parents as influencers in the faith-based college search process

Lutheran Educational Conference of North America (LECNA)

Catholic College Admission Association (CCAA)

Parents as InfluencersParents as Influencers In The Faith-Based College Search ProcessIn The Faith-Based College Search Process

Parents as InfluencersParents as Influencers In The Faith-Based College Search ProcessIn The Faith-Based College Search Process

Presentation Outline

• Emotional and Spiritual Development Expectations of Today’s College Student

• Research: What Matters to Students

• Communication Pattern between Parents and Students on Issues of Faith/Spirituality

• What Matters to Parents

• Intersection of Student/Parent Priorities

• Faculty Perspective on Spirituality

• Alumni Outcome Research

• Discussion Questions

What Matters in College

• Although different types of institutions tend to have particular types of environments, … it is the environment created by the faculty and the students - rather than the type of institution per se - that really seems to matter.• It is time to reassess the impact of college.

- Alexander Astin, What Matters in College?

What Matters in College

• Our review indicates two persistent themes in the research literature on college effects. The first is the central role of other people in a student’s life, whether students or faculty, and the character of the learning environments they create…The second theme is the potency of the student’s effort and involvement in the academic and non academic systems of the institutions they attend.

- Ernest T. Pascarella and Patrick T. Terenzini, How College Affects Students.

Religiously-Affiliated Colleges/Universities

• There are 4,200 degree-granting institutions.

• 2,500 of these are private.

• 900 are identified as religiously affiliated.

U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics

Spirituality in Higher Education: A National Study of College Students’ Search for Meaning and Purpose

• In 2003 HERI (Higher Education Research Institute) launched a study to examine the spiritual development of undergraduate students during their college years. Spirituality in Higher Education: A National Study of College Students’ Search for Meaning and Purpose

• Alexander Astin and Helen Astin wrote:

“The project is based in part on the realization that the relative amount of attention that colleges and universities devote to the “exterior” and “interior” aspects of students’ development has gotten out of balance….we have increasingly come to neglect the student’s inner development---the sphere of values and beliefs, emotional maturity, spirituality and self-understanding.”

Spirituality Survey Details

• 2004 Survey: Examines student’s background, educational/occupational aspirations, and values and beliefs with respect to spiritual and religious matters.

• Data collected from 112,232 college freshmen• National sample of 236 colleges and universities• 55% women, 45% men• 66% attend public colleges/universities• 17% nonsectarian private institutions• 8% “Other” Church-Affiliated• 7% Catholic• 3% Evangelical

Results

• Today’s college students (four in five) have very high levels of spiritual interest and involvement.

• They display high levels of religious commitment and involvement. (Four in five report that they attended religious services in the past year and discuss religion/spirituality with friends and family.)

• Freshmen have high expectations for the role their institutions will play in their emotional and spiritual development.

• 75% of the students say that they are “searching for meaning/purpose in life” and similar numbers report that they have discussion about the meaning of life with friends.

Parents as Influencers

• Parents and high school students are “jointly” making college decisions

• “Co-Purchase“ Concept: Millennials Go To College

• Helicopter Parents (www. collegeboard.com/parents)

• Parents play a significant role in the occupational aspirations and career goal development of their children. (www.jobweb.com)

Communication Pattern between Parents and Students on Issues of Faith/Spirituality

• The role of parents in the admissions process

• Boston College Questionnaire about the Undergraduate Experience

• Religiousness and Spirituality: Parent and Student Perspectives

• Discussion Items for Families

WHAT MATTERS TO PARENTSWHAT MATTERS TO PARENTSWHAT MATTERS TO PARENTSWHAT MATTERS TO PARENTS

Lutheran Parent Survey Methodology

Surveys mailed to members of ELCA and LCMS churches:

• Parents of 9th grade students • Parents of 10th grade students

• A total of 3000 surveys mailed

• Qualified families had student in 9th or 10th grade who planned to go to college; 95% qualified

• Overall response rate of 30%

Parent Profile

• Education– Not a college graduate 44%– Public college or university graduate 41%– Other private college graduate 8%– Lutheran college graduate 7%

• Gender– Female 77%– Male 23%

• Married 89%

• Income– Less than $50,000 31%– $50,000-74,999 37%– $75,000 or more 32%

Campus community

Academic reputation and facilities

Spiritual growth opportunities

Involvement with faculty

Alternative study opportunities

Extracurricular involvement

What Matters to Parents: Experiences

* % rating a 5 on a five-point scale, where 1=“not at all important,” and 5=“extremely important”

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

Extremely Important*Undergraduate Experiences

Spiritual Growth Opportunities Expected at Lutheran Colleges

91% 86% 86%80%

1% 1%9%

14%20%

13%

Learning more aboutfaith

Emphasis on personalvalues and ethics

Meeting people on whomto model spiritual life

Integration of values andethics in classroom

Lutheran college Public university No difference

Parents: Q.11, 13,16 Where do you think students would be more likely to find. . . ?

Parents: Where Will Students Find. . .

Extremely 27% 53% 27% 31% Important:

Most Parents Know Lutheran Colleges Promote Faculty Involvement

64% 61% 59% 59%

1% 4% 2% 2%

35% 34%40% 39%

Mentoring relationships All classes taught byprofessors

Conversations withprofessors outside of

class

Professors who challengebut help students


Parents: Q.13 Where do you think students would be more likely to find. . . ?


Extremely 34% 37% 27% 45%

Important:

Parents Don’t Recognize the Availability of Other Learning Opportunities at Lutheran Colleges

16% 13% 10%

24%18%

28%

60%69%

63%

Faculty directed researchor independent study

Internships or otherapplied learning

International study




Extremely 11% 33% 9% Important:

Parents See No Difference in Extracurricular Opportunities

39%

17% 18%13%

2%9% 8%

21%

59%

74% 74%66%

Volunteering orcommunity service

Involvement inacademic clubs

Participating inmusic or theatre

Participating inintramural sports



Parents: Where Will Students Find. . . Extremely 11% 12% 13% 8%

Important:

Sense of purpose in life Critical thinking and communication skills

Career preparation

Strong personal values

Interpersonal skills

Spiritual development

Contributing to the community

Being well-off financially

What Matters to Parents: Outcomes


Extremely Important*

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

Undergraduate Outcomes

What Matters to Parents: Bottom Line


Characteristics of College

Affordable Cost

Employment Opportunities

Graduation in Four Years

Extremely Important *

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

Of these outcomes, parents:

– recognize Lutheran colleges are better at developing strong personal values and integrating faith with other aspects of life

– accurately note there is no difference between Lutheran colleges and public universities in preparing graduates to be well-off financially

– concluded there were no differences for all other outcome areas, even though Lutheran college graduates gave higher ratings than public university graduates on each of them

Faith-based colleges must:

– document their academic rigor and practical value

– educate parents about the importance of an involving educational experience

– explain the availability of financial aid

– make college more affordable through financing options

Intersection of Student/Parent Priorities

• Parent PrioritiesSpiritual growth opportunitiesSense of purpose in lifeStrong personal valuesSpiritual developmentContributing to the community

• Student PrioritiesInterest in emotional and spiritual developmentSearching for meaning/purpose in lifeHigh degree of involvement in religionReligious beliefs provide strength, support, and guidance

Faculty Perspective on Spirituality

• HERI Survey of faculty attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors“Spirituality and the Professoriate”

• 40,670 faculty surveyed at 421 colleges/universities

• The spiritual dimension of life is highly relevant

• 3 in 5 college professors (64%) say that they consider themselves to be “a religious person.”

• Spirituality Scale: 64% of the faculty at religious colleges have high spirituality scores, compared to 33% of faculty in public universities

Highly Spiritual Faculty

• Highly spiritual faculty express a much more positive outlook about their jobs and their lives (59%) than their less spiritual colleagues (36%).

• Highly spiritual faculty support the use of “student-centered” pedagogical approaches such as cooperative learning, group projects, and reflective writing

• 57% of college/university faculty disagree with the statement that “the spiritual dimension of faculty members’ lives has no place in the academy.”

Comparative Alumni Studies

• LECNA Comparative Alumni Study in 1999, updated in 2004 www.lutherancolleges.org/research

• CCAA Comparative Alumni Study 2006

• Snapshot of those results…….

A Comparative Advantage Alumni StudyA Comparative Advantage Alumni StudyA Comparative Advantage Alumni StudyA Comparative Advantage Alumni Study

A Majority of Classes Taught by Professors

Q.1 Please tell me how much you personally benefited from your college offering . . . rating “benefited very much” (top box on a five-point scale)

81%

38%

87%

CCAA Colleges andUniversities

National FlagshipPublic Universities

Lutheran Colleges

High Quality, Teaching-Oriented Faculty

Q.1 Please tell me how much you personally benefited from your college offering . . . rating “benefited very much” (top box on a five-point scale)

56%

27%

57%



Lutheran Colleges

Professors Often Challenged Students, But Personally Helped Them Meet the Challenge

Q.2 How often did your college experience include the following? (rating 4 or 5 on a five-point scale, where 1=never and 5=always)

77%

47%

80%



Lutheran Colleges

Faculty Personally and Academically Interested in Students

Q.12 How much do you agree or disagree with the following? (rating a 4 or 5 on a five-point scale, where 1=strongly disagree and 5=strongly agree)

75%

40%

85%



Lutheran Colleges

Professor Served as Mentor or Role Model in College

Q. 4 Who, if anyone, did you meet at your college who was a mentor or role model for you?

59%

43%

67%



Lutheran Colleges

Extensive Classroom Discussions


74%

48%

71%



Lutheran Colleges

Participated in Off-Campus or International Study

Q. 5 While in college, did you participate in . . . ?

35%26%

51%



Lutheran Colleges

Volunteer or Community Service Activities

Q.6A Were you involved in any of the following?

59%

44%

64%



Lutheran Colleges

Academic Clubs and Activities

Q.6A Were you involved in any of the following?

45%

33%

48%



Lutheran Colleges

Frequent Interaction with Students with Similar Values


83%

61%

83%



Lutheran Colleges

Friendships Often Developed from Classroom Experiences


63%

52%

66%



Lutheran Colleges

Integration of Values and Ethics in Classroom Discussions


75%

27%

68%



Lutheran Colleges

College Helped Integrate Faith with Other Aspects of Life

Q.12 How much do you agree or disagree with the following? (rating a 4 or 5 on a five-point scale, where 1=strongly disagree and 5=strongly agree)

57%

12%

56%



Lutheran Colleges

Writing Effectively

Q.10 How effective was your college in helping you develop . . .? (rating 4 or 5 on a five-point scale, where 1=not at all effective and 5=extremely effective)

80%

62%

78%



Lutheran Colleges

Leadership


70%

52%

66%



Lutheran Colleges

Developing Moral Principles that Can Guide Actions


80%

35%

77%



Lutheran Colleges

A Sense of Purpose in Life


73%

57%

74%



Lutheran Colleges

parents as influencers in the faith-based college search process

Documents

impact of college

college effects

college years

students background

students effort

students life

students inner development

students communication