Activities in the past year

Attended a religious service

89.4%

86.9%

9l.4%

66.3%

86.8%

76.l%

Was bored in class*

39.0%

4l.6%

37.0%

57.7%

57.2%

57.5%

Participated in organized demonstrations

49.l%

48.3%

49.6%

55.6%

59.9%

57.6%

Tutored another student

5l.6%

45.8%

56.0%

42.9%

58.9%

50.6%

Studied with other students

86.l%

82.l%

89.l%

86.6%

96.7%

9l.4%

Was a guest in a teacher's home

32.6%

33.4%

32.0%

33.7%

35.5%

34.6%

Smoked cigarettes*

 4.8%

 5.0%

 4.7%

 6.7%

 5.3%

 6.0%

Drank beer

35.8%

43.3%

30.2%

64.6%

49.3%

57.3%

Drank wine or liquor

42.0%

43.8%

40.6%

59.l%

56.6%

57.9%

Felt overwhelmed by all I had to do*

28.9%

17.4%

37.5%

29.9%

40.8%

35.l%

Felt depressed*

 7.9%

 5.9%

 9.3%

 4.9%

13.2%

 8.9%

Performed volunteer work

85.4%

80.l%

89.4%

6l.6%

82.9%

7l.8%

Played a musical instrument

47.l%

45.7%

48.l%

40.2%

46.l%

43.0%

Asked a teacher for advice after class*

24.9%

2l.5%

27.5%

22.6%

24.3%

23.4%

Overslept and missed class or appointment

3l.8%

34.8%

29.6%

39.6%

28.3%

34.2%

Discussed politics*

21.0%

23.9%

18.7%

13.4%

15.9%

14.6%

Voted in a student election*

22.5%

2l.9%

22.9%

13.6%

22.4%

17.8%

Socialized with someone of another racial/ethnic group*

66.2%

64.6%

67.4%

57.9%

59.2%

58.5%

Came late to class

60.2%

62.7%

58.3%

57.9%

44.7%

5l.6%

Attended a public recital or concert

Visited an art gallery or museum

57.l%

5l.7%

6l.l%

50.6%

6l.8%

56.0%

Discussed religion*

40.6%

35.8%

44.l%

18.9%

30.3%

24.4%

Communicated via e-mail*

68.0%

58.2%

75.3%

73.0%

88.l%

80.3%

Used the Internet for research or homework*

79.4%

74.4%

83.3%

84.l%

95.4%

89.6%

Communicated via Instant Messaging*

68.4%

66.3%

70.0%

8l.l%

83.6%

82.3%

Other Internet use*

64.8%

66.4%

63.5%

78.3%

77.6%

78.0%

Performed community service as part of a class

52.1%

49.l%

54.4%

4l.5%

46.l%

43.7%

Used a personal computer*

83.7%

82.6%

84.5%

87.2%

92.l%

89.6%

Total

Men

Women

MC Men

MC Women

MC Total

Student rated self above average or in highest 10 percent in:

Academic ability

65.4%

64.4%

66.2%

48.2%

59.l%

53.4%

Artistic ability

28.2%

27.7%

28.6%

22.6%

19.5%

21.1%

Computer skills

32.8%

44.0%

24.4%

49.4%

29.7%

40.l%

Competitiveness

Cooperativeness

74.0%

72.l%

75.4%

68.3%

73.6%

70.8%

Creativity

56.l%

57.4%

55.2%

56.l%

44.6%

50.6%

Drive to achieve

70.7%

67.8%

72.8%

58.5%

64.4%

6l.3%

Emotional health

54.6%

62.4%

48.8%

59.5%

5l.7%

55.8%

Initiative

Leadership ability

6l.6%

66.4%

58.0%

64.0%

56.l%

60.3%

Mathematical ability

38.5%

45.l%

33.5%

34.8%

3l.l%

33.0%

Physical health

56.4%

70.5%

45.8%

66.5%

53.0%

60.l%

Persistence

62.l%

64.2%

60.5%

58.5%

58.4%

58.5%

Popularity

36.0%

46.8%

27.8%

47.0%

33.6%

40.6%

Public speaking ability

37.4%

4l.l%

34.6%

35.4%

2l.6%

28.8%

Religiousness

45.2%

40.8%

48.5%

2l.3%

30.9%

25.9%

Risk-taking

43.l%

52.l%

36.4%

50.6%

3l.5%

4l.5%

Self-confidence (intellectual)

57.7%

67.l%

50.6%

64.0%

45.2%

55.2%

Self-confidence (social)

48.7%

56.3%

43.0%

56.7%

36.9%

47.3%

Self-understanding

54.3%

59.4%

50.5%

59.l%

42.3%

5l.l%

Spirituality

49.7%

46.6%

52.l%

32.3%

38.3%

35.l%

Understanding of others

66.0%

63.2%

68.l%

60.4%

67.8%

63.9%

Writing ability

45.0%

40.8%

48.2%

3l.5%

34.9%

33.l%

Total

Men

Women

MC Men

MC Women

MC Total

Reasons noted as very important in deciding to go to college

My parents wanted me to go

35.3%

34.0%

36.2%

40.2%

46.0%

43.0%

I could not find a job

 4.5%

 4.8%

 4.3%

 5.5%

 5.4%

 5.4%

Wanted to get away from home

2l.6%

2l.9%

2l.4%

24.4%

25.0%

24.7%

To be able to get a better job

65.7%

66.6%

64.9%

72.0%

82.0%

76.8%

To gain a general education and appreciation of ideas

63.3%

56.0%

68.7%

52.4%

67.l%

59.4%

To improve my reading and study skills

39.9%

37.2%

4l.9%

35.4%

49.7%

42.2%

There was nothing better to do

 3.7%

 5.l%

 2.7%

 9.8%

 2.0%

 6.l%

To make me a more cultured person

39.8%

33.0%

45.0%

28.0%

42.3%

34.8%

To be able to make more money

6l.9%

67.4%

57.7%

79.l%

76.0%

77.6%

To learn more about things that interest me

75.0%

70.l%

78.8%

57.7%

73.2%

65.l%

To prepare myself for graduate or professional school

52.3%

47.9%

55.7%

50.0%

62.4%

55.9%

A mentor or role model encouraged me to go

15.2%

14.6%

15.7%

16.5%

20.8%

18.5%

To get training for a specific career

69.6%

65.6%

72.7%

58.5%

73.2%

65.5%

Total

Men

Women

MC Men

MC Women

MC Total

Objectives considered essential or very important

Becoming accomplished in one of the performing arts

17.7%

16.5%

18.5%

19.8%

10.9%

15.5%

Becoming an authority in my field

57.2%

60.2%

55.0%

63.l%

56.l%

59.7%

Obtaining recognition from my colleagues for contributions to my special field

46.4%

49.l%

44.4%

56.8%

5l.7%

54.4%

Influencing the political structure

19.0%

22.9%

16.0%

25.3%

14.2%

20.0%

Influencing social values

43.0%

40.8%

44.7%

39.5%

42.2%

40.8%

Raising a family

78.9%

78.4%

79.3%

80.2%

78.l%

79.2%

Having administrative responsibility for the work of others

35.2%

39.5%

32.0%

54.3%

44.6%

49.7%

Being very well off financially

63.5%

68.0%

60.2%

83.3%

68.2%

76.l%

Helping others who are in difficulty

68.5%

60.7%

74.3%

56.8%

69.6%

62.9%

Making a theoretical contribution to science

13.6%

15.7%

12.0%

19.8%

10.8%

15.5%

Writing original works (poems, novels, short stories, etc.)

16.1%

17.l%

15.3%

21.6%

11.5%

16.8%

Creating artistic work (painting, sculpture, decorating, etc.)

15.1%

13.4%

16.3%

ll.7%

15.5%

13.5%

Becoming successful in a business of my own

35.7%

42.8%

30.3%

46.3%

27.7%

37.4%

Becoming involved in programs to clean up the environment

16.2%

16.4%

16.l%

18.5%

16.2%

17.4%

Developing a meaningful philosophy of life

39.6%

40.5%

38.9%

34.0%

27.7%

3l.0%

Participating in a community-action program

24.6%

20.9%

27.4%

19.l%

27.0%

22.9%

Helping to promote racial understanding

29.8%

28.8%

30.5%

27.2%

18.9%

23.2%

Keeping up to date with political affairs

31.5%

35.l%

28.9%

28.4%

20.3%

24.5%

Becoming a community leader

34.5%

37.2%

32.6%

35.4%

36.5%

35.9%

Improving my understanding of other countries and cultures

45.0%

39.8%

48.9%

29.6%

33.1%

31.3%

Integrating spirituality into my life

58.l%

52.7%

62.l%

25.9%

34.5%

30.0%

Total

Men

Women

MC Men

MC Women

MC Total

Agree strongly or somewhat that:

There is too much concern in the courts for the rights of criminals

64.0%

66.5%

62.l%

65.9%

59.2%

62.7%

Abortion should be legal

39.l%

39.8%

38.5%

59.8%

44.7%

52.5%

The death penalty should be abolished

29.8%

25.5%

33.0%

26.8%

24.0%

25.5%

If two people really like each other, it's all right for them to have sex even if they've known each other for only a very short time

Marijuana should be legalized

29.l%

35.2%

24.5%

39.9%

28.0%

34.2%

It is important to have laws prohibiting homosexual relationships

4l.l%

49.6%

34.7%

48.8%

16.8%

33.5%

Employers should be allowed to require drug testing of employees or job applicants

The federal government should do more to control the sale of handguns

73.2%

63.l%

80.8%

67.l%

85.2%

75.7%

Racial discrimination is no longer a major problem in America

23.0%

28.2%

19.1%

35.0%

17.4%

26.6%

Realistically, an individual can do little to bring about changes in our society

25.7%

3l.2%

2l.6%

37.4%

27.0%

32.5%

Wealthy people should pay a larger share of taxes than they do now

52.0%

5l.l%

52.8%

60.4%

54.7%

57.7%

Colleges should prohibit racist/sexist speech on campus

52.0%

5l.l%

52.8%

60.4%

54.7%

57.7%

Same-sex couples should have the right to legal marital status

4l.7%

35.l%

46.7%

42.l%

6l.l%

5l.l%

Affirmative action in college admissions should be abolished

5l.2%

55.l%

48.2%

50.9%

43.9%

47.6%

The activities of married women are best confined to the home and family

23.8%

3l.5%

18.0%

36.6%

19.5%

28.4%

People should not obey the laws which violate their personal values

33.7%

38.0%

30.5%

37.2%

26.4%

32.l%

Federal military spending should be increased

4l.4%

47.2%

37.0%

40.2%

32.9%

36.7%

Total

Men

Women

MC Men

MC Women

MC Total

Political orientation

Far left

 1.9%

 2.4%

 1.5%

 1.9%

 0.0%

 l.0%

Liberal

18.4%

17.3%

19.2%

21.5%

20.5%

2l.l%

Middle of the road

47.4%

46.6%

48.l%

62.0%

67.l%

64.5%

Conservative

30.l%

30.6%

29.8%

13.3%

12.3%

12.8%

Far right

 2.l%

 3.l%

 l.4%

 l.3%

 0.0%

 0.7%

Did your High School require Community Service?

No

73.2%

73.0%

73.4%

85.l%

85.9%

85.5%

Yes

26.8%

27.0%

26.6%

14.9%

14.l%

14.5%

Note: The statistics are based on survey responses of over 250,000 freshmen entering over 400 four-year colleges and universities in the fall of 2003. In a change from previous years, the statistics do not include two-year colleges because too few such institutions participated in the survey to allow for meaningful analysis. (Because of that change, the figures are not directly comparable to freshman-survey statistics previously published by The Chronicle.) The figures were statistically adjusted to represent the total population of approximately 1.1 million first-time, full-time freshmen at four-year institutions. Because of rounding or multiple responses, figures may add to more than 100 percent.

SOURCE: "The American Freshman: National Norms for Fall 2003," published by American Council on Education and University of California at Los Angeles Higher Education Research Institute