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Pan-Canadian Study of First Year College Students - Report 1 Student Characteristics and the College Experience - August 2007

10. Student Attitudes

Student attitudes can be powerful indicators of future behaviour. If a student has a positive attitude about their educational experience they are likely to continue their studies, if not, they are more likely to leave college (Tinto, 1975). The College Entry and End of Term Surveys used in this study contained Likert-type items drawn or adapted from previous research on students at colleges and institutes (Dietsche, 1990). These items were clustered into the factors listed below that provide insight into student attitudes toward their college education drawn largely from Tinto's (1975) theoretical framework of attrition. The following factors were included in both the college entry and end of term surveys so that changes in their magnitude from entry to end of term could be assessed:

educational commitment;
confidence in success;
occupational uncertainty;
preference for job;
financial concern;
value of postsecondary education;
intent to change program/leave.

The end of term survey also examined the following attitudinal factors that provide more insight into students' attitudes towards their college education based on their experiences during the first term:

peer interaction;
faculty interaction;
perception of institution;
perception of program.

10.1 Educational Commitment

Educational commitment measures students' desire to graduate which is an important influence on decisions to persist or drop out. In order to measure the strength of this attitude, the college entry and end of term surveys asked students about their intent to complete their programs and how important program completion was to them.

Table 7 shows that the vast majority of students who responded to both the college entry and end of term surveys confirmed a strong educational commitment. At college entry, 96 percent agreed that they were determined to finish their college education and 95 percent agreed that it was important to complete their program and obtain a credential. At college entry students were also asked of their intent to quit their studies before finishing their program. Only a small percentage (5 percent) agreed that they might quit their studies before they finished their program.

At the end of the first term, the respondents showed a slightly lower level of educational commitment although it remained very high as 92 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they were determined to finish their program and that completing their program and obtaining a diploma/certificate was important to them. In addition, at the end of first term, 87 percent of students also agreed or strongly agreed that they always do the best they can in whatever they do, and 79 percent agreed or strongly agreed that their studies were one of the most important things in their life.

Table 7. Students' Educational Commitment, 2005
	Agree or Strongly Agree (%)
	At College Entry		At the End of Term
Student Intentions	Agree	Strongly Agree	Agree	Strongly Agree
I am determined to finish my college education	19	77	25	67
It is important that I complete my program and obtain a diploma or certificate	18	77	19	73
Source: College Entry Survey, 2005 and End of Term Survey, 2005

Overall, at the end of the first term, the majority of respondents remained committed to their completing their college/institute program.

80 to 90 percent of students starting college, agreed that they were well prepared and had the ability to succeed in their college/institute programs.

10.2 Levels of Confidence in Succeeding

In terms of students' level of confidence to succeed in college, at the beginning of the first term, the vast majority, 93 percent of respondents, agreed/strongly agreed that they have the ability to succeed in college-level studies. In addition, up to 86 percent of students starting at a college or institute, agreed/strongly agreed that they were well prepared to be a successful student, and 83 percent of respondents agreed/strongly agreed they were capable of a B+ average of 78 percent or better.

This is not overly surprising for two reasons. First, the College Entry Survey was conducted in the first month of classes, before the results of tests and other performance assessments might have been received by students. Second, on most college/institute campuses this time is associated with orientation activities designed to engender positive attitudes and feelings on the part of first-year students. This creates a type of 'honeymoon period' with attendant positive attitudes.

However, no significant change was reported by students who responded to the End of Term Survey. Once again, the overwhelming majority of respondents expressed high levels of confidence for succeeding in their studies. Up to 91 percent of students agreed or strongly agreed that they have the ability to succeed in college level studies, and 89 percent were certain they would obtain a college diploma, certificate or degree. Most respondent students (83 percent) also confirmed agreement that they were capable of attaining a "B+" average or better in their courses, and 82 percent agreed that they were well prepared to be a successful student at their college or institute.

10.3 Occupational Uncertainty

Other research (Dietsche, 1990, Hardesty, 1991) has highlighted the importance of occupational certainty as an influence on student success, persistence and completion, particularly in career-oriented college programs. The College Entry and End of Term Surveys assessed students' degree of certainty about their occupational future and the relevance of their program of study for their future career.

"I wish I had known exactly what it was that a technician does and what exactly a technologist does."

Overall, the results from both the College Entry and End of Term Surveys show that many students who enroll in colleges and institutes view their programs as a pathway to a specific job or career. As shown in Table 8, the majority of respondent students (62 percent at college entry and 79 percent of End of Term survey respondents) chose their program because they had a particular career or job in mind. In general, students also agreed that their program was directly related to their work after graduation, confirmed by 84 percent of college entry survey respondents and 73 percent of end of term survey respondents. At the same time, about one quarter of respondents at both college entry and at the end of first term agreed that they were undecided about what their career will be after their college/institute program is completed.

"I wish I understood what type of career I was getting into."

Overall, the majority of students at college entry and at the end of term preferred to be studying, rather than working.

Respondents' career uncertainty is further substantiated by other findings from both surveys, first because significant numbers of students did not do much career exploration before starting their program, and one third of students confirmed that they are attending their college or institute to help decide on a career. In addition, student comments on what they had wished they had known when they started their program, also confirm that many are uncertain about their future career.

10.4 Preference for a Job

The findings presented in section 8 on students' expectations of college when they begin their programs, showed that almost all students are attending colleges and institutes to obtain the knowledge and skills necessary to access a career. There is a definite 'job' focus to college and institute students and this can create a tension between persisting in a college/institute program of studies and leaving for a job when available. The college entry and end of term surveys examined this tension.

The majority of respondent students at college entry and at the end of first term preferred to be studying rather than working. Only ten percent of college entry survey respondents and slightly more end of term respondents (13 percent) agreed that they would rather be working full time than studying. Even fewer students (only six percent at college entry and seven percent at the end of term) agreed they would leave college for a full-time job if the opportunity arose. The students indicating some preference for work were generally aged 25 years or more. In order to further substantiate this attitude, up to 76 percent of respondents at college entry agreed that they would decide to remain in college even if offered a full-time job, however fewer respondents of the end of term survey felt this way as 63 percent agreed that they would remain in college if offered a full-time job. At the end of first term, there clearly was some tension between these two options as more students, about one quarter, indicated they were undecided on whether they would take a full time job if one was offered.

At the beginning of the first term, finances were not perceived to be a potential trigger for departure for the majority of students.

10.5 Financial Concern

Student attitudes toward college finances were consistent with the results presented in section 9.2 related to concerns about finances. As shown in Table 9, at the end of the first term, respondents seemed to indicate greater financial concern when compared to respondents from the college entry survey. While 58 percent agreed or strongly agreed they would benefit from special help in securing financial aid at the beginning of the term, this increased to 64 percent of respondents at the end of the term. Similarly, 49 percent of college entry respondents confirmed that paying for their education would not be a problem this semester however this dropped to 41 percent of respondents at the end of the term. In terms of financial concerns as a trigger for departure from students' programs, the results are consistent, in that more students at the end of the term, almost one quarter, agreed that financial difficulties may mean they have to leave college, up from 16 percent at college entry.

Table 8. Occupational Uncertainty of Students, 2005
	Agree or Strongly Agree (%)
	At College Entry		At the End of Term
Student Intentions	Agree	Strongly Agree	Agree	Strongly Agree
I have chosen my program because I have a particular career/job in mind	27	35	32	47
I feel my program is directly related to my work after graduation	31	53	36	37
I feel undecided about what my career will be after I finish college	17	7	19	7
Source: College Entry Survey, 2005 and End of Term Survey, 2005

College /institute programs were seen as providing a good foundation for future learning and job opportunities.

10.6 Value of Postsecondary Education

At the end of the term, respondent students confirmed the results from the college entry survey, in that most students saw enormous value in postsecondary education for future learning and employment and for personal development.

For example, 92 percent of college entry survey respondents and 88 percent of end of term survey respondents agreed that attending college creates a good foundation for future learning. Analysis by program type showed that this was true for students registered in all programs not just university preparatory programs as one might expect. In terms of employment opportunities, 89 percent of respondents at college entry and 87 percent at the end of term agreed that college/institute graduates have a better chance of getting a good job than those who do not graduate.

In terms of personal development, 84 percent of respondents at college entry and 80 percent at the end of the term agreed that a college education enhances students' understanding of themselves and develops a person's ability to think critically. In addition, 83 percent of respondents at college entry and 74 percent at the end of term agreed that students' writing skills can be improved as a result of a college education.

The overall impression is that the vast majority of first-year college students believe they are making an investment in their future by pursuing postsecondary studies, perhaps as a result of the importance placed on this activity by their parents discussed in Section 5.5.

10.7 Students' Commitment to their Program of Studies and Institution at College Entry

Whether a student persists in his or her college/institute program is, in part, determined by their level of commitment to their institution (Tinto, 1975). The overall results from the College Entry Survey showed that up to 86 percent of respondent students were committed to their college/ institute program and were determined to finish their studies and graduate.

The vast majority of students agreed that college/institute staff and faculty were friendly and welcoming and cared about helping students overcome problems.

Table 9. Student Attitudes about Financial Concern, 2005
	Agree or Strongly Agree (%)
	At College Entry		At the End of Term
Student Attitudes	Agree	Strongly Agree	Agree	Strongly Agree
I could benefit greatly from special help in securing financial aid for my education.	30	28	29	35
Difficulty financing my studies may mean that I will have to leave college.	11	5	14	10
Paying for my education is not going to be a problem for me this semester.	28	21	26	15
Source: College Entry Survey, 2005 and End of Term Survey, 2005

Almost nine in ten respondents considered their college/institute to be an excellent institution.

The College Entry Survey measured students' commitment to their institution by examining students' perceptions of college/institute staff and the specific institution. Positive perceptions equate to high commitment. The results indicated that Canadian colleges and institutes were very successful in creating a positive relationship with their students from the start. Since the entry survey was conducted during the first month of classes, students' responses would largely reflect perceptions based on their experiences up to that time.

Students' attitudes were very positive towards college/ institute faculty and their institution overall. For example, 92 percent of respondents agreed that college staff was friendly and welcoming and 78 percent agreed that college/ institute staff demonstrated care about helping students overcome problems. In terms of the institution overall, 87 percent agreed they were attending an excellent college or institute and 83 percent agreed that the college/institute is concerned with helping students succeed in their studies.

10.8 Intent to Change Program or Leave at the End of First Term

The first step for any college or institute that is interested in retaining students is to develop the means to identify who is likely to leave the institution, before they do. The end of term survey assessed students' interest in changing their situation, whether this was changing their program or their college.

In terms of students' intent to change programs, the results confirmed that the vast majority of students were not considering a program change. Up to 85 percent of respondents confirmed that they plan to continue in their present program next semester, and ten percent were undecided. About 18 percent of students considered dropping out of their program at least once during the first term, 13 percent were considering transferring to another program at the end of the term, and 11 percent felt that the program is not what they want.

For the most part, the majority of students (85 percent) were intending to remain at their current college or institute and finish the program they were enrolled in. Once again, about one in ten were undecided on whether they will stay on and finish. Only six percent agreed that they may quit their studies before finishing their program.

10.9 Peer Interaction during the First Term

The end of term survey measured the degree to which students interacted with their peers as well as their perceptions about these interactions. Overall, the majority of respondents was engaged in and had positive views about their interactions with peers. For example, up to 86 percent of students agreed that students they know in their program are willing to help each other with problems and two-thirds of students agreed that student friendships in college have helped them cope with stress of college life. In addition, almost four in five respondents agreed that they felt like they "fit in" at their college. A small percentage of students (17 percent) reported experiencing difficulty to meet and make friends with other students.

Two-thirds of students agreed that student friendships in college have helped them cope with stress of college life.

10.10 Students' Interaction with Faculty during the First Term

Students' attitudes towards their experiences with faculty were also assessed by the end of term survey. This was done by examining the degree to which students interacted with faculty and their perceptions of these interactions. An overwhelming majority of respondents confirmed that students were well connected with faculty during the first term. For example up to 82 percent of students agreed that faculty in their program was willing to help with course related problems during the first term. Up to three quarters have developed a good relationship with at least one faculty member and an almost equal number agreed that they received extra help from their teachers when required.

Up to four in five students were very satisfied with their college or institute and would recommend it to other students.

In terms of the impact of faculty on students, well over half of respondents agreed that outside of class discussions with faculty influenced their interest in ideas, and interactions with faculty have helped students better understand their future job. It is clear that faculty had an important influence on first-year college students as early as the end of the first semester.

10.11 Perception of Students' College or Institute

The end of term survey examined students' perceptions of their college or institute overall by looking at students' interactions with college/institute staff as well as their overall satisfaction with their institution.

Overall, students had very positive attitudes about their interactions with college/institute staff as almost nine in ten agreed that college staff have been friendly and welcoming during the first term and 86 percent confirmed that their college or institute is concerned with helping students succeed. More than three quarters of respondents also agreed that college/institute staff care about helping students with problems.

At the end of the first term the vast majority of students also confirmed that they were very satisfied with their institution. Up to four in five students agreed that they considered their college/institute to be excellent and that they would recommend their institution to other students.

10.12 Perception of Program at the End of the First Term

Students' attitudes about their program were also assessed by looking at students perceptions on the usefulness and appeal of their program and confirmation on whether students would recommend the program to other students.

In terms of students perceptions on the usefulness of their program, the vast majority of respondent students confirmed their program to have considerable value for meeting their goals and their future success. For example, 86 percent agreed that their program provided them with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed, and 85 percent felt they were making progress in attaining their college goals. Eighty-two percent also confirmed that the topics covered in their courses are important for their future success. To further confirm this attitude, 84 percent of respondents would recommend their program to other students with the same educational goals.

The majority also confirmed their program had appeal as 86 percent of respondents agreed their program was interesting. More than three quarters of respondents also agreed that their program is delivered in a well organized manner. Nonetheless, up to 18 percent of students agreed that they find it hard to pay attention in most of their classes and an equal percentage were undecided. Previous research has (Dietsche, 1990) has indicated students who respond in this way are often struggling in their courses.

The overall impression is that the vast majority of respondent students at college entry and at the end of first term held positive attitudes towards the value of postsecondary education, their college or institute and their specific program. Students clearly were where they wanted to be in terms of their goals and had confidence that they would be successful in their college/institute program. Although about one quarter expressed some uncertainty about the occupation they would hold upon graduation, most agreed that they had a better chance of getting a good job if they graduated. This was further substantiated by the end of term survey results which confirmed respondents' positive experiences with peers and faculty and staff and their overall high level of satisfaction with their institution and program.

Overall, the majority of students felt their college/institute provided the skills and knowledge needed to succeed and would recommend it to other students with the same goals.

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Date Modified:: 2007-08-29

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