Survey Highlights: 2021 Fall CIRP Freshman Survey
From August 31 to mid-September 2021, the Office of Institutional Analysis invited all new first-year students to take the CIRP Freshman Survey. About 35% of Gettysburg students completed the survey. This was the first time we conducted the survey on line (In prior years, we used the paper surveys and the response rate had been over 90%). Below are select highlights of Gettysburg results (2021 vs. 2019).
Top Reasons for Going to College
Survey Question: "In deciding to go to college, how important to you was each of the following reasons?" (Rating Scale: Not important--Somewhat Important--Very Important). Compared with the Gettysburg Fall 2019 cohort, a notably higher % of Gettysburg Fall 2021 first-year students indicated "To prepare myself for graduate or professional school" as a "Very Important" reason for going to college; a notably lower % indicated "To please my family" as a "Very Important" reason.
| Reason | 2021 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| To please my family | 31% | 38% |
| To make me a more cultured person | 58% | 57% |
| To get training for a specific career | 68% | 69% |
| To prepare myself for graduate or professional school | 70% | 64% |
| To be able to make more money | 73% | 76% |
| To gain a general education and appreciation of ideas | 81% | 80% |
| To learn more about things that interest me | 87% | 86% |
| To be able to get a better job | 90% | 89% |
Top Reasons for Deciding to Attend Gettysburg
Survey Question: "Below are some reasons that might have influenced your decision to attend this particular college. How important was each reason in your decision to come here? (Rating Scale: Not important--Somewhat Important--Very Important). Compared with the Gettysburg Fall 2019 cohort, a notably higher % of Gettysburg Fall 2021 first-year students indicated" The academic reputation of my intended major" as a "Very Important" reason for attending Gettysburg.
| Reason | 2021 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| This college's graduates make a difference in the world | 45% | 44% |
| This college's graduates gain admission to top graduate/professional schools | 49% | 44% |
| This college has a good reputation for its social and extracurricular activities | 56% | 54% |
| The cost of attending this college | 56% | 42% |
| The academic reputation of my intended major | 58% | 47% |
| A visit to this campus | 59% | 64% |
| I wanted to go to a school about the size of this college | 65% | 60% |
| I was offered financial assistance | 69% | 64% |
| This college's graduates get good jobs | 72% | 67% |
| This college has a very good academic reputation | 76% | 75% |
Degree Aspirations
80% of Gettysburg 2021 first-year students planned to attain a Master’s degree or higher.
Note: For the Fall 2021 results, because of the 35% response rate, the margin of error was approximately plus or minus 3.4 ~ 5.7 (depending on the specific survey item).