11 1%
2012 6 0%
2013 or later 118 9%

6. When did you learn to speak English?

English is my native language 800 58%
Before I was 5 years old 275 20%
When I was 5 years old 137 10%
When I was 6-10 years old 123 9%
When I was 11-15 years old 41 3%
After turning 16 years old 6 0%

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

 In the U.S.Outside the U.S.Do not know
Your mother 441 934 4
32% 68% 0%
Your father 471 891 11
34% 65% 1%

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

Zero 270 20%
One 67 5%
Two 146 11%
Three 36 3%
Four 859 62%

8. What is the highest level of education reached by your mother...

In the United States?

None (did not receive formal education) 106 8%
Less than high school diploma 21 2%
High school diploma 106 8%
Associate's or postsecondary certificate 77 6%
Bachelor's degree 242 18%
Post-baccalaureate certificate 13 1%
Master's degree 231 18%
Professional degree 53 4%
Doctorate 76 6%
Do not know 26 2%
Not applicable 368 28%

In a foreign country?

None (did not receive formal education) 27 2%
Less than high school diploma or equivalent 111 9%
High school diploma or equivalent 155 13%
Associate's or postsecondary certificate 55 5%
Bachelor's degree or equivalent 282 23%
Post-baccalaureate certificate or equivalent 6 1%
Master's degree or equivalent 100 8%
Professional degree or equivalent 23 2%
Doctorate or equivalent 24 2%
Do not know 34 3%
Not applicable 386 32%

9. What is the highest level of education reached by your father...

In the United States?

None (did not receive formal education) 86 7%
Less than high school diploma 27 2%
High school diploma 123 9%
Associate's or postsecondary certificate 43 3%
Bachelor's degree 209 16%
Post-baccalaureate certificate 10 1%
Master's degree 231 18%
Professional degree 65 5%
Doctorate 166 13%
Do not know 28 2%
Not applicable 328 25%

In a foreign country?

None (did not receive formal education) 28 2%
Less than high school diploma or equivalent 108 9%
High school diploma or equivalent 114 10%
Associate's or postsecondary certificate 31 3%
Bachelor's degree or equivalent 235 20%
Post-baccalaureate certificate or equivalent 8 1%
Master's degree or equivalent 123 10%
Professional degree or equivalent 30 3%
Doctorate or equivalent 54 5%
Do not know 53 4%
Not applicable 411 34%

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

Wealthy 46 3%
Upper-middle or professional-middle 454 33%
Middle-class 488 36%
Working-class 206 15%
Low-income or poor 181 13%

10. Are you a financially independent student? Some students have no contact with their parents, and therefore cannot use their tax information for filing the FAFSA. If you find yourself in this situation and have been formally declared an independent student, then please answer yes.

Yes 47 3%
No 1323 97%

11. To the best of your knowledge, which category includes the total annual combined income of your parent(s) before taxes in 2013? (seen by those who respond "No" to above financially independent item)

Less than $10,000 59 5%
$10,000 to $19,999 85 7%
$20,000 to $34,999 113 9%
$35,000 to $49,999 103 8%
$50,000 to $64,999 90 7%
$65,000 to $79,999 80 7%
$80,000 to $99,999 111 9%
$100,000 to $124,999 145 12%
$125,000 to $149,999 92 7%
$150,000 to $199,999 133 11%
$200,000 or more 219 18%
Not applicable - independent student 47 4%
Skipped branch-determining question about independent status 22 2%

11. To the best of your knowledge, which category includes your household's total annual combined income before taxes in 2013? (seen by those who respond "Yes" to above financially independent item)

Less than $10,000 16 35%
$10,000 to $19,999 3 7%
$20,000 to $34,999 6 13%
$35,000 to $49,999 2 4%
$50,000 to $64,999 2 4%
$65,000 to $79,999 2 4%
$80,000 to $99,999 5 11%
$100,000 to $124,999 3 7%
$125,000 to $149,999 2 4%
$150,000 to $199,999 3 7%
$200,000 or more 2 4%
Not applicable - dependent student 1323 95%
Skipped branch-determining question about independent status 22 2%

12. What is your religious preference?

Spiritual but not associated with a major religion 126 10%
Not particularly spiritual 180 14%
No preference 146 11%
Agnostic 155 12%
Athiest 171 13%
Baptist 25 2%
Buddhist 42 3%
Christian Church (Disciples) 76 6%
Eastern Orthodox 8 1%
Episcopalian 7 1%
HIndu 33 3%
Jewish 29 2%
Lutheran 7 1%
Methodist 10 1%
Mormon 6 1%
Muslim 24 2%
Presbyterian 42 3%
Quaker 2 0%
Roman Catholic 142 11%
Seventh Day Adventist 3 0%
Sikh 4 0%
Taoist 2 0%
Unitarian/Universalist 3 0%
United Church of Christ/Congreational 1 0%
Other Christian 67 5%
Other Religion 17 1%

13. What is your sexual orientation?

Bisexual 52 4%
Gay/Lesbian 28 2%
Heterosexual 1140 84%
Questioning/Unsure 42 3%
Self-identified Queer 9 1%
Decline to state 50 4%
Other (Please specify)
[Contact OPA for more information]
30 2%

14. With which gender do you identify?

Woman 764 56%
Man 580 42%
Decline to state 11 1%
Other (Please specify)
[Contact OPA for more information]
13 1%

15. Do you identify as transgender?

Yes 5 0%
No 1364 100%

16. How would you characterize your political orientation?

Very liberal 112 8%
Liberal 454 34%
Slightly liberal 259 19%
Moderate or middle of the road 356 26%
Slightly conservative 99 7%
Conservative 61 5%
Very conservative 11 1%

17. Where will you be living this term?

Clark Kerr Campus 192 14%
Foothill 194 14%
Bowles 55 4%
Stern 53 4%
Unit 1 329 24%
Unit 2 (excluding Wada Apartments) 211 15%
Unit 3 (including Beverly Cleary Hall) 273 20%
Channing-Bowditch Apartments 1 0%
Martinez Commons 0 0%
University Village Albany (family housing) 3 0%
Wada Apartments 0 0%
Living with family 11 1%
Sorority or fraternity 0 0%
Co-op Housing 4 0%
Living off-campus in a house or apartment 39 3%
Other
[Contact OPA for more information]
4 0%

18. How far from campus do you live?

On campus or less than 1 mile 1136 84%
1 mile to 2 miles 176 13%
3 miles to 10 miles 24 2%
11 to 20 miles 11 1%
21 miles or more 10 1%

19. With whom do you live?

No one. I live alone 14 1%
I share an apartment or dorm room with at least one other Cal student 1267 94%
I share an apartment with peers who are not Cal students 10 1%
I live with my spouse or domestic partner (with or without others) 1 0%
I live with at least one parent 21 2%
Other
[Contact OPA for more information]
34 3%

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

 12345 or
more
College students or other adults (count yourself as 1) 47 168 372 69 700
4% 12% 27% 5% 52%
 0 (Zero)12345 or
more
Children or teenagers under the age of 18 (do NOT count yourself as 1) 958 112 59 35 10 91
76% 9% 5% 3% 1% 7%

21. Are you a legal guardian or parent?

No 1292 95%
Yes 75 6%

21b. How many children or dependents do you care for?

1 1 100%
2 0 0%
3 0 0%
4 0 0%
5 or more 0 0%

21c. How many of your dependents are under the age of 18?

None 0 0%
1 1 100%
2 0 0%
3 0 0%
4 0 0%
5 or more 0 0%

22. Please indicate whether or not you are a Theme Program resident and, if so, which program you are a part of (choose one):

I am not a Theme Program resident 1268 95%
African American Theme Program (AATP) 13 1%
Asian Pacific American Theme House (APATH) 10 1%
Casa Magdalena Mora (CASA) 5 0%
Global Environment Theme Program (GETH) 11 1%
Native American Theme Program (NATP) 3 0%
Unity House 11 1%
Women in Science & Engineering (WiSE) 13 1%

23. During your first year at 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
Competing job responsibilities (i.e., paid employment) 542 245 360 156 47
40% 18% 27% 12% 4%
Competing family responsibilities 468 466 298 83 29
35% 35% 22% 6% 2%
Other competing responsibilities (e.g., athletics, clubs, internship) 132 213 582 324 99
10% 16% 43% 24% 7%
Weak spoken English skills 1040 159 99 33 15
77% 12% 7% 3% 1%
Weak writing skills 671 282 271 98 25
50% 21% 20% 7% 2%
Weak math skills 620 328 264 98 35
46% 24% 20% 7% 3%
Inadequate study skills (e.g., knowing how to start, knowing how to get help, organizing material) 321 388 443 158 36
24% 29% 33% 12% 3%
Poor study behaviors (e.g., wait till last minute, easily distracted, too much social time, too much web surfing) 222 302 474 259 93
16% 22% 35% 19% 7%
Bad study environment (e.g., noisy roommate, poor Internet access, inadequate computer or software) 274 437 439 160 41
20% 32% 33% 12% 3%
Poor library research skills 343 450 395 139 22
25% 33% 29% 10% 2%
Feeling depressed, stressed, or upset 226 379 464 215 70
17% 28% 34% 16% 5%
Physical illness or condition 438 598 250 53 13
32% 44% 19% 4% 1%

24. In general, I consider myself:

1 - Not a very happy person 17 1%
2 29 2%
3 87 7%
4 216 16%
5 383 28%
6 445 33%
7 - A very happy person 171 13%

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

1 - Less happy 39 3%
2 79 6%
3 152 11%
4 289 21%
5 354 26%
6 289 21%
7 - More happy 149 11%

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

parents, guardians 1094
80%
friends nearby 1094
80%
teachers, coaches 188
14%
siblings 552
40%
online friends 292
21%
clergy 46
3%
other family 181
13%
counselors, therapists 94
7%
UCB student services support staff (counselor, advisor, etc.) 106
8%
Other
[Contact OPA for more information]
149
11%

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

Very dissatisfied 58 4%
Fairly dissatisfied 79 6%
A little dissatisfied 119 9%
A little satisfied 159 12%
Fairly satisfied 536 40%
Very satisfied 393 29%

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

Very dissatisfied 65 5%
Fairly dissatisfied 74 6%
A little dissatisfied 86 6%
A little satisfied 157 12%
Fairly satisfied 511 38%
Very satisfied 455 34%

29. Do you know that all Berkeley students are eligible for up to 5 free counseling visits at Tang Center-University Health Services regardless of whether they have Berkeley SHIP (Student Health Insurance Plan)?

Yes 1133 84%
No 215 16%

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