ACADEMIC, SOCIAL, AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Compared with male respondents, female respondents were more likely to get financial support from other college grants and scholarships, but less likely to got over $3000 support either from savings from summer work or from off campus jobs. Compared with European-American respondents, minority respondents were less likely to receive $3000 or more from their parents, friends or relatives for their college education. Instead they were more likely to got their financial support from Perkins Loan, Pell Grant, Ohio instructional Grant, other college grants and scholarships, and on campus jobs than were European-American respondents. Among the respondents in the six colleges, Technology respondents were most likely to earn $3000 or more from their off campus job to cover their educational expenses.

How much will you owe in student loans when you graduate?  

	2002-2003	2003-2004	2004-2005
Nothing	36%	33%	31%
Less than $5,000	7%	4%	5%
$5,000 - $9,999	8%	10%	8%
$10,000 - $14,999	15%	13%	13%
$15,000 - $19,999	16%	15%	14%
$20,000 or more	18%	26%	30%

Nearly seventy percent of the respondents owe some amount of student loans by the time they graduated from BGSU. 

ENROLLMENT INFORMATION

How many years will you have been enrolled at BGSU by the time you graduate?

	2002-2003	2003-2004	2004-2005
less than four	22%	24%	19%
four	34%	37%	41%
between four and five	35%	31%	31%
more than five	9%	8%	8%

If it has taken you more than four years to graduate, please indicate whether the following were reasons for extending your enrollment. (Percent Responding "Major" Reason)

	2002-2003	2003-2004	2004-2005
	%	%	%
I changed majors	33	34	34
I worked while enrolled	24	22	23
The classes that I needed were not offered when I needed to take them	19	25	19
I transferred to BGSU and needed different courses	18	22	17
My major takes more than four years to complete	14	20	17
I was involved in coop/internships	17	15	17
I was undecided about a major when I started	11	15	17
I received poor academic advising	14	16	16
I had family responsibilities while enrolled	9	11	12
I dropped one or more classes because I was dissatisfied with the quality of instruction	12	10	11
I chose not to enroll for one or more semesters	10	12	10
I commuted while enrolled	7	8	9
I had a double major	8	8	8
I had financial problems	6	8	8
I had problems with the academic requirements for my major	9	8	7
I attended part-time	10	8	7
I took classes unrelated to my major due to personal interest	5	6	6
I wanted to maintain or improve my grades	7	6	6
I wanted to have some free time	5	4	3
I did not spend enough time studying	4	3	3
I had to take developmental classes	2	2	2

Like the respondents in previous years, more than half of the respondents in 2004-2005 reported that they graduated from BGSU in four or fewer than four years. This rate is much higher than the average baccalaureate degree four-year graduation rate at BGSU, which is 33.4% for 1999-2003 and 34.5% for 2000-2004. "I changed majors" remains the major reason that was most often cited by 2004-2005 graduates who took more than four years to graduate, followed by "I worked while enrolled" and "the classes that I needed were not offered when I needed to take them" (see the table above).

Females were more likely than males to report that they graduated from BGSU in four years or fewer. They were also more likely than males to cite "I had family responsibilities while enrolled" as the reason for them to take more than four years to graduate. Males, on the other hand, were more likely than their counterpart to cite "I was involved in coop/internships", "I dropped one or more classes because I was dissatisfied with the quality of instruction", and "I wanted to have some free time" as the reasons for them to take more than four years to graduate.

Compared to European-American respondents, minority respondents were more likely to indicate that "I chose not to enroll for one or more semesters", "I transferred to BGSU and needed different courses", "I had financial problems", and "I wanted to maintain or improve my grades" were the major causes for their extended undergraduate education.

Among the students in the six colleges, Technology students were least likely to report that they earned their bachelor's degree in four years or fewer , and they were mostly likely to cite "I was involved in coop/internships" as the major reason for their extended undergraduate education. "My major takes more than four years to complete" was another reason for Technology students as well as students in the College of Musical Arts to take longer time to graduate.

Other factors that were more often reported by students in one college than the others as an important reason to extend they college education were: "I had a double major" (for Business Administrations students); "I took classes unrelated to my major due to personal interest", "I had financial problems",  "I did not spend enough time studying"(for students in College of Arts and Sciences and College of Musical Arts); "I dropped one or more classes because I was dissatisfied with the quality of instruction" (for students in College of Arts and Sciences and College of Business Administration); and "I wanted to have some free time" (for students in College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business Administration, and College of Musical Arts).

Looking back at your overall experience at BGSU, to what extent would you agree with the following? (Percent Responding "Agree" or "Strongly Agree")

	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05
	%	%	%
I have participated in class discussions	97	97	97
Most faculty at BGSU are friendly and helpful	95	96	97
I have developed close personal relationships with other students at BGSU	96	94	94
I have met with a faculty member outside of class to talk about questions/concerns over my class work.	95	94	94
Most other students at BGSU are friendly and helpful	92	92	93
Most faculty and staff at BGSU seem generally interested in students	86	88	90
Most offices and staff at BGSU are friendly and helpful	86	89	90
I have talked about my career plans with a BGSU faculty or staff member	87	86	88
Most faculty at BGSU are good teachers	83	87	87
It has been easy for me to get to know other students	88	87	87
I am able to get into the courses required for my degree program	NA	NA	87
I have developed a close personal relationship with at least one faculty or staff member at BGSU	76	75	77
The information that I received from my adviser was accurate	NA	NA	76
Most of my classes at BGSU seem relevant and applicable to my future	72	75	76
I have participated in study groups	77	74	76
Most students at BGSU have values similar to my own	71	72	74
I have become involved with activities on campus	68	66	68
My adviser showed concern for my academic needs	NA	NA	66
I have become involved with student organizations	62	58	60
My adviser helped me explore and clarify my educational goals	NA	NA	59
I have attended cultural events on campus	60	55	58
I have talked about personal problems with a BGSU faculty or staff member	46	49	50

The majority of the survey respondents over the past three years agreed or strongly agreed with most of the items listed above. Females and minority graduates were more likely than males and European-American graduates to attend cultural events on campus and be involved with student organizations. Minority graduates were also more likely than European-American graduates to participate in activities other than cultural events on campus.

Musical Arts graduates tended to be most actively involved with campus cultural events among the graduates in the six colleges. They were also most likely to agree that they have talked about their personal problems with a BGSU faculty or staff member. They, however, were least likely to say that most students at BGSU had values similar to their own and most offices and staff at BGSU were friendly and helpful. Business Administration graduates were least like to feel that they have developed a close personal relationship with at least one faculty of staff member at BGSU. While graduates in College of Arts and Sciences as well as College of Health and Human Services were more likely to claim that their advisers have helped them exploring and clarifying their educational goals, graduates in College of Education and Human Development as well as College of Technology were less likely to agree that the information that they received from their advisors was accurate.

For each of the following items, please indicate how much you feel you have gained as a result of your BGSU education? (Percent Responding "Very Much" or "Quite a Bit")

	2002-2003	2003-2004	2004-2005
	%	%	%
being open to new ideas	77	75	77
making connections between the classes I have taken	74	72	76
developing knowledge and skills applicable to a career	73	75	75
understanding my own abilities, interests, and values	74	73	75
making informed judgments	72	72	75
thinking critically	71	73	74
making connections between things I have learned in class and other experiences in my life	71	72	73
relating to others	71	70	72
developing a better understanding of my career goals	67	72	70
writing effectively	69	68	70
speaking effectively	67	67	67
using computers	67	64	65
solving problems	62	63	65
being prepared for further education	59	61	60
understanding cultural, racial, and gender differences and how  they relate to me, my field of study, and my future career	54	60	58

About 60% or more of the respondents reported that they made gains towards various educational and personal goals as a result of their BGSU education (see table above). Female respondents were more likely than male respondents to report that they gained quite a bit or very much in making connections between the classes they have taken as well as between things they have learned in class and other experiences in their life. Among the respondents in six colleges, Technology students were most likely to feel that they learned a lot using computers. Musical Arts students were least likely to say they gained a lot in speaking effectively. Respondents in the College of Education and Human Development and College of Health and Human Services were more likely than the respondents in the other four colleges to indicate that they gained a lot in developing a better understanding of their career goals, obtaining knowledge and skills applicable to a career, being prepared for further education, making connections between things their have learned in class and other experiences in their life, and understanding cultural, racial, and gender differences and how they relate to them, their field of study, and their future career.

The majority of BGSU graduates were satisfied or very satisfied with all of the aspects of their educational and social experiences listed in the questionnaire.

Female graduates and European American graduates were more satisfied with campus dining services than were male graduates and minority graduates. European-American graduates were also more satisfied with racial and ethnic diversity of BGSU than were minority graduates.

Among the graduates in the six colleges, Health and Human Services graduates were most satisfied with the overall quality of academic advising. Technology graduates were least satisfied with career services. Arts and Sciences graduates were least satisfied with racial and ethnic diversity of BGSU. Technology as well as Arts and Sciences graduates were also less satisfied with helpfulness in preparing them for employment.