16 or younger

 0.0%

 0.0%

17

 1.5%

 0.0%

18

63.8%

64.8%

19

33.2%

34.0%

20

 1.1%

 0.8%

21 to 24

 0.4%

 0.0%

25 to 29

 0.0%

 0.4%

30 to 39

 0.0%

 0.0%

40 to 54

 0.0%

 0.0%

55 or older

 0.0%

 0.0%

Racial and ethnic background

 

American Indian

 2.2%

 1.2%

Asian

  2.8%

 2.0%

Black

  12.5%

 4.7%

White

81.9%

90.5%

Mexican American/Chicano

 2.4%

 4.3%

Puerto Rican

 0.8%

 0.8%

Other Latino

 1.6%

 0.4%

Other

 2.4%

 2.0%

Average grade in high school

 

A or A+

23.4%

12.0%

A-

23.3%

18.9%

B+

19.9%

16.1%

B

18.6%

32.5%

B-

 7.4%

12.4%

C+

 5.1%

 5.2%

C

 2.1%

 2.8%

D

 0.1%

 0.0%

Year of high-school graduation

 

2005

98.1%

98.4%

2004

 1.3%

 0.8%

2003

 0.2%

 0.4%

2002 or earlier

 0.2%

 0.4%

High-school equivalency (GED test)

 0.2%

 0.0%

Never completed high school

 0.0%

 0.0%

High school required community service for graduation

 

Yes

29.4%

23.1%

No

70.6%

76.9%

Current religious preference

 

Baptist

17.9%

 4.4%

Buddhist

 0.3%

 0.0%

Eastern Orthodox

 0.3%

 5.2%

Episcopal

 2.0%

 0.8%

Hindu

 0.2%

 0.4%

Islamic

 0.4%

 0.0%

Jewish

 0.6%

 0.4%

Latter-day Saints (Mormon)

 0.2%

 1.2%

Lutheran

 7.6%

10.1%

Methodist

 8.5%

8.5%

Presbyterian

 5.5%

 4.4%

Quaker

 0.4%

 0.0%

Roman Catholic

14.2%

29.4%

Seventh-Day Adventist

 1.4%

 0.4%

Unitarian/Universalist

 0.3%

 0.0%

United Church of Christ

 1.2%

0.8%

Other Christian

19.9%

11.3%

Other

 2.6%

 3.6%

None

 9.3%

19.0%

Residence planned during fall term

 

With parents or relatives

 8.9%

 1.5%

Other private home, apartment, or room

 0.8%

 0.3%

College dormitory

 88.5%

96.0%

Fraternity or sorority house

  0.2%

 0.0%

Other campus student housing

  1.4%

 1.8%

Other

  0.2%

 0.3%

Miles from college to home

 

5 or less

 4.7%

 3.2%

6 to 10

 4.3%

 0.8%

11 to 50

 19.9%

15.9%

51 to 100

 18.0%

 14.3%

101 to 500

 36.2%

 62.5%

501 or more

 16.9%

  3.2%

Father's occupation

 

Artist (including performer)

 1.0%

 0.8%

Businessman

27.6%

25.4%

Business (clerical)

 1.2%

 0.4%

Member of clergy or religious worker

 3.2%

 1.6%

College teacher

 0.9%

 0.0%

Education (secondary)

 3.3%

 2.9%

Education (elementary)

 1.0%

2.0%

Engineer

 6.5%

4.1%

Farmer or forester

 2.4%

2.5%

Health professional

 1.5%

0.8%

Homemaker (full-time)

 0.2%

0.0%

Lawyer

 1.8%

0.4%

Military (career)

1.6%

1.2%

Nurse

0.5%

0.0%

Research scientist

0.4%

0.4%

Social, welfare, or recreation worker

0.5%

0.4%

Worker, skilled

7.9%

10.7%

Worker, semi-skilled

3.0%

 6.1%

Worker, unskilled

2.9%

 6.1%

unemployed

2.5%

2.0%

Other

27.4%

 30.7%

Father's education (highest level)

 

Grammar school or less

  1.5%

 1.6%

Some high school

  4.4%

 3.2%

High-school graduate

22.7%

37.5%

Postsecondary other than college

 4.1%

 4.4%

Some college

16.3%

17.5%

College degree

 28.1%

24.7%

Some graduate school

  2.0%

 0.4%

Graduate degree

 20.9%

10.8%

Mother's occupation

 

Artist (including performer)

1.6%

 2.9%

Businesswoman

15.6%

 15.3%

Business (clerical)

 5.1%

 4.5%

Member of clergy or religious worker

 0.5%

 0.0%

College Teacher

 0.6%

 0.0%

Education (secondary)

 5.7%

 4.1%

Education (elementary)

 10.4%

11.6%

Engineer

  0.4%

 0.4%

Farmer or forester

  0.2%

 0.4%

Homemaker (full-time)

 2.8%

 0.8%

Lawyer

  10.8%

 5.0%

Military (career)

 0.7%

 0.4%

Nurse

 0.2%

10.7%

Research scientist

 1.8%

 0.4%

Social, welfare, or recreation worker

 1.3%

 0.8%

Worker, skilled

 1.3%

 0.4%

Worker, semi-skilled

 1.9%

 2.1%

Worker, unskilled

 1.4%

 1.7%

Other occupation

24.4%

34.7%

Unemployed

 4.6%

 3.4%

Mother's education (highest level)

 

Grammar school or less

  1.0%

 0.4%

Some high school

  2.9%

 2.4%

High-school graduate

 21.2%

26.3%

Postsecondary other than college

  4.2%

 6.8%

Some college

 19.3%

23.5%

College degree

 32.6%

26.7%

Some graduate school

  2.8%

 2.0%

Graduate degree

 16.0%

12.0%

Status of parents

 

Living with each other

 72.7%

72.4%

Divorced or living apart

 23.6%

24.0%

One or both deceased

  3.8%

  3.6%

Students estimate chances are very good that they will:

 

Change major field

12.2%

8.9%

Change career choice

 12.4%

8.0%

Participate in student government

  7.9%

  4.9%

Get a job to help pay college expenses

 47.4%

 37.1%

Work full-time while attending college

  4.5%

  4.8%

Join a social fraternity, sorority, or club

  10.2%

16.9%

Play varsity/intercollegiate athletics

27.9%

40.6%

Make at least a B average

61.5%

45.2%

Participate in student protests or demonstrations

 5.8%

 4.4%

Transfer to another college before graduating

  7.3%

  10.5%

Be satisfied with college

55.0%

43.8%

Participate in volunteer or community service work

34.3%

20.5%

Communicate regularly with your professors

39.2%

22.1%

Socialize with someone of another racial/ethnic group

65.9%

54.4%

Participate in student clubs/groups

44.1%

29.0%

Strengthen religious beliefs/convictions

44.1%

13.3%

Participate in a study abroad program

28.7%

18.9%

Seek personal counseling

 7.1%

 3.6%

College attended is student's:

 

First choice

 73.8%

76.2%

Second choice

 18.6%

19.4%

Third choice

  4.8%

 2.4%

Other

  2.8%

 2.0%

Reasons noted as very important in selecting college attended

 

Relatives' wishes

  11.4%

  9.5%

Teachers' advice

  4.8%

  4.3%

College has a very good academic reputation

 58.6%

 55.9%

College has a good reputation for its social activities

 31.2%

 27.5%

Offered financial assistance

 56.2%

 55.8%

Wanted to live near home

 17.2%

 17.9%

Not offered aid by first choice

  6.5%

  6.0%

Religious affiliation/orientation of college

 27.9%

 5.6%

Size of college

 54.8%

 56.0%

Rankings in national magazines

 12.9%

 7.6%

Admitted through an Early Action or Early Decision Program

11.3%

6.0%

Highest academic degree planned

 

None

  0.8%

  1.0%

Vocational certificate

  0.1%

  0.5%

Associate (or equivalent)

  0.7%

  1.0%

Bachelor's

 27.0%

27.8%

Master's

 40.0%

48.8%

Ph.D. or Ed.D.

 15.9%

 16.3%

M.D., D.O., D.D.S., or D.V.M.

  9.0%

  3.3%

LL.B. or J.D.

  4.2%

  1.4%

B.D. or M.Div.

  0.8%

  0.0%

Other

  1.5%

  0.0%

Probable career occupation

 

Accountant or actuary

 2.5%

  4.7%

Actor or entertainer

 2.1%

  1.3%

Architect or urban planner

  0.4%

   0.8%

Artist

  1.7%

   2.5%

Business (clerical)

  0.6%

   0.0%

Business executive

  6.8%

  7.2%

Business owner or proprietor

  3.5%

  3.0%

Business salesperson or buyer

  0.9%

  0.4%

Clergy (minister, priest)

  1.6%

  0.4%

Clergy (other religious)

  0.8%

  0.4%

Clinical psychologist

  1.9%

  2.5%

College administrator/staff

  0.0%

  0.0%

Computer programmer or analyst

  1.5%

   5.1%

Conservationist or forester

  1.6%

   0.0%

Dentist

  0.2%

   0.0%

Dietitian or home economist

  1.1%

   0.0%

Engineer

  1.9%

   1.3%

Farmer or rancher

  0.3%

   0.0%

Foreign-service worker

  0.9%

   0.0%

Homemaker (full-time)

  0.2%

   0.0%

Interior decorator

  0.6%

   0.0%

Lab technician or hygienist

  0.1%

   0.4%

Law-enforcement officer

  1.3%

   1.3%

Lawyer or judge

  3.5%

   1.7%

Military service (career)

  0.3%

   0.4%

Musician

  2.3%

   2.1%

Nurse

  4.1%

   2.1%

Optometrist

  0.4%

   0.0%

Pharmacist

  1.2%

   0.4%

Physician

  5.7%

   2.1%

Policymaker/government

  0.9%

   0.8%

School counselor

  0.4%

   0.8%

School principal or superintendent

  0.1%

   0.0%

Scientific researcher

  1.5%

   0.8%

Social, welfare, or recreation worker

  1.2%

    0.8%

Teacher or administrator (elementary)

   7.1%

   14.8%

Teacher or administrator (secondary)

   6.9%

   11.9%

Teacher (college)

   1.1%

     0.8%

Therapist (physical, occupational, speech)

   3.4%

    5.5%

Veterinarian

   0.3%

    0.8%

Writer or journalist

   0.3%

    0.4%

Skilled trades

   1.4%

    0.0%

Laborer (unskilled)

   0.3%

    0.0%

Semi-skilled worker

   0.2%

    1.3%

Other occupation

   9.2%

    8.9%

Unemployed

   1.4%

    11.0%

Undecided

  13.8%

   14.2%

Estimated parental income

 

Less than $10,000

   3.3%

    1.3%

$10,000 to $l4,999

    3.0%

    2.6%

$15,000 to $l9,999

   2.4%

    0.9%

$ 20,000 to $24,999

   3.8%

   4.8%

$ 25,000 to $29,999

   3.7%

    7.0%

$ 30,000 to $39,999

   7.4%

   8.7%

$ 40,000 to $49,999

  9.0%

   7.4%

$ 50,000 to $59,999

   10.5%

   11.4%

$ 60,000 to $74,999

   13.3%

   15.7%

$ 75,000 to $99,999

   14.7%

    19.2%

$100,000 to $l49,999

   14.8%

    12.7%

$150,000 to $l99,999

     5.7%

     4.4%

$200,000 to $249,999

     2.8%

     1.3%

$250,000 or more

     5.5%

     2.6%

Other source

 

 

Concern about financing college

 

None

   31.7%

   35.2%

Some (but I will probably have enough funds)

   54.1%

   58.0%

Major not sure I will have enough funds to complete college)

   14.1%

    16.8%

During last year in high school, number of hours spent:

 

Studying/homework

 

 

  None

 2.5%

  2.0%

  Less than 1

 14.1%

  12.0%

  1 to 2

 23.6%

   23.5%

  3 to 5

 28.1%

   34.7%

  6 to 10

 18.4%

   16.7%

  11 to 15

   7.7%

    6.4%

  16 to 20

   3.4%

    3.6%

  21 or more

   2.1%

   1.2%

Socializing with friends

 

  None

   0.4%

    0.0%

  Less than 1

   1.4%

    1.2%

  1 to 2

   6.0%

    3.2%

  3 to 5

  18.8%

   15.6%

  6 to 10

  26.0%

    27.2%

  11 to 15

  17.9%

    16.4%

  16 to 2

  11.7%

    16.4%

  21 or more

  17.9%

    20.0%

Talking with teachers outside of class

 

  None

  8.5%

   9.6%

  Less than 1

  42.6%

    40.2%

  1 to 2

  31.2%

    31.9%

  3 to 5

  12.1%

    10.8%

  6 to 10

    3.3%

     5.6%

  11 to 15

    1.2%

     1.6%

  16 to 20

    0.4%

     0.4%

  21 or more

    0.5%

     0.0%

Exercise or sports

 

  None

   4.9%

     3.6%

  Less than 1

    9.7%

     6.4%

  1 to 2

   14.7%

     10.8%

  3 to 5

   17.1%

    19.3%

  6 to 10

   17.0%

    14.9%

  11 to 15

   14.9%

    17.7%

  16 to 20

     9.0%

    10.0%

  21 or more

   12.8%

    17.3%

Partying

 

  None

  35.2%

    22.1%

  Less than 1

  15.6%

    13.7%

  1 to 2

  16.4%

    11.2%

  3 to 5

  15.8%

    21.3%

  6 to 10

    9.1%

    17.3%

  11 to 15

    3.8%

      5.2%

  16 to 20

    1.9%

      5.2%

  21 or more

    2.2%

      4.0%

Working for pay

 

  None

   31.0%

    22.1%

  Less than 1

     3.0%

       1.6%

  1 to 2

     4.4%

       5.6%

  3 to 5

     7.9%

       10.4%

  6 to 10

   12.9%

     16.5%

  11 to 15

   12.1%

     14.5%

  16 to 20

   12.7%

     12.4%

  21 or more

   15.9%

     16.9%

Volunteer work

 

  None

   26.3%

      36.5%

  Less than 1

   24.6%

      22.9%

  1 to 2

   24.8%

      20.9%

  3 to 5

   13.6%

      12.0%

  6 to 10

    5.4%

        4.8%

  11 to 15

    2.2%

       1.2%

  16 to 20

   1.2%

       0.4%

  21 or more

    2.0%

        1.2%

Student clubs or groups

 

  None

   26.9%

       30.8%

  Less than 1

   15.4%

       11.6%

  1 to 2

   25.0%

       21.2%

  3 to 5

   18.0%

       18.8%

  6 to 10

     7.8%

        8.4%

  11 to 15

    3.3%

         4.4%

  16 to 20

     1.7%

         1.2%

  21 or more

     1.9%

        3.6%

Watching tv

 

  None

    5.8%

        3.6%

  Less than 1

   14.4%

      13.6%

  1 to 2

   23.4%

       26.8%

  3 to 5

   27.4%

       29.6%

  6 to 10

  16.7%

       12.4%

  11 to 15

   6.4%

        7.2%

  16 to 20

   2.5%

        2.8%

  21 or more

   3.4%

        4.0%

Household or childcare duties

 

  None

  19.9%

      23.8%

  Less than 1

  21.4%

      23.0%

1 to 2 hours

  30.5%

      25.8%

  3 to 5

 17.7%

      17.7%

  6 to 10

   6.0%

        5.6%

  11 to 15

   2.1%

        2.4%

  16 to 20

   0.9%

        0.4%

  21 or more

   1.5%

        1.2%

Reading for pleasure

 

  None

  25.3%

      33.3%

  Less than 1 hour

  24.6%

      24.1%

  1 to 2

  22.9%

      18.9%

  3 to 5

  15.8%

     14.9%

  6 to 10

 6.6%    

      5.2%

  11 to 15

 2.5%

       1.2%

  16 to 20

 1.1%

       1.6%

  21 or more

 1.3%

       0.8%

Playing video games

 

  None

  41.3%

   34.5%

  Less than 1 hour

  20.5%

    18.9%

  1 to 2

  15.6%

    17.7%

  3 to 5

  11.0%

    11.6%

  6 to 10

    5.8%

    7.2%

  11 to 15

    2.7%

      6.4%

  16 to 20

    1.1%

      1.6%

  21 or more

    1.8%

      2.0%

Prayer or meditation

 

  None

  21.2%

    41.6%

  Less than 1 hour

  35.2%

    32.8%

  1 to 2

  25.9%

    17.6%

  3 to 5

 11.3%

      4.4%

  6 to 10

   3.8%

      2.4%

  11 to 15

   1.1%

      0.4%

  16 to 20

    0.5%

     0.0%

  21 or more

    1.1%

      0.8%

 Note: The statistics are based on survey responses of over 250,000 freshmen entering over 450 two-year and four-year institutions in the fall of 2005. The figures were statistically adjusted to represent the total population of approximately 1.7 million first-time, full-time freshmen. Because of rounding or multiple responses, figures may add to more than 100 percent.

SOURCE: "THE AMERICAN FRESHMAN: NATIONAL NORMS FOR FALL 2005," PUBLISHED BY AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION AND UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT LOS ANGELES HIGHER EDUCATION RESEARCH INSTITUTE