Beginning College Survey

of Student Engagement

Megan Green Simonds, M.Ed. Director of New Student

Programs

Summer 2019 Results and Summary

Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement

Collected data about first time college student’s high school academic and co-curricular experiences, as well as their expectations for participating in educationally purposeful activities during the first college year.

Timeframe: May – August (prior to fall classes)

Designed to be paired with NSSE

BCSSE results may be used in many ways, including: Recruitment Assessment and Improvement Curricular Reform Academic Advising Retention Faculty Development Accreditation and Self-Studies First Year Program evaluation

BCSSE Institutional Report

9 BCSSE Scales and DescriptionsQuantitative Reasoning High school engagement with analysis and numerical

informationLearning Strategies Use of effective learning strategies in high schoolCollaborative Learning Expectation to interact and collaborate with peersStudent-Faculty Interaction Expectation to interact and engage with facultyDiscussions with Diverse Others

Expectation to engage in discussions with diverse others

Academic Perseverance Student certainty that they will persist in the face of academic adversity

Academic Difficulty Student perception of their academic preparationImportance of Campus Environment

Student-rated importance that the institution provides a challenging and supportive environment

BCSSE Institutional Report

Student Status Criteria – 3 separate reports this year! First-year students were recent high school graduates who met one ofthe following criteria:

• All paper survey respondents regardless of high school graduation year.• Web respondents who graduated high school in 2019.• Web respondents who graduated high school in 2018 or 2017 and did not attend

another institution since graduating high school.• Web respondents who graduated high school in 2018 or 2017 and did attend

another institution since graduating high school and expects to transfer 11 or fewer credits.

Transfer students were those respondents who met the following criteria:• All web respondents who attended a college or university after graduation from

high school, expects to transfer 12 or more credits, and graduated high school prior to the current year.

Delayed-entry (older) students were those respondents who met one of the following criteria:• Web respondents who graduated high school in 2016 or earlier and did not attend

another institution since graduating high school.• Web respondents who graduated high school in 2016 or earlier and did attend another

institution since graduating high school and expects to transfer 11 or fewer credits.

Using your BCSSE Data-Advising Reports- 3 VERSIONSStudent Advising Sheets

These reports are uploaded into Starfish for use during the advising process beginning at Orientation.

Conversation Catalyst Sheets Suggestions for academic advisors to ask when looking at the BCSSE advising reports and in their conversations with new students.

VISIT UMSL.EDU/FIRSTYEAR FOR THESE HELPFUL SHEETS

FTC STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS

AmericanIndian or

AlaskaNative

AsianBlack orAfrican

American

Hispanic orLatino

NativeHawaiian or

OtherPacificaIslander

White Other Multiracial Not torespond

2015 1 14 68 11 0 190 6 19 72016 1 18 61 8 0 182 8 26 42017 0 24 58 11 1 240 6 26 62018 1 49 74 15 1 259 51 8 72019 1 27 61 15 10 259 1 43 0

050

100150200250300

What is your race or ethnic identification?

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Self-reported n=455

FTC HIGHEST LEVEL OF EDUCATION COMPLETED BY PARENTS

12

114

4227

68

48

521

95

33 37

75

381024

106

4731

112

401218

95

4453

137

94

2223

81

43 45

122

85

19

NOT FINISH HS HS DIPLOMA ATTENDED, NOT COMPLETE COLLEGE

ASSOCIATE'S BACHELOR'S MASTER'S DOCTORAL

Regarding your parents (or those who raised you), what is the highest level of education completed by either of

them?

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

FTC STUDENT EXPECTATIONSelf-reported n=

Yes91%

No 1%

Uncertain8%

PLAN TO GRADUATE FROM UMSL

None50%

123%

214%

37%

4 or more6%

HOW MANY CLOSE FRIENDS WILL ATTEND UMSL

FTC Which of the following sources are you paying for your educational expenses? (tuition, fees, books, room and board)

Source Type Using

Grants/Scholarships 89%

Support from parents/relatives 65%

Employment on or off campus 58%

Personal savings or other sources 60%

Loans 38%

FTC HIGH SCHOOL INVOLVEMENT

Performing or visual arts (band, theater, art)

22%

Athletic Teams 26%

Student Government5%

Publications (newspaper)

4%

Academic clubs or honor societies

17%

Vocational clubs (business, health, tech)5%

Religious youth groups6%

Community Service 15%

INVOLVEMENT IN HIGH SCHOOL

FTC MAJOR TO STUDY

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 10% 12% 14% 16% 18%

Arts & Humanities

Biological Science, Agriculture

Physical Scien, Math, Computer Science

Social Sciences

Business

Communications, Media, Public Relations

Education

Engineering

Health Professions

Social Services Professions

Other

Do you know what your major you will be?

Percentage

FTC HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%100%

Identified key information from reading assignments

Used numerical information to examine a real-world problem or issue(uneployment, climate change, public health, etc.)

Reached conclusions based on your own analysis of numericalinformation (numbers, graphs, statistics)

Prepared 2 or more drafts of paper before turning it in

Came to class without completing readings or assignments

2%

16%

8%

15%

41%

18

38

29

43

53

49

31

42

31

5

31

14

20

11

2

During your last year of high school, about how often did you do the following?

Never Sometimes Often Very Often

FTC HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%100%

Reviewed your notes after class

Summarized what you learned in class from course materials

Included diverse perspectives (political, religious, racial/ethnic,gender) in course discussions or assignments

Examined the strengths & weaknesses of your own views on topic orissue

Tried to better understand someone else's views by imagining howan issue looks from their perspective

4%

5%

7%

3%

1%

33

32

38

32

24

39

43

32

42

44

24

21

22

23

32

During your last year of high school, about how often did you do the following?

Never Sometimes Often Very Often

FTC UMSL EXPECTATIONS ACADEMIC SUCCESS

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%100%

Ask student for help to understand course material

Explain course material to one or more students

Prepare for exams by discussing or working through course materialwith other students

Work with other students on course projects or assignments

2%

2%

1%

1%

45

52

27

28

39

36

50

52

14

9

22

19

During the coming year, about how often do you expect to do each of the following?

Never Sometimes Often Very Often

FTC UMSL EXPECTATIONS ACADEMIC SUCCESS

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%100%

Come to class without completing readings or assignments

Prepare 2 or more drafts of a paper or assignments before turning itin

Discuss your academic performance with a faculty member

Work with a faculty member on activities other than coursework

Talk about career plans with a faculty member

74%

4%

2%

6%

2%

21

33

46

55

41

4

45

36

30

38

1

18

15

9

19

During the coming year, about how often do you expect to do each of the following?

Never Sometimes Often Very Often

FTC UMSL EXPECTATIONS

45% of students say they will ‘sometimes’ ask another student to help them understand the course material

21% of students said they will ‘very often’ prepare for exams by discussing or working through course material with other students

6% of students said they will ‘never’ work with a faculty member on activities other than coursework (committees, student groups, etc.)

46% of students said they will ‘sometimes’ discuss their academic performances with a faculty member

FTC UMSL EXPECTATIONS DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER PEOPLE

0% 20% 40%60%

80%100%

People with political views other than your own

People with religious beliefs other than your own

People from economic background other than your own

People of a race or ethnicity other than your own

2%

3%

2%

2%

21

15

14

14

42

41

42

37

35

41

43

47

During the coming year, about how often do you expect to have discussions with people from the following groups?

Never Sometimes Often Very Often

FTC UMSL EXPECTATIONS ACADEMIC SUCCESS

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Stay positive, even when you do poorly on a test or assignment

Finish something you have started when you encounter challenges

Ask instructors for help when you struggle with course assignments

Participate regularly in course discussions, even when you don'tfeel like it

Find additional information for course assignments when you don'tunderstand the material

Study when there are other interesting things to do

2%

0%

0%

1%

1%

1%

3

1

3

5

1

3

15

6

10

19

8

20

32

26

25

35

27

37

25

36

32

25

34

25

24

31

29

15

30

14

During the coming year, how certain are you that you will do the following?

Not at all 2 3 4 5 Very Certain

FTC UMSL DIFFICULTY ACADEMIC SUCCESS

Learning course material, 13%

Managing your time, 26%

Paying college or university expenses,

31%

Getting help with school work, 6%

Making new friends, 17%

Interacting with faculty , 7%

DURING THE COMING YEAR, HOW DIFFICULT DO YOU EXPECT THE FOLLOWING TO BE?

FTC COURSEWORK

15%

22%

0%

8%

4%

1%

62

46

28

41

43

46

18

20

47

36

41

38

5

11

25

15

13

16

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Other person or offices

Family members

Friends or other students

Learning support services (tutoring, writing center, success coach,etc.)

Academic advisor

Faculty member

During the coming year, about how often do you expect to seek help with coursework from the following sources?

Never Sometimes Often Very Often

FTC UMSL CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT ACADEMIC SUCCESS

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Learning support services (tutoring, writing center)

Opportunities to attend camus activities and events

Opportunities to be involved socially

Help managing your non-academic responsibilities (work, family)

Opportunities to interact with students from different backgrounds(social, racial/ethnic, religious)

Support to help students succeed academically

2%

3%

1%

3%

1%

0%

3

3

5

5

2

0

9

13

11

13

10

3

23

24

23

26

24

14

27

28

27

25

27

29

37

29

33

27

36

54

How important is it to you that your institution provide each of the following?

Not important 2 3 4 5 Very important

TRANSER STUDENTSNew additional questions and report this year!

TRANSFER STUDENT BCSSE SCALES

BCSSE ScalesCollaborative LearningExpectation to interact and collaborate with peers

Student-Faculty InteractionExpectation to interact and engage with faculty

Expected Discussions with Diverse OthersExpectation to engage in discussions with diverse others

Expected Academic PerseveranceStudent certainty that they will persist in the face of academic adversity

Expected Academic DifficultyExpected academic difficulty during the coming year

Perceived Academic PreparationStudent perception of their academic preparation

Importance of Campus EnvironmentStudent-rated importance that the institution provides a challenging and supportive environment

Transfer students were those respondents who met the following criteria:• All web respondents who attended a college or university after graduation from

high school, expects to transfer 12 or more credits, and graduated high school prior to the current year.

TRANSFER STUDENTS

77% community college/ junior college 83% said they will be a

full time student 96% do expect to

graduate from UMSL 49% said they were first-

generation college student 59% said no they will

not take at least 1 course from another college/university

100%

3%

37%

56%

5%

15%

1%

Attended another college…

Military service

Work full-time

Work part-time

Homemaker or stay-at-…

Volunteer

Other

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%120%

Since graduating from high school, which of the following

have you done? (select all apply)

Percentage

TRANSFER STUDENTS

252

59

17

14

6

2

10

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

Prior to 2014

What is the most recent year you were enrolled at other institution?

Number of Students

TRANSFER STUDENTS

53%

42%

11%

7%

2%

9%

7%

9%

4%

11%

4%

Completed program/degree

Always planned on tranferring

Too expensive

Did not offer the major you are interested in

Inconvenient course scheduling

Too far from where you lived

Family or personal relationship

Quality of academic program

Academic difficulty

Personal dissatisfaction

Other

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Which of the following describes why you are no longer enrolled at other institution(s)?

Percentage

TRANSFER STUDENTSSELECTION PROCESS

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Affordability

Location

You can transfer most or all of your credits

Offers the major(s) you are interested in

Quality of academic programs

You can finish your degree quickly

Flexible scheduling of courses

Family or personal relationship

3%

2%

1%

1%

1%

1%

1%

20%

1

3

1

1

1

1

1

6

3

9

3

3

2

9

6

19

10

20

10

8

11

22

16

20

23

25

23

17

29

24

24

14

60

42

63

71

57

43

52

22

How important were the following reasons for choosing this institution?

Not important 2 3 4 5 Very important

TRANSFER STUDENTSSTUDENT SUCCESS

29%

82%

26%

48%

7%

20%

5%

24%

33%

3%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Transitioning back to being a student

Balancing school & other commitments (work, family)

Not having enough money for basic needs (housing, food,…

Not having enough money for college expenses

Personal safety

Personal relationship

Roommate relationship

Choosing a career

Commuting to campus

Other

During the coming year, which do you think will cause you stress? (select all that apply)

Percentage

DELAYED-ENTRY STUDENTSNew additional questions and report this year!

DELAYED-ENTRY BCSSE SCALES

BCSSE ScalesCollaborative LearningExpectation to interact and collaborate with peers

Student-Faculty InteractionExpectation to interact and engage with faculty

Expected Discussions with Diverse OthersExpectation to engage in discussions with diverse others

Expected Academic PerseveranceStudent certainty that they will persist in the face of academic adversity

Expected Academic DifficultyExpected academic difficulty during the coming year

Perceived Academic PreparationStudent perception of their academic preparation

Importance of Campus EnvironmentStudent-rated importance that the institution provides a challenging and supportive environment

Delayed-entry (older) students were those respondents who met one of the following criteria:

• Web respondents who graduated high school in 2016 or earlier and did not attendanother institution since graduating high school.

• Web respondents who graduated high school in 2016 or earlier and did attend anotherinstitution since graduating high school and expects to transfer 11 or fewer credits.

DELAYED-ENTRY STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS

0

9

26

0 0

61

04

00

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

AmericanIndian or

Alaska Native

Asian Black orAfrican

American

Hispanic orLatino

NativeHawaiian or

Other PacificaIslander

White Other Multiracial Not torespond

PERC

ENTA

GE

What is your race or ethnic identification?

2019

Self-reported n=25

DELAYED-ENTRY

70% FIRST GENERATION 83% SAID THEY WILL

BE A FULL TIME STUDENT 96% DO EXPECT TO

GRADUATE FROM UMSL

33%

9%

65%

43%

13%

4%

9%

Attended another college or…

Military service

Work full-time

Work part-time

Homemaker or stay-at-…

Volunteer

Other

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Since graduating from high school, which of the following

have you done? (select all apply)

Percentage

DELAYED-ENTRYSELECTION PROCESS

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Affordability

Location

You can transfer most or all of your credits

Offers the major(s) you are interested in

Quality of academic programs

You can finish your degree quickly

Flexible scheduling of courses

Family or personal relationship

0%

0%

8%

0%

0%

4%

0%

17%

13

0

4

0

0

0

4

8

17

13

17

0

13

13

13

25

8

21

17

8

4

8

4

13

17

25

17

29

13

25

21

17

46

42

38

63

71

50

58

21

How important were the following reasons for choosing this institution?

Not important 2 3 4 5 Very important

DELAYED-ENTRYSTUDENT SUCCESS

42%

75%

33%

42%

8%

17%

0%

13%

17%

4%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Transitioning back to being a student

Balancing school & other commitments (work, family)

Not having enough money for basic needs (housing,…

Not having enough money for college expenses

Personal safety

Personal relationship

Roommate relationship

Choosing a career

Commuting to campus

Other

During the coming year, which do you think will cause you stress? (select all that apply)

Percentage

DELAYED-ENTRY

38

4

21

63

4

25

4

4

4

0

0

0

0

0

29

4

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Providing care for dependants (children, parents)

Commuting to campus

During the coming school year, about how many hours do you expect to spend in a typical 7-day week during the

following?

0 hours 1-5 hours 6-10 hours 11-15 hours

16-20 hours 21-25 hours 26-30 hours More than 30 hours

DELAYED-ENTRYDISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER PEOPLE

0% 20% 40%60%

80%100%

People with political views other than your own

People with religious beliefs other than your own

People from economic background other than your own

People of a race or ethnicity other than your own

4%

4%

4%

8%

25

22

21

25

46

52

54

50

25

22

21

17

During the coming year, about how often do you expect to have discussions with people from the following groups?

Never Sometimes Often Very Often

DELAYED-ENTRYACADEMIC SUCCESS

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Write clearly & effectively

Speak clearly & effectively

Think critically & analytically

Analyze numerical & statistical information

Work effectively with others

Use computing & information technology

Learn effectively on your own

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0

4

0

4

8

0

0

13

17

17

17

4

13

8

29

25

17

17

8

25

13

25

25

29

25

33

25

33

33

29

38

38

46

38

46

How prepared are you to do the following in your academic work at UMSL?

Not at all prepared 2 3 4 5 Very prepared

DELAYED-ENTRY ASSISTANCESAME AS FTC RESPONSES

13%

22%

4%

8%

4%

4%

63

61

46

33

48

29

21

13

42

42

43

46

4

4

8

17

4

21

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Other person or offices

Family members

Friends or other students

Learning support services (tutoring, writing center, success coach,etc.)

Academic advisor

Faculty member

During the coming year, about how often do you expect to seek help with coursework from the following sources?

Never Sometimes Often Very Often

Next Steps….How to Use the Data.

Institutional Reports will be added to share point sight This presentation & other campaigns will be added to

UMSL.edu/firstyear website Advising sheets (3) colors; different versions– use these in

1.1 advising appointments to review individual student responses located in MyConnect (Starfish) 3 piece email/poster campaign addressed to students Will also be sending to FYE instructors for awareness to

bring the message into the classroom to expand further. If you are looking for specific groups of students around a

topic covered today, send us an email and we can send you the list of students to create your own campaign or outreach.

Questions