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Entering Freshmen Survey: 2001 to 2007 Comparison Entering Freshmen Survey: 2001 to 2007 Comparison Presented by: Joy Ward, Marketing Communications Slide 2 Marketing without research is just an opinion According to a presentation in Dec. 2004 by Dr. Greg Martin, to determine our competitive advantages, we begin by defining the Core enterprise what do we do? Core product what do we offer to the market? Core market who does our success depend upon? The strategy is to define our competitive advantage and give superior performance on attributes of our product that are important to our target audience. Think from the perspective of both the enterprise and the consumer. Segment our market, target customers, and listen to what they say. Dr. Martins goal was to build a foundation on which we can move forward. As a next step, he suggested we consolidate, integrate, and fill gaps in our knowledge of the market. Slide 3 Why this survey matters. President Cavanaugh has a vision for our university to be the best regional comprehensive university in America. SACS Accreditation Quality Enhancement Plan Baptist Leadership Institute techniques applied to education Making Way for Excellence (creating a culture of excellence) Stamats UWF Strategic Integrated Marketing plan development UWF Strategic Priority Attract, engage and retain the most talented and diverse students, faculty and staff UWF Strategic Priority Create and manage purposeful and sustainable growth Timing there is an intense interest in integrated marketing and data driven decision making by the administration All these things are inextricably tied together. Slide 4 Executive summery What kinds of information do we glean from this survey? Demographic information for freshmen students: 43% male, 57% female 18 median age, 41 oldest, 15 youngest 75% White, 11% African American, 6% Asian, 6% Hispanic 91% Florida residents, 62% from 8 county service area (31% Escambia, 20% Santa Rosa, 7% Okaloosa, 2% Bay,.7% Walton,.4% Gulf,.4% Holmes,.1% Washington) States excluding Florida (2.59% AL,.5% CA,.5% VA,.4% LA,.4%TX,.4% TN,.3% GA,.3% MI,.3% IN) Consumption information How well are we communicating with potential students? Generally pretty well, although there is room for improvement. Our strengths are the friendliness of our people at campus visits and college fairs. Potential students are positively impressed with the appearance of our campus. The most popular methods for getting information include: 97% Web, 93% mail, 88% campus visit, 65% calls, 60% college fairs. Areas that may need closer evaluation are ease of navigating the Web, ease of requesting information on the Web, telephone calls could be more informative. Who influenced them to choose UWF? 1.) former students, 2.) family, 3.) friends, 4.) high school counselor Approximately 25% of students said does not apply to any of these. Slide 5 Executive summery Consumption information (continued) What are their perceptions about the school? Generally, UWF is well regarded by entering freshmen. There was a high level of agreement that; UWF has a friendly, casual atmosphere, a variety of social opportunities, is a good size, good class size, is safe, treats you like a person, has adequate classroom facilities. Freshmen do not consider UWF to be a party school and do not think our admission standards are high. The perception about our admissions standards is another area worthy of attention. What are some opportunities that would improve their perceptions? Enhance internships and job placement programs. Allow as much customization of programs as possible. Create a more exciting and fun atmosphere (possibly through athletics?) What are their expectations? Freshmen agree that; UWF has opportunities for personal development, will help them reach their future goals, anticipate that their education will be of value to them. Overall satisfaction with their dealings with UWF at the time of the survey (approximately a month into the fall semester) was average as it has been in previous years. If we are going to be known for personal attention, we need to make an effort to improve our performance on student satisfaction. Slide 6 Executive summery Consumption information (continued) Who are UWFs competitors? The other Florida public universities are our biggest competitors. UWF freshmen say they also considered FSU 35.2%, UF 32.8%, UCF 29.4%, Other 18.4, USF 14.3 How many freshmen are the first one in their family to attend college? 45% said their mother did not attend a college or university. 44% said their father did not attend a college or university. What is the real reason they chose UWF? Top three For the first time since using this survey, academics / programs / teachers was the category mentioned most often as the real reason that freshmen chose to attend. Next was the small to mid-sized school atmosphere (friendly, comfortable, did not want a mega-U). Close to home. Followed by Money (affordable / financial aid / scholarship). Beautiful campus. Desirable class size Which programs were most often mentioned within the real reason they chose UWF? Athletics, Communication Arts, Honors, Nursing, Marine Biology, Music. Slide 7 A brief background of the Entering Freshmen Survey Message Factors Inc. 2001 Paper survey, given within first 2 weeks of Fall term Mailed and given during English Comp I class FTIC Freshmen population 863, had 625 respondents or 72% Marketing Communications/Office of Planning 2002 Paper survey, given within first 2 weeks of Fall term Given during English Comp I class FTIC Freshmen population 897, had 594 respondents or 66% Marketing Communications/Office of Planning 2004 Web survey, given within 9-10 weeks of Fall term (2 weeks off for Ivan) Requested announcement in English class, prize drawing for participation FTIC Freshmen population 985, had 231 respondents or 23.5% Marketing Communications/Office of Planning 2005 Web survey, given Sept. 7 through 22 of Fall term FTIC Freshmen population 956, had 337 respondents or 35.3% Marketing Communications/Office of Planning 2007 Web survey, given Sept. 12 through Oct. 14 of Fall term FTIC Freshmen population 10,002, had 293 respondents or 29.2% Slide 8 Entering Freshmen Survey 2007 Sample SURVEY SAMPLE POPULATION Gender Male28% Female72% Ethnicity African American 9.56% Hispanic 5.80% White74.74% Median Age18 UWF Residents53.24% Florida Residents89.42% Colleges Enrolled Arts and Sciences79.52% Business 5.80% Professional Studies14.68% Honors12.97% ACT Mid-50 Range21-25 GENERAL FTIC POPULATION Gender Male43% Female57% Ethnicity African American 11.48% Hispanic 6.09% White74.55% Median Age18 UWF Residents52.59% Florida Residents90.92% Colleges Enrolled Arts and Sciences73.55% Business 7.98% Professional Studies 18.46% Honors9.78% ACT Mid-50 Range20-25 Slide 9 Responses were converted to weighted averages 1-5 The first set of questions deals with different opportunities the student may have had to interact with the University of West Florida. 15 questions Asked to rank their level of agreement very much agree, mostly agree, somewhat agree, mostly disagree, very much disagree (and does not apply) Example / Question 1 responses from 2007 At a college fair I attended, UWFs representatives were friendly. Very much agree118x 5590 Mostly agree 49x 4196 Somewhat agree 6x 3 18 Mostly disagree 0x 2 0 Very much disagree 1x 1 1 174 805 (Does not apply119) Weighted average4.63 Slide 10 5-years of comparison by weighted averages % Negative = % who responded mostly, and very much disagree At a college fair I attended, UWFs representatives were friendly. AnswerNumber selected 2001 Number selected 2002 Number selected 2004 Number selected 2005 Number selected 2007 Very Much Agree 24919180136118 Mostly Agree 187186485549 Somewhat Agree 34301046 Mostly Disagree 23030 Very Much Disagree 10001 20012002200420052007 Weighted Average Response 4.444.384.514.644.63 % Negative0.6%0.7%0.0%1.5%0.3% Slide 11 Freshmen Survey / Section 1 / Question 1 At college fair, UWF reps were friendly Does not apply, 119 or 40.6%. Slide 12 Freshmen Survey / Section 1 / Question 2 At college fair, UWF reps were informative Does not apply, 118 or 40.3%. Slide 13 Freshmen Survey / Section 1 / Question 3 At college fair, UWFs literature provided sufficient information Does not apply, 118 or 40.3%. Slide 14 Freshmen Survey / Section 1 / Question 4 During senior year, UWF mail was helpful Does not apply, 28 or 9.6%. Slide 15 Freshmen Survey / Section 1 / Question 5 During senior year, telephone calls were informative Does not apply, 104 or 35.5%. Slide 16 Freshmen Survey / Section 1 / Question 6 In general, sufficient number of methods to request information from UWF Does not apply, 14 or 4.8%. Slide 17 Freshmen Survey / Section 1 / Question 7 Easy to get information Does not apply, 10 or 3.4%. Slide 18 Freshmen Survey / Section 1 / Question 8 Responded with appropriate timeliness to request for information Does not apply, 21 or 7.2%. Slide 19 Freshmen Survey / Section 1 / Question 9 UWF web site was informative Does not apply, 10 or 3.4%. Slide 20 Freshmen Survey / Section 1 / Question 10 UWF web site easy to navigate Does not apply, 8 or 2.7%. Slide 21 Freshmen Survey / Section 1 / Question 11 UWF web site made it easy to request more information Does not apply, 21 or 7.2%. Slide 22 Freshmen Survey / Section 1 / Question 12 During campus visit, students were friendly Does not apply, 34 or 11.6%. Slide 23 Freshmen Survey / Section 1 / Question 13 During campus visit, staff were friendly Does not apply, 31 or 10.6%. Slide 24 Freshmen Survey / Section 1 / Question 14 Campus visit was useful Does not apply, 35 or 11.9%. Slide 25 Freshmen Survey / Section 1 / Question 15 During campus visit, appearance of campus was acceptable Does not apply, 33 or 11.3%. Slide 26 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 These questions focus on the students perception of the University of West Florida. 39 questions Asked to rank their level of agreement very much agree, mostly agree, somewhat agree, mostly disagree, very much disagree (and does not apply) The University of West Florida Slide 27 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 1 Offers opportunity for personal development Slide 28 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 2 Has a variety of social opportunities Slide 29 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 3 Has a friendly, casual atmosphere Slide 30 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 4 Offers a safe campus environment Slide 31 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 5 Is located a comfortable distance from home Slide 32 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 6 Cares about its students Slide 33 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 7 Is viewed as a party school Does not apply, 19 or 6.5%. Slide 34 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 8 Has a desirable location Slide 35 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 9 Was recommended by my family Does not apply, 63 or 21.5%. Slide 36 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 10 Was recommended by my friends Does not apply, 66 or 22.5%. Slide 37 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 11 Was recommended by my high school counselor Does not apply, 83 or 28.3%. Slide 38 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 12 Was recommended by current or former students Does not apply, 74 or 25.3%. Slide 39 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 13 Offers the majors I am interested in Slide 40 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 14 Will help me reach my future goals Slide 41 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 15 Has a simple enrollment process Slide 42 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 16 Is respected in the academic community Slide 43 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 17 Has faculty who are experts in their fields Slide 44 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 18 Has high admission standards Slide 45 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 19 Is technologically advanced Slide 46 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 20 Has adequate classroom facilities Slide 47 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 21 Offers a sense of belonging Slide 48 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 22 Is involved in the local community Does not apply, 27 or 9.2%. Slide 49 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 23 Has an exciting and fun atmosphere Slide 50 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 24 Has competitive tuition and fees Does not apply, 20 or 6.8%. Slide 51 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 25 Is a good size for me Slide 52 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 26 Has a desirable average class size Slide 53 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 27 Offers adequate financial aid Does not apply, 35 or 11.9%. Slide 54 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 28 Has acceptable on-campus housing Does not apply, 55 or 18.8%. Slide 55 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 29 Has opportunities for hands-on education and training experiences Does not apply, 30 or 10.2%. Slide 56 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 30 Offers opportunities for community service Does not apply, 31 or 10.6%. Slide 57 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 31 Has a strong internship program Does not apply, 119 or 40.6%. Slide 58 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 32 Has a good reputation for job placement Does not apply, 95 or 32.4%. Slide 59 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 33 Allows me to customize my curriculum Does not apply, 21 or 7.2%. Slide 60 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 34 Provides leadership opportunities Does not apply, 34 or 11.6%. Slide 61 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 35 Treats me like a person, not a number Slide 62 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 36 (new) Attracts a diverse student body Slide 63 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 37 (new) Adequately provides for the distance learning needs of the region Does not apply, 64 or 21.8%. Slide 64 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 38 (new) Is a premier, creative student-centered university focused on excellence Does not apply, 30 or 10.2%. Slide 65 Freshmen Survey / Section 2 / Question 39 (new) Has faculty and staff who seem to find working at UWF rewarding Does not apply, 19 or 6.5%. Slide 66 Freshmen Survey / Section 3 These questions focus on schools that the students may have considered attending 14 options Asked to rank their level of interest considered, applied, accepted (and does not apply) 1) Auburn University 2) Florida A&M University 3) Florida State University 4) Okaloosa-Walton Junior College 5) Pensacola Junior College 6) Troy State University 7) University of Alabama 8) University of Central Florida 9) University of Florida 10) University of South Alabama 11) University of South Florida 12) Other Florida Community College 13) Other Florida university 14) Other institution Slide 67 Freshmen Survey / Section 3 Top 5 from 2001 CONSIDERED FSU 32.0% UF 25.4% UCF 22.4% PJC 14.7% AUB 12.5% Top 8 from 2005 CONSIDERED FSU 34.1% UF 33.2% UCF 27.6% PJC 19.0% Other 16.6% AUB 16.3% Other (Fla.) 14.8% USF 11.9% Top 5 from 2002 CONSIDERED FSU 27.1% UF 22.4% UCF 21.4% PJC 16.7% AUB 12.8% Top 8 from 2007 CONSIDERED FSU 35.2% UF 32.8% UCF 29.4% Other 18.4 USF 14.3% AUB 13.0% Other (Fla.) 12.3% PJC 11.9% Top 7 from 2004 CONSIDERED FSU 39.0% UCF 32.5% UF 29.9% Other 25.5% USF 16.9% PJC 16.0% AUB 15.6% Slide 68 Freshmen Survey / Section 4 / Overall Satisfaction Slide 69 Freshmen Survey / Section 4 / Overall Value Slide 70 Did your mother attend a college or university? Did your father attend a college or university? Slide 71 How would you classify the location of your home? How large was your high school graduating class? Slide 72 Freshmen Survey / Open Ended Question 2007 How would you describe to a friend the real reason you chose to attend the University of West Florida. Examples: 1.A real reason why I chose the University of West Florida was because of its location and its smaller size which makes it easier to communicate with professors. 2.All other colleges in Alabama did not offer an adequate degree in Environmental Science, and West Florida is the closest college to home that does. 3.An hour from home. Has one of my two chosen majors and the credits will transfer to any other college I later attend. 4.Because it was close to home and I had a scholarship of 75% and it had the program I wanted to enter BSN though I did wish it had an accelerated program like USA. 5.Beautiful campus. Treated like an individual. Good atmosphere. Fun, but not a "party school." Small classes make class interesting and engaging. 6.Because it is a nice place, nice city, it has good staff and teachers, they support you. It has good athletics teams. 7.Because it's a great way to get an education. 8.Because the tuition is cheaper. 9.Because of basketball and the coaches...and the school is beautiful and is very good academically 10.Cheaper institution and friendly people. Slide 73 Freshmen Survey / Open Ended Question Evaluation method: In order to be as objective as possible, a system of codes was created to identify themes as they became apparent. Each response was coded for as many reasons as were mentioned. Some themes while similar, were tallied separately. (For example, close to home was separated from, distance from home. Specific reasons varied from, to get as far away from home as possible, to not too close, but not too far away and could not confidently be included in the close to home theme.) The following chart shows the total number of times each theme was mentioned. The charts reflect the comments written by each years group of freshmen. The total number who responded to the open-ended question in 2007 was 256 students. Slide 74 Freshmen Survey / OEQ Evaluation 07 Top 6 Real Reasons (mentioned most often) Slide 75 Freshmen Survey / OEQ Evaluation 07 Other Reasons Slide 76 Freshmen Survey / OEQ Evaluation 05 Slide 77 Freshmen Survey / OEQ Evaluation 04 Slide 78 Freshmen Survey / OEQ Evaluation 2007 Specific programs mentioned Air Force ROTC Anthropology/Archaeology (2) Athletics (5) Biology Communication Arts (4) Education (2) Engineering (2) Environmental Science Honors (4) Hospitality, Recreation and Resort Management International Studies Marine Biology (3) Music (3) Nursing (4) Political Science Pre-Med Slide 79 Freshmen Survey / OEQ Evaluation 2005 Specific programs that were mentioned are as follows: Anthropology/Archaeology (4) Athletics (9) Biology (2) Chemistry Communication Arts (2) Computer Programming Criminal Justice Education (2) Honors (5) Marine Biology (8) Math Nursing (4) Pre-Med (Vet 2) Slide 80 Freshmen Survey / OEQ Evaluation 2004 Specific academic programs that were mentioned are as follows: Accounting Archaeology Art (2) Biology (2) Computer Engineering (3) Computer Science Education, (2) Electrical Engineering Engineering Forensics Honors (4) Japanese Exchange Marine Biology (8) Math Music (2) Nursing (3) Pharmacy (wish we had) Psychology (2) Public History ROTC Theatre Slide 81 Thank you for reviewing this survey. Joy Ward