More About the Class of 2021
Main Content
Published February 2019
Your First College Year (YFCY) survey was sent to all freshman students in the Spring 2017. These students are currently rising sophomores. The response rate was 6.2% of the 2016 entering freshman class and the data should be interpreted with caution. However, Illinois responses represented 16% of all the respondents to the survey nationally. This is the second report on YFCY data and it centers on student experiences and satisfaction.
This institution has contributed to my …
Understanding of the problems
facing your community
Illinois
- 19.6% strongly agree
- 60.3% agree
- 19.2% disagree
- 1.0% strongly disagree
National
- 17.8% strongly agree
- 61.8% agree
- 18.4% disagree
- 2.0% strongly disagree
Understanding of
national issues
Illinois
- 18.9% strongly agree
- 57.4% agree
- 21.5% disagree
- 2.2% strongly disagree
National
- 17.0% strongly agree
- 59.3% agree
- 21.9% disagree
- 2.1% strongly disagree
Understanding of
global issues
Illinois
- 16.7% strongly agree
- 53.1% agree
- 27.7% disagree
- 2.6% strongly disagree
National
- 15.9% strongly agree
- 57.0% agree
- 24.8% disagree
- 2.3% strongly disagree
Knowledge of people from
different races/cultures
Illinois
- 24.0% strongly agree
- 60.7% agree
- 14.4% disagree
- 1.0% strongly disagree
National
- 22.5% strongly agree
- 64.3% agree
- 11.8% disagree
- 1.4% strongly disagree
Knowledge of a particular
field or discipline
Illinois
- 34.5% strongly agree
- 60.0% agree
- 4.5% disagree
- 0.0% strongly disagree
National
- 32.0% strongly agree
- 62.1% agree
- 5.2% disagree
- 0.7% strongly disagree
Foreign language ability
Illinois
- 12.5% strongly agree
- 39.9% agree
- 37.4% disagree
- 10.2% strongly disagree
National
- 12.3% strongly agree
- 39.2% agree
- 36.4% disagree
- 21.1% strongly disagree
Ability to
conduct research
Illinois
- 19.6% strongly agree
- 57.7% agree
- 20.8% disagree
- 1.9% strongly disagree
National
- 18.6% strongly agree
- 61.0% agree
- 18.3% disagree
- 2.2% strongly disagree
Ability to work
as part of a team
Illinois
- 20.8% strongly agree
- 64.9% agree
- 13.7% disagree
- 0.6% strongly disagree
National
- 19.7% strongly agree
- 62.6% agree
- 15.9% disagree
- 1.9% strongly disagree
Problem solving skills
Illinois
- 23.0% strongly agree
- 66.1% agree
- 10.2% disagree
- 0.6% strongly disagree
National
- 21.9% strongly agree
- 67.3% agree
- 9.7% disagree
- 1.1% strongly disagree
How satisfied are you with …
Amount of contact
with faculty
Illinois
- 12.2% very satisfied
- 53.2% satisfied
- 27.7% neutral
- 6.4% dissatisfied
- 0.6% very dissatisfied
National
- 12.5% very satisfied
- 43.8% satisfied
- 34.7% neutral
- 7.8% dissatisfied
- 1.2% very dissatisfied
Relevance of coursework
to everyday life
Illinois
- 10.3% very satisfied
- 42.0% satisfied
- 34.6% neutral
- 11.2% dissatisfied
- 1.9% very dissatisfied
National
- 11.1% very satisfied
- 36.3% satisfied
- 35.5% neutral
- 13.6% dissatisfied
- 3.5% very dissatisfied
Relevance of coursework
to future career plans
Illinois
- 13.7% very satisfied
- 46.0% satisfied
- 29.7% neutral
- 8.6% dissatisfied
- 1.9% very dissatisfied
National
- 14.0% very satisfied
- 41.8% satisfied
- 29.7% neutral
- 11.4% dissatisfied
- 3.0% very dissatisfied
Overall sense of community among students
Illinois
- 18.8% very satisfied
- 53.8% satisfied
- 19.4% neutral
- 5.7% dissatisfied
- 2.2% very dissatisfied
National
- 15.2% very satisfied
- 43.7% satisfied
- 27.2% neutral
- 9.4% dissatisfied
- 4.4% very dissatisfied
Respect for the expression of diverse beliefs
Illinois
- 19.2% very satisfied
- 61.7% satisfied
- 15.5% neutral
- 2.6% dissatisfied
- 1.0% very dissatisfied
National
- 15.8% very satisfied
- 55.3% satisfied
- 23.8% neutral
- 4.3% dissatisfied
- 0.9% very dissatisfied
How often have you …
Taken courses that inspired
you to think in new ways
Illinois
- 42.0% frequently
- 49.5% occasionally
- 8.5% not at all
National
- 35.6% frequently
- 52.6% occasionally
- 11.8% not at all
Performed community service
as part of a class
Illinois
- 4.5% frequently
- 20.5% occasionally
- 75.0% not at all
National
- 3.5% frequently
- 18.9% occasionally
- 77.6% not at all
Been bored in class
Illinois
- 41.5% frequently
- 55.8% occasionally
- 2.7% not at all
National
- 40.3% frequently
- 56.1% occasionally
- 3.6% not at all
Texted or used social media
during class
Illinois
- 24.5% frequently
- 64.9% occasionally
- 10.6% not at all
National
- 23.4% frequently
- 62.9% occasionally
- 13.7% not at all
Felt your job responsibilities
interfered with your schoolwork
Illinois
- 7.4% frequently
- 25.8% occasionally
- 66.8% not at all
National
- 11.5% frequently
- 30.7% occasionally
- 57.8% not at all
Maintained a healthy diet
Illinois
- 19.9% frequently
- 62.5% occasionally
- 17.6% not at all
National
- 19.7% frequently
- 62.2% occasionally
- 18.2% not at all
Received advice/counseling
from another student
Illinois
- 10.0% frequently
- 58.0% occasionally
- 32.0% not at all
National
- 10.1% frequently
- 57.0% occasionally
- 32.9% not at all
Received family support
to succeed
Illinois
- 57.7% frequently
- 32.4% occasionally
- 9.9% not at all
National
- 55.1% frequently
- 34.3% occasionally
- 10.6% not at all
Used student
psychological services
Illinois
- 3.6% frequently
- 12.9% occasionally
- 83.5% not at all
National
- 3.7% frequently
- 16.8% occasionally
- 79.5% not at all
Since entering this college, how much time have you spent during a typical week doing the following activities?
Participating in
student clubs/groups
Illinois
- 1.0% Over 20 hrs/week
- 0.3% 16-20 hrs/week
- 3.5% 11-15 hrs/week
- 10.0% 6-10 hrs/week
- 19.7% 3-5 hrs/week
- 29.8% 1-2 hrs/week
- 11.8% Less than 1 hr/week
- 23.9% None
National
- 1.0% Over 20 hrs/week
- 1.1% 16-20 hrs/week
- 2.7% 11-15 hrs/week
- 8.7% 6-10 hrs/week
- 18.6% 3-5 hrs/week
- 18.9% 1-2 hrs/week
- 13.2% Less than 1 hr/week
- 35.9% None
Partying
Illinois
- 0.3% Over 20 hrs/week
- 0.7% 16-20 hrs/week
- 4.2% 11-15 hrs/week
- 11.8% 6-10 hrs/week
- 17.6% 3-5 hrs/week
- 14.9% 1-2 hrs/week
- 15.6% Less than 1 hr/week
- 34.9% None
National
- 0.5% Over 20 hrs/week
- 0.2% 16-20 hrs/week
- 1.9% 11-15 hrs/week
- 5.5% 6-10 hrs/week
- 12.8% 3-5 hrs/week
- 13.6% 1-2 hrs/week
- 17.3% Less than 1 hr/week
- 48.2% None
Exercising/sports
Illinois
- 0.7% Over 20 hrs/week
- 1.0% 16-20 hrs/week
- 3.8% 11-15 hrs/week
- 15.3% 6-10 hrs/week
- 24.3% 3-5 hrs/week
- 22.2% 1-2 hrs/week
- 16% Less than 1 hr/week
- 16.7% None
National
- 2.2% Over 20 hrs/week
- 1.5% 16-20 hrs/week
- 3.9% 11-15 hrs/week
- 13.0% 6-10 hrs/week
- 22.6% 3-5 hrs/week
- 20.6% 1-2 hrs/week
- 17.0% Less than 1 hr/week
- 19.1% None
Finances
Concerns about your ability to
finance your college education
Illinois
- 17.7% major
(not sure I will have enough funds to complete college) - 54.4% some
(but I probably will have enough funds) - 27.9% none
(confident I will have sufficient funds)
National
- 19.6% major
(not sure I will have enough funds to complete college) - 56.7% some
(but I probably will have enough funds) - 23.7% none
(confident I will have sufficient funds)
Financial aid advising
Illinois
- 2.5% frequently
- 27.7% occasionally
- 69.8% not at all
National
- 5.7% frequently
- 35.6% occasionally
- 58.7% not at all
Aid which must be repaid
(loans, etc.)
Illinois
- 14.4% $15,000 or more
- 11.2% $10,000-14,999
- 8.0% $6,000-9,999
- 10.6% $3,000-5,999
- 4.3% $1-2,999
- 51.4% None
National
- 7.7% $15,000 or more
- 6.9% $10,000-14,999
- 10.9% $6,000-9,999
- 16.7% $3,000-5,999
- 7.3% $1-2,999
- 50.5% None