www.pra.ca [email protected]
INSTITUTIONAL REPORT: 2005 CANADIAN COLLEGE STUDENT SURVEY
Langara College
June 30, 2005
Prepared for:
The Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation and The Canadian College Student Survey Consortium Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 Introduction...... 1 1.1 Objectives ...... 1 1.2 Acknowledgments...... 2 1.3 Methodology...... 4
2.0 Student profile...... 9 2.1 Personal profile...... 9 2.2 Dependents/children ...... 11 2.3 Activities prior to enrolling...... 13 2.4 Academic profile...... 15 2.5 Post-graduation activities...... 17
3.0 Financing college education...... 18 3.1 Sources of financial support...... 18
4.0 Expenditures ...... 24 4.1 Education-related expenses...... 24 4.2 Overview of living expenses...... 25
5.0 Student debt...... 31 5.1 Budgeting...... 31 5.2 Financial problems...... 31 5.3 Anticipated student debt levels ...... 32 5.4 Perceptions of debt...... 34
6.0 Student use of time...... 35 6.1 Time use...... 35 6.2 Summer work...... 39
APPENDIX A QUESTIONNAIRE
APPENDIX B FIELD GUIDE
APPENDIX C DATA CLEANING DECISIONS
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 1 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
1.0 Introduction
The Canadian College Student Survey Consortium (CCSSC) involves the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC), individual participating colleges, and the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation (the Foundation). Established in late 2001, the Consortium conducted its first survey of college students in the spring of 2002.
This is the fourth survey of Canadian college students, involving 23 colleges and more than 8,200 students.
This report summarizes the findings of the fourth annual survey.
1.1 Objectives
While this research is funded by the Foundation, it is a joint effort involving all participating colleges. The research collects data on college students’ academic and sociodemographic profile, income, expenditures, and use of time. The survey is unique in that it provides national-level information on the challenges faced by Canadian college students in terms of financial and access issues.
The objectives of the research are to:
• provide national-level data on student access, time use, and financing for Canadian college students
• identify issues particular to certain learner groups and/or regions
• provide each institution with top-line survey results (based on representative samples of their students), which may then be compared against the “national average.”1
1 This “national average’” is based on the participating colleges and therefore may not be representative of the population of students attending colleges in Canada.
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1.2 Acknowledgments
This research would not have been possible without the participation of over 8,200 college students who completed questionnaires and their instructors, both of whom gave up class time to allow for the completion of the survey. As mentioned, this research is the result of collaboration among colleges in the CCSSC and the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation. At each college, individuals must be acknowledged for their assistance in coordinating the research. These individuals are listed in Table 1 on the next page.
In particular, PRA Inc. would like to recognize Mr. Sean Junor and Ms. Anna Toneguzzo for coordinating the research and working with us to address issues as they arose.
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Table 1: Coordinators for 2005 CCSSC Representative Title College or organization Location Gladys Rangaratnam Dean, Research and Advanced Cambrian College Sudbury, ON Learning James Cooke Dean, Student Services and Capilano College North Vancouver, BC Instructional Services Eva Aboagye Research Officer Centennial College Scarborough, ON John Bowman Director, Student Services College of New Caledonia Prince George, BC Ian Pye Policy, Planning and Research College of the North Atlantic Stephenville, NF Analyst Dianne Teslak Manager, Financial Operations College of the Rockies Cranbrook, BC and Institutional Accountability Brenda Pander-Scott Director, Institutional Research Fleming College Peterborough, ON Marjorie McColm Director of Academic George Brown College Toronto, ON Excellence Alan Vladicka Executive Director, Strategic Grant MacEwan College Edmonton, AB Planning Lucie Boisvert Chef, Appui stratégique et La Cité Collégiale Ottawa, ON logistique Larry Xiong Coordinator, Institutional Langara College Vancouver, BC Research Karen O’Dwyer Director, Centre for Teaching Lethbridge Community Lethbridge, AB and Learning College Hélène Martin Consultant, Development New Brunswick Community Fredericton, NB Branch College/ Collége Communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick Jeff Donnelly Manager Northern Alberta Institute of Edmonton, AB Technology Bryon Zanyk Coordinator of Institutional North West Regional North Battleford, SK Development College Stephanie Forsyth President Northwest Community Terrace, BC College Sue Drapeau Director, Institutional Research Nova Scotia Community Halifax, NS College Julius Salegio Institutional Research Officer Olds College Olds, AB Gerlinde Sarkar Director, Planning, Research Saskatchewan Institute of Saskatoon, SK and Development Applied Sciences and Technology (SIAST) Harry Decock Chair, GAS Strategic Planning Seneca College Willowdale, ON Cheryl Dahl Director, Student Services University College of the Abbotsford, BC Fraser Valley Dawn Macdonald Institutional Research and Yukon College Whitehorse, YK Planning Officer Anna Toneguzzo Senior Program Officer Association of Canadian Ottawa, ON Community Colleges Sean Junor Policy and Research Officer Canada Millennium Montréal, QC Scholarship Foundation
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1.3 Methodology
In late 2001, Consortium members met to develop a survey and to establish a methodological approach. The Consortium then recruited a consultant to finalize the survey instrument, coordinate the data collection, analyze the data, and report on the survey findings.
This year, Consortium members reviewed the questionnaire and made a number of modifications to simplify question wording. Since the questionnaire has been tested previously, a pre-test was not conducted. Based on student responses, it does not appear that students had particular difficulty with any of the questions. A copy of the questionnaire appears in Appendix A.
Some 23 colleges participated in this year’s survey. Each participating college provided PRA with an estimate of its population of students, distributed by program type. PRA then constructed a sampling strategy for each college based on its current enrolment. This care strategy was based on a target sample of 450 completes among larger institutions (with 1,500 students or more) and 300 among smaller institutions (with fewer than 1,500 students).
PRA modified the field guide (see Appendix B) to reflect slight changes in this year’s survey. As well, the guide was modified for each participating college to reflect its particular sampling needs. The guide provided the colleges with instructions for the distribution of the surveys and outlined the colleges’ other responsibilities.
PRA distributed packages to each participating college, which included:
• a cover letter with general instructions
• the field guide
• blank questionnaires for distribution in class.
Colleges were responsible for choosing the classes to be surveyed in accordance with a predetermined sampling strategy by program type and campus. At each college, survey coordinators were responsible for contacting instructors to alert them to the need for class time, distributing the survey, collecting the completed questionnaires, and returning them to PRA.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 5 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
To ensure questionnaires were assigned to the correct college, each questionnaire had an ID number attached to it, and specific ranges of survey ID numbers were assigned to each college.
Upon return, the questionnaires were reviewed to verify that students filled them out correctly. PRA recorded the ID numbers of all completed questionnaires returned and then sent them for scanning. Any problems identified during the scanning process were reviewed.
The scanned data was transferred to SPSS for further cleaning. Out of range values and outliers were checked against the original questionnaire. Decisions were made regarding illogical or other data issues (see Appendix C).
1.3.1 Field guide
To ensure consistency in the administration of the surveys, a field guide was developed in 2001. This field guide was used again this year with few modifications.
The field guide contained:
• a schedule outlining the timing of the survey
• suggestions for the random selection of classes in which to administer the survey
• survey instruction for individuals responsible for administering the survey
• a reporting template and instructions as to where to send completed questionnaires.
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1.3.2 Sampling methodology
In 2003, it was decided that the number of questionnaires to be completed by each institution could be standardized. This practice was followed again this year.
As previously mentioned, larger colleges were asked to achieve a goal of 450 completed questionnaires. Such a target would provide most institutions with a theoretical error rate of +/-4.5%, 19 times out of 20.
Smaller colleges were asked to complete 300 surveys in order to achieve a similar theoretical error rate.
Table 2 shows the population and returned sample for each participating college by program.
Table 2: Program strata, population, and sample Access/ Career/ University Post/Advanced Degree Total Upgrading Technical Prep/Transfer Diploma Program Pop Smp Pop Smp Pop Smp Pop Smp Pop Smp Pop Smp Capilano College 238 13 1,931 105 2,988 85 80 9 585 2 5,822 214 College of New Caledonia 350 62 1,054 164 1,208 203 0 0 0 0 2,612 429 College of the Rockies 379 9 823 112 240 43 0 3 0 25 1,442 192 Langara College 0 10 1,797 156 6,423 280 0 12 0 7 8,220 465 Northwest Community College 615 49 536 38 281 45 0 2 0 3 1,432 137 University College of the 492 23 858 20 3,541 49 0 18 1,731 252 6,622 362 Fraser Valley Yukon College 258 86 261 74 236 21 0 6 61 49 816 236 Grant MacEwan College 1,021 44 4,367 176 5,019 190 0 5 410 13 10,817 428 Lethbridge Community College 371 27 4,190 283 0 42 1 47 218 71 4,780 470 NAIT 203 0 6,310 187 0 0 0 10 306 13 6,819 210 Olds College 41 3 1,031 237 0 1 0 63 48 31 1,120 335 North West Regional College 485 107 691 96 129 19 0 2 0 18 1,305 242 SIAST 2,191, 64 5,540 279 520 3 0 18 0 25 8,251 389 Cambrian College 216 21 3,963 365 0 0 31 20 181 23 4,391 429 Centennial College 157 2 10,790 212 335 11 159 48 357 20 11,798 293 Fleming College 30 5 4,908 313 0 10 143 32 0 18 5,081 378 George Brown College 449 20 11,048 344 283 0 421 20 442 23 12,643 407 La Cité Collégiale 225 25 2,925 241 0 5 0 16 50 3 3,200 290 Seneca College 43 0 16,916 326 431 18 635 28 300 21 18,325 393 Collége Communautaire du 352 76 1,640 346 0 0 0 1 0 0 1,992 423 Nouveau-Brunswick (French campuses) College of the North Atlantic 1,411 64 5,395 327 315 28 0 15 0 0 7,121 434 New Brunswick Community 385 49 3,030 359 0 0 0 6 0 9 3,415 423 College (English campuses) Nova Scotia Community 1,088 71 7,231 445 0 1 176 88 0 3 8,495 608 College Overall 11,000 830 97,235 5,205 21,949 1,054 1,646 469 4,689 629 136,519 8,187 % of total 8% 10% 71% 64% 16% 13% 1% 6% 3% 8% 100% 100% Note: Some students did not indicate which type of program they are currently enrolled in. Also, note that, the population excludes students enrolled in apprenticeship courses, non-credit courses, and courses delivered on contract to specific employers. Additionally, some colleges opted not to survey all of their campuses. Thus, population figures are based only on the campuses surveyed.
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1.3.3 Survey returns
Colleges conducted the survey at various times that best suited their internal needs. In most cases, survey packages were distributed near the end of January 2005 and surveys were administered between early February and mid-April 2005.
In total, 8,240 students from 23 colleges completed surveys. Note that while several colleges in Quebec initially agreed to participate in the 2005 survey, a student strike prevented them from doing so. For this reason, every reported national average excludes Quebec students.
Table 3 shows the population, the number of completed questionnaires, and the theoretical error rate. The error rate for individual colleges ranges from +/- 3.7% to 7.5%, 19 times out of 20. Overall, the error rate is +/-1.0%.
Table 3: Sample size and theoretical error rate Theoretical Actual College Population error rate completions (19 times out of 20) British Columbia and Territories Capilano College 5,822 217 ±6.4% College of New Caledonia 2,612 430 ±3.9% College of the Rockies 1,442 194 ±6.1% Langara College 8,220 469 ±4.3% Northwest Community College 1,432 139 ±7.5% University College of the Fraser Valley 6,622 364 ±4.9% Yukon College 816 237 ±4.5% Alberta Grant MacEwan College 10,817 428 ±4.5% Lethbridge Community College 4,780 474 ±4.1% NAIT 6,819 211 ±6.5% Olds College 1,120 338 ±3.7% Saskatchewan North West Regional College 1,305 246 ±5.1% SIAST 8,251 391 ±4.7% Ontario Cambrian College 4,391 430 ±4.3% Centennial College 11,798 295 ±5.6% Fleming College 5,081 383 ±4.6% George Brown College 12,643 408 ±4.7% La Cité Collégiale 3,200 293 ±5.2% Seneca College 18,325 393 ±4.8% Atlantic Collége Communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (French 1,992 423 ±3.8% campuses) College of the North Atlantic 7,121 440 ±4.4% New Brunswick Community College (English campuses) 3,415 424 ±4.2% Nova Scotia Community College 8,495 613 ±3.7% Overall 136,519 8,240 ±1.0%
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1.3.4 Reporting
The analysis presented in this report excludes non-responses (unless otherwise specified). As such, the reported sample size (n) fluctuates throughout the report.
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2.0 Student profile
In this section, we provide a profile of students including a demographic profile, an academic profile, and college and post- college plans.
2.1 Personal profile
In 2005, the typical college student is:
• Female. In 2005, more than half (56%) of respondents are female.
• 24 years of age. In fact, almost 3 students in 4 (72%) are 24 years of age or younger.
• English. Almost 9 students in 10 (86%) report that English is their primary language.
• Single. About 3 students in 4 (75 %) report being single.
About 1 student in 10 says that s/he is of Aboriginal ancestry, is a member of a visible minority, or has a disability (11% each).
See Table 4.
Table 4: Personal profile All colleges Langara College (n=8,240) (n=469) Gender Q26 Female 56% 57% Male 44% 43% Age Q27 19 and under 27% 31% 20 to 24 45% 50% 25 to 29 12% 12% 30 to 39 10% 4% 40 or over 7% 3% Average age (years) 24.1 22.4 Primary language Q32 English 86% 83% French 9% <1% Other 5% 16% Marital status Q31 Married or with long-term partner 25% 14% Single (incl. divorced/separated) 75% 86% Disability Q33 Total self-identified 11% 13% Visible minority Q35 Total self-identified 11% 22% Aboriginal status Q34 Total self-identified 11% 3% Note: The 'no responses' have been removed; therefore, the number of respondents fluctuates for each question. The reported n-size represents the total number of students surveyed.
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2.1.1 Living arrangements
Almost 6 students in 10 live independently, most often in off- campus, rented accommodations (42%), but also in personally owned homes (11%) or on campus (5%).
It appears that some students may be choosing to attend colleges that are slightly further from their homes. In 2005, about 41% of students report travelling less than 25 kilometres to get to their college, while some 45% report travelling 50 kilometres or more. In previous years, 39% of students or fewer reported travelling 50 kilometres or more to college.
See Table 5.
Table 5: Living arrangements All colleges Langara College (n=8,240) (n=469) Current living arrangements Q30 With parents 40% 61% In off-campus rental accommodations 42% 33% In personally owned home 11% 3% In on-campus housing 5% <1% Other 3% 3% Distance of permanent home from college Q29 Less than 25 km 41% 59% 25 to 49 km 15% 16% 50 to 99 km 11% 8% 100 to 499 km 20% 4% 500 km or more 14% 14% Note: The 'no responses' have been removed; therefore, the number of respondents fluctuates for each question. The reported n-size represents the total number of students surveyed.
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2.2 Dependents/children
Table 6 shows that in 2005:
• Over one-fifth (22%) of respondents report having at least one dependent,2 including 17% who report having at least one dependent child.
• Less than one-tenth (7%) report being responsible for an adult dependent.3
Table 6: Dependents All colleges Langara College (n=8,240) (n=469) Any dependents 22% 6% Children Q36 17% 3% Adult dependents Q37 7% 4% Note: The 'no responses' have been removed; therefore, the number of respondents fluctuates for each question. The reported n-size represents the total number of students surveyed.
2 Dependent children were defined as children for whom you are financially responsible. 3 An adult dependent was defined as an adult who requires your financial aid or support and who resides with you.
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2.2.1 Level of education of students’ parents
Among these college students:
• Some 61% of students report that at least one parent has at least some post-secondary education.
• Slightly less than half the students report that their fathers’ (45%) and mothers’ (47%) highest level of education is high school or less.
See Table 7.
Table 7: Highest level of parents' education All colleges Langara College (n=8,240) (n=469) Father Q40 Less than high school 23% 16% High school diploma 22% 20% College/technical institute 16% 13% Apprenticeship/trade certification 9% 5% University 20% 38% Don't know 10% 8% Mother Q41 Less than high school 18% 13% High school diploma 29% 19% College/technical institute 23% 24% Apprenticeship/trade certification 3% 2% University 20% 36% Don't know 8% 6% Note: The 'no responses' have been removed; therefore, the number of respondents fluctuates for each question. The reported n-size represents the total number of students surveyed.
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2.3 Activities prior to enrolling
In the 12-month period prior to enrolling in their current year of studies, about 2 students in 3 report pursuing academic activities.4
In 2005, most commonly, students report that they were:
• Attending high school. About 1 student in 4 was in high school either full (21%) or part-time (1%).
• Attending a post-secondary institution. Almost 4 students in 10 were attending college (29%) or university (8%), typically on a full-time basis.
Just over 1 student in 3 reports that s/he was not involved in academic activities in the 12 months prior to enrolling in his/her current program. See Table 8.
Table 8: Academic activities - 12 months prior to current year of studies Q7/Q8 All colleges Langara College (n=8,240) (n=469) Attended high school 23% 23% Full-time 21% 22% Part-time 1% <1% Attended GED/academic upgrading 5% 2% Full-time 3% <1% Part-time 2% 2% Attended college 29% 42% Full-time 26% 32% Part-time 3% 10% Attended university 8% 9% Full-time 7% 8% Part-time 1% 1% Not involved in academics 35% 23% Note: The 'no responses' have been removed; therefore, the number of respondents fluctuates for each question. The reported n-size represents the total number of students surveyed.
4 This question changed slightly from 2004, when it read “Which of the following best describes your main academic activity in the 12-month period prior to enrolling in your current year of studies?”
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In the 12 months prior to their current year of studies, college students were also undertaking other non-academic activities.
• Almost 7 students in 10 were working, either full time (39%) or part time (26%).
• Just over 1 student in 10 was unemployed, including 7% who were currently seeking work.
• The remaining students were full-time students (14%), homemakers (4%), or working in a co-op program or internship (1%).
See Table 9.
Table 9: Non-academic activities - 12 months prior to enrollment Q9 All colleges Langara College (n=8,148) (n=464) Working 66% 63% Full-time 39% 27% Part-time 26% 36% Unemployed 11% 16% But seeking work 7% 8% Not seeking work 5% 8% Co-op/practicum/internship <1% <1% Full-time homemaker/caring for family members 4% 2% Retired <1% <1% Other 4% 4% Not applicable - full-time student only 14% 16% Note: Responses are not mutually exclusive and therefore will not sum to 100%.
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2.4 Academic profile
We asked students a series of questions about their current academic program.
2.4.1 Program type
The most common type of program – this year representing 64% of students – is career or technical. Conversely, fewer students report enrolment in a university preparation or transfer program (13%).
See Table 10.
Table 10: Program type Q2 All colleges Langara College (n=8,187) (n=465) Career/technical 64% 34% University prep./transfer 13% 60% Access/upgrading 10% 2% Degree program 8% 2% Post/advanced diploma 6% 3% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
As shown in Table 11:
• Almost all college students (95%) are enrolled full-time in their program.
• About 6 students in 10 (63%) are enrolled in a program that takes more than two years to complete, including one- quarter who say their program will take more than three years to complete. Few students (10%) are in a program that is four years or more in length.
• Some 6 students in 10 (62%) have been in their program for less than two years, including 39% who have yet to complete their first year.
• Just over 3 students in 4 (76%) have never interrupted their post-secondary studies.
• At the time of the survey, almost 6 students in 10 (57%) expected to complete their program within two years, including 1 in 3 (33%) who has less than one year left.
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• As expected, some 9 students in 10 (90%) report having at least a high school diploma or equivalent.
Table 11: Academic profile All colleges Langara College (n=8,240) (n=469) Enrollment status Q1 Full-time 95% 90% Part-time 5% 10% Length of program Q3 Less than 1 year 18% 12% One year to 23 months 19% 23% Two years to 35 months 39% 42% Three years to 47 months 14% 14% Four years or more 10% 9% How long has it been since starting at a post-secondary institution Q4 Less than 1 year 39% 27% One year to 23 months 23% 27% Two years to 35 months 16% 18% Three years to 47 months 8% 10% Four years or more 14% 18% Length of interrupted studies Q5 Never interrupted studies 76% 63% Less than 1 year 9% 17% One year to 23 months 6% 11% Two years to 35 months 3% 4% Three years to 47 months 2% 2% Four years or more 4% 3% Expected time to program completion Q6 Less than 1 year 33% 10% One year to 23 months 24% 16% Two years to 35 months 17% 24% Three years to 47 months 12% 27% Four years or more 14% 24% Highest grade completed before starting current program Q38 Less than Grade 9 3% <1% Some high school credits completed 8% 4% High school diploma or equivalent 90% 95% Note: The 'no responses' have been removed; therefore, the number of respondents fluctuates for each question. The reported n-size represents the total number of students surveyed.
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2.5 Post-graduation activities
We asked students about their plans once they graduate from their current college program.
After graduating, students plan to:
• Work. About 6 students in 10 plan to be working (61%). Most commonly, they will be seeking employment (55%), although some will continue working at their current job (3%) or start their own business (3%).
• Continue their education. Just over 1 student in 3 (35%) plans to continue his/her education, most commonly by taking a university program (22%), although some plan to take another college program (13%).
See Table 12.
Table 12: Activities after graduation Q10 All colleges Langara College (n=8,205) (n=468) Employment Seek employment 55% 27% Continue working at job 3% <1% Start own business 3% 2% Education Take a university program 22% 59% Take another college program 13% 7% Other 3% 4% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
As Table 13 shows, the majority of students (85%) are at least somewhat confident that they will obtain a job related to their current field of study. This includes 45% who are very confident.
Table 13: Confident will obtain job related to current field of study Q11 All colleges Langara College (n=8,216) (n=465) Very confident 45% 28% Somewhat confident 40% 45% Not very confident 7% 12% Not at all confident 2% 5% Not sure/not applicable 6% 11% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
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3.0 Financing college education
In this section, we report on how college students finance their education including sources of income and support.
3.1 Sources of financial support
We asked students to indicate the approximate amount of money they have received or will receive from 12 different sources over the course of their current year of studies.
Almost all (99%) report drawing money from at least one of these sources. Most (87%) will draw on two or more of these sources.
In 2005:
• Some 87% depend on money they have personally secured, most commonly from work income (69%) and personal savings (53%).
• Some 59% draw money from their family. This was similar to 2004, when 60% of respondents received money from at least one family member.
• Some 52% receive money from a government program, most commonly a government student loan (31%).
See Table 14.
Table 14: Sources of financial support Q12 All colleges Langara College (n=8,187) (n=468) Personal Work income 69% 71% Personal savings 53% 62% Line of credit/bank loan 23% 13% Academic scholarship 23% 16% Family Money from family 59% 72% Government Government student loan 31% 24% Government grant/bursary 13% 10% Employment Insurance 11% 4% Training grant 7% 3% Social/Income Assistance 5% 3% Indian and Northern Affairs 4% 3% Government disability benefits 4% 3% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
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3.1.1 Personal sources
Most students (87%) rely on at least one personal source of income over the course of their current year of studies. See Tables 15 to 18.
• As mentioned, the single most common source of financial support comes from working (whether from a summer or current job), with 36% of students identifying it as their main source of income. Among those who report drawing on money from work, most (64%) report that it contributes over $2,000.
Table 15: Amount received from work income Q12 All colleges Langara College (n=8,187) (n=468) $0 31% 29% $1 to $1,000 14% 18% $1,001 to $2,000 11% 13% $2,001 to $4,000 15% 16% $4,001 to $7,000 12% 10% $7,001 to $10,000 8% 6% Over $10,000 9% 7% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
• More than half of students report using money from personal savings. Among those drawing on this source, most (68%) report using $2,000 or less.
Table 16: Amount received from personal savings Q12 All colleges Langara College (n=8,187) (n=468) $0 47% 38% $1 to $1,000 26% 32% $1,001 to $2,000 10% 11% $2,001 to $4,000 8% 9% $4,001 to $7,000 4% 4% $7,001 to $10,000 2% 3% Over $10,000 3% 3% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
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• About 1 in 4 students will receive money from an academic scholarship; almost all who (94%) received a scholarship say it was for $4,000 or less, and 59% say it was for $1,000 or less.
Table 17: Amount received from academic scholarship/bursary Q12 All colleges Langara College (n=8,187) (n=468) $0 77% 84% $1 to $1,000 13% 11% $1,001 to $2,000 5% 2% $2,001 to $4,000 3% 2% $4,001 to $7,000 <1% <1% $7,001 to $10,000 <1% - Over $10,000 <1% 1% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
• Almost 1 student in 4 uses a personal bank loan or line of credit. Of those who use a personal loan or line of credit, 58% say it was for more than $4,000.
Table 18: Amount received from personal bank loan Q12 All colleges Langara College (n=8,187) (n=468) $0 77% 87% $1 to $1,000 4% 5% $1,001 to $2,000 3% 2% $2,001 to $4,000 3% 2% $4,001 to $7,000 5% 1% $7,001 to $10,000 4% 1% Over $10,000 3% 1% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
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3.1.2 Family support
Table 19 shows the overall contribution of family support.
• Some 6 students in 10 report using financial support from their family (59%).
• About 58% of students who report receiving money from their family received $2,000 or less. However, 17% of those using this source say they received over $7,000.
Table 19: Amount received from family Q12 All colleges Langara College (n=8,187) (n=468) $0 41% 28% $1 to $1,000 25% 26% $1,001 to $2,000 10% 11% $2,001 to $4,000 9% 13% $4,001 to $7,000 7% 6% $7,001 to $10,000 3% 5% Over $10,000 6% 10% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
3.1.3 Government support
More than half of students (52%) report receiving money from government sources. See Tables 20 to 22.
• Student loans are the most common type of government income, with 3 students in 10 using this source. About 87% of those with a student loan report that they received over $2,000, including over 68% who report receiving over $4,000.
Table 20: Amount received from government student loans Q12 All colleges Langara College (n=8,187) (n=468) $0 69% 76% $1 to $1,000 2% 2% $1,001 to $2,000 2% 1% $2,001 to $4,000 6% 6% $4,001 to $7,000 9% 5% $7,001 to $10,000 8% 7% Over $10,000 4% 3% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
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• About 1 student in 10 reports receiving a government grant/bursary (13%) or employment insurance (11%). Some 59% of students using a government grant or bursary report receiving $2,000 or less. Conversely, about 64% of students using employment insurance report receiving more than $2,000.
Table 21: Amount received from government grants or employment insurance Q12 All colleges Langara College (n=8,187) (n=468) Government grant/bursary $0 87% 90% $1 to $1,000 5% 5% $1,001 to $2,000 3% 3% $2,001 to $4,000 3% 1% $4,001 to $7,000 1% <1% $7,001 to $10,000 <1% <1% Over $10,000 <1% <1% Employment insurance $0 89% 96% $1 to $1,000 3% 3% $1,001 to $2,000 1% - $2,001 to $4,000 2% <1% $4,001 to $7,000 2% <1% $7,001 to $10,000 2% <1% Over $10,000 2% <1% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 23 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
• Less than 1 student in 10 reports receiving each of training grants, social assistance, Aboriginal sponsorships, or disability benefits.
Table 22: Amount received from government assistance programs Q12 All colleges Langara College (n=8,187) (n=468) Training grant $0 93% 97% $1 to $1,000 1% 1% $1,001 to $2,000 1% <1% $2,001 to $4,000 1% - $4,001 to $7,000 1% <1% $7,001 to $10,000 <1% <1% Over $10,000 1% <1% SA/IA $0 95% 97% $1 to $1,000 2% 1% $1,001 to $2,000 <1% <1% $2,001 to $4,000 <1% - $4,001 to $7,000 <1% - $7,001 to $10,000 <1% <1% Over $10,000 <1% <1% Funding for Aboriginals $0 96% 97% $1 to $1,000 <1% <1% $1,001 to $2,000 <1% <1% $2,001 to $4,000 <1% <1% $4,001 to $7,000 <1% <1% $7,001 to $10,000 <1% <1% Over $10,000 <1% <1% Disability benefits $0 96% 97% $1 to $1,000 <1% <1% $1,001 to $2,000 <1% 1% $2,001 to $4,000 <1% - $4,001 to $7,000 <1% <1% $7,001 to $10,000 <1% <1% Over $10,000 <1% <1% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 24 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
4.0 Expenditures
In this section, we report on students’ monthly expenditures on both education-related expenses and living expenses.
4.1 Education-related expenses
As Table 23 shows, almost all students (97%) report spending something on tuition and mandatory fees for their current year of studies.
• In 2005, almost 8 students in 10 (79%) say they pay $5,000 or less for tuition.
• Less than 1 student in 10 (6%) reports paying $7,500 or more.
Table 23: Annual tuition and mandatory fees Q14 All colleges Langara College (n=8,169) (n=466) $0 3% - $1 to $500 4% 2% $501 to $1,000 4% 9% $1,001 to $2,500 21% 36% $2,501 to $3,500 30% 26% $3,501 to $5,000 20% 14% $5,001 to $7,500 11% 8% Over $7,500 6% 7% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
4.1.1 Books and education-related equipment
As Table 24 shows, almost all students (97%) report spending something on books, education-related equipment, and supplies. Results for 2005 are almost identical to those for 2004.
• Some 76% report spending $1,000 or less, including 30% who report spending $500 or less.
Table 24: Books, education-related equipment and supplies Q15 All colleges Langara College (n=8,173) (n=466) $0 3% <1% $1 to $200 8% 5% $201 to $500 22% 31% $501 to $750 26% 27% $751 to $1,000 20% 18% $1,001 to $1,500 11% 8% $1,501 to $2,000 6% 8% Over $2,000 4% 3% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 25 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
4.2 Overview of living expenses
We asked students to indicate how much they spend in an average month on 11 types of living expenses. Table 25 shows the percentage of students who report spending at least something on each type of living expense.
• About 9 students in 10 report some monthly expenditure on: clothing and personal incidentals, food, entertainment, and transportation.
• Some 8 in 10 report spending on living accommodations.
• Almost 3 in 4 report spending money on utilities not included in their rent.
• About half made personal debt payments, and a similar number report making medical payments.
• Just over 7 in 10 report making contributions to savings.
• Few report spending on daycare, child support, or alimony payments.
Table 25: Monthly expenses Q16/Q17 All colleges Langara College (n=8,240) (n=469) Clothing and personal incidentals 95% 95% Food 94% 95% Transportation 89% 95% Entertainment 89% 94% Living accommodations (Q16) 80% 67% Utilities not included in rent 72% 67% Personal debt payment 55% 49% Medical 52% 53% Contributions to savings 24% 25% Daycare 9% 3% Child support/alimony payments 3% 1% Note: The 'no responses' have been removed; therefore, the number of respondents fluctuates for each question. The reported n-size represents the total number of students surveyed.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 26 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
4.2.1 Accommodation
Although not all students have rent or a mortgage to pay, for those who do, it is likely the single largest monthly expense. Overall,
• Almost 7 students in 10 are paying $1,000 or less each month in rent or mortgage payments, including almost 4 students in 10 who are paying $500 or less.
• About 1 student in 10 is paying more than $1,000 a month for living accommodations.
• About 1 student in 5 does not have monthly accommodation expenses.
See Table 26.
Table 26: Monthly accommodation expenses Q16 All colleges Langara College (n=8,171) (n=466) $0 20% 33% $1 to $500 38% 31% $501 to $1,000 31% 26% $1,001 to $1,500 6% 7% Over $1,500 5% 3% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 27 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
4.2.2 Other living expenses
Tables 27 to 30 present the other living expenses reported by students.
• As mentioned, spending on clothing and personal items is one of the most common expenses that students report. The vast majority of students (79%) report spending $100 or less in an average month, including about half (49%) who spend $50 or less.
Table 27: Monthly clothing and personal incidental expenses Q17 All colleges Langara College (n=8,208) (n=469) $0 5% 5% $1 to $50 49% 43% $51 to $100 30% 31% $101 to $200 11% 14% $201 to $400 3% 3% Over $400 1% 3% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
• Monthly expenditures on food tend to be higher with about half (55%) typically spending over $100. Surprisingly, 6% report spending no money on food each month.
Table 28: Monthly food expenses Q17 All colleges Langara College (n=8,208) (n=469) $0 6% 5% $1 to $50 15% 18% $51 to $100 23% 26% $101 to $200 28% 26% $201 to $400 20% 20% Over $400 7% 5% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 28 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
• Similarly, expenditures on entertainment are common, but, as with clothing, most (77%) spend $100 or less on such activities in an average month, including about half (53%) who spend $50 or less.
Table 29: Monthly entertainment expenses Q17 All colleges Langara College (n=8,208) (n=469) $0 11% 6% $1 to $50 53% 52% $51 to $100 24% 28% $101 to $200 9% 9% $201 to $400 2% 2% Over $400 <1% 2% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
• For some, transportation can be a large expense. While half the students spend $100 or less (52%), many (37%) report spending over $100 per month. This is also the case with utilities; almost as many (36%) report spending over $100.
Table 30: Other monthly expenses Q17 All colleges Langara College (n=8,208) (n=469) Transportation $0 11% 5% $1 to $50 22% 25% $51 to $100 30% 47% $101 to $200 20% 15% $201 to $400 11% 4% Over $400 6% 3% Utilities $0 28% 33% $1 to $50 15% 20% $51 to $100 20% 23% $101 to $200 19% 18% $201 to $400 12% 4% Over $400 5% 1% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 29 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
Half of responding students, or less, report spending on other monthly expenses in a typical month. See Tables 31 to 33.
• Typically, more students make debt payments than save money monthly. More than half of all students report monthly debt payments, while less than one-quarter report any savings in a typical month. Many students (28%) report debt payments of over $100 per month, while few (6%) report comparable savings.
Table 31: Monthly financial expenses Q17 All colleges Langara College (n=8,208) (n=469) Debt payment $0 45% 51% $1 to $50 12% 9% $51 to $100 14% 14% $101 to $200 12% 10% $201 to $400 8% 10% Over $400 8% 6% Savings $0 76% 75% $1 to $50 12% 11% $51 to $100 6% 7% $101 to $200 3% 3% $201 to $400 1% 1% Over $400 2% 3% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
• Among those who typically have medical expenses in a month, most report spending $50 or less.
Table 32: Monthly medical expenses Q17 All colleges Langara College (n=8,208) (n=469) $0 48% 47% $1 to $50 37% 37% $51 to $100 10% 13% $101 to $200 3% 3% $201 to $400 1% <1% Over $400 <1% <1% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 30 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
• Few students report daycare and child support expenditures. About 3 students in 4 with daycare expenses (7% overall) spend over $100 a month.
Table 33: Monthly family expenses Q17 All colleges Langara College (n=8,208) (n=469) Daycare $0 91% 97% $1 to $50 1% 1% $51 to $100 1% - $101 to $200 2% <1% $201 to $400 2% <1% Over $400 3% <1% Child support/alimony $0 97% 99% $1 to $50 <1% - $51 to $100 <1% <1% $101 to $200 <1% <1% $201 to $400 <1% - Over $400 <1% <1% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 31 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
5.0 Student debt
In this section, we report on students’ debt situation, including estimates of their debt now and by the time they graduate from their current program.
5.1 Budgeting
The vast majority of students report following some form of a budget (84%). Some 16% of students say they do not follow a budget at all. See Table 34.
Table 34: Follow a budget Q13 All colleges Langara College (n=8,020) (n=455) Yes 31% 23% Somewhat 53% 62% No 16% 15% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
5.2 Financial problems
About 1 student in 5 reports that he or she had to either discontinue his or her studies or reduce his or her course load due to a lack of money. Indeed, 7% report having to do both. See Table 35.
Table 35: Impact of lack of money on education All colleges Langara College (n=8,240) (n=469) Discontinue studies due to lack of money Q22 12% 16% Reduced course load due to lack of money Q23 15% 27% Either/both 20% 29% Note: The 'no responses' have been removed; therefore, the number of respondents fluctuates for each question. The reported n-size represents the total number of students surveyed.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 32 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
5.3 Anticipated student debt levels
We asked students how much education-related debt, such as student loans or other related loans/debts, they have accumulated during their studies so far.
In 2005, more than half of the students report some level of debt.
• Overall, 34% report debt of $10,000 or less, while 21% report debt of over $10,000.
• Slightly more students reported having at least some debt in 2005 (56%) than in 2004 (50%) and 2003 (50%).5
See Table 36.
Table 36: Accumulated education-related debt Q18 All colleges Langara College (n=8,144) (n=453) None 44% 61% Less than $5,000 17% 15% $5,001 to $10,000 17% 11% 10,001 to $15,000 8% 6% $15,001 to $30,000 10% 6% Over $30,000 3% 1% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
We asked students how much education-related debt they believe they will have by the time of graduation or program completion.
Overall, some 61% of students anticipate having at least some debt by the time they graduate.
• About 3 students in 10 expect debt of $10,000 or less, while 1 in 3 expects that it will be over $10,000.
Overall, 61% of students also expect to have student debt that they will need to repay once they graduate.
• About 1 student in 4 (44% of those anticipating debt) expects to be able to pay off any education-related debt within three years of graduating.
• About 1 in 6 (24% of those anticipating debt) think that they will be able to pay off their debt in four to seven years,
5 Likely this is due to the fact that no Quebec colleges participated this year.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 33 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
while roughly 1 in 10 (18% of those anticipating debt) believes it will take 8 years or more to pay off.
• About 1 student in 10 is anticipating debt, but does not know how long it will take to pay off.
See Table 37.
Table 37: Anticipated debt All colleges Langara College (n=8,240) (n=469) Anticipated education-related debt Q19 No debt anticipated 39% 47% Less than $5,000 14% 15% $5,001 to $10,000 14% 9% 10,001 to $15,000 9% 7% $15,001 to $30,000 16% 14% Over $30,000 8% 9% Anticipated number of years required to repay student debt Q20 No debt anticipated 39% 46% 3 years or less 25% 22% 4 to 7 years 15% 12% 8 to 11 years 7% 4% More than 11 years 4% 5% Don't know 11% 12% Note: The 'no responses' have been removed; therefore, the number of respondents fluctuates for each question. The reported n-size represents the total number of students surveyed.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 34 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
5.4 Perceptions of debt
Among all students:
• About 7 students in 10 (71%) are at least mildly concerned about having enough funding to complete their college education. This includes 30% who are very concerned. On the other hand, 27% are not at all concerned with having enough funding to complete their education.
• Almost 7 students in 10 (69%) are at least mildly concerned about the amount of debt they estimate that they will incur, including 35% who are very concerned.
• Some 6 in 10 (62%) are at least mildly concerned with their ability to repay the debt within a reasonable amount of time, including 30% who are very concerned.
See Table 38.
Table 38: Concern about debt Q21 All colleges Langara College (n=8,240) (n=469) Having enough funding to complete college education Very concerned 30% 32% Moderately concerned 20% 23% Mildly concerned 21% 21% Not at all concerned 27% 22% Don't know 2% 2% Amount of debt you estimate you will incur Very concerned 35% 33% Moderately concerned 18% 18% Mildly concerned 16% 16% Not at all concerned 28% 28% Don't know 4% 5% The amount of time it will take to repay your student debt Very concerned 30% 26% Moderately concerned 18% 20% Mildly concerned 14% 15% Not at all concerned 32% 32% Don't know 5% 7% Note: The 'no responses' have been removed; therefore, the number of respondents fluctuates for each question. The reported n-size represents the total number of students surveyed.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 35 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
6.0 Student use of time
In this final section, we report on students’ use of time, both in and out of class.
6.1 Time use
We asked students about their time spent on four education-related activities and four non-education-related activities.
Education-related activities
In a typical week:
• Almost all students (92%) attend scheduled classes and/or labs.
• Over 8 in 10 (83%) spend time on academic work outside of classes and labs.
• More than 7 in 10 (74%) spend time commuting to and from the campus.
• About 1 in 10 (11%) spends time participating in student government, student clubs, and the like.
Non-education-related activities
In a typical week:
• Almost all students (93%) participate in recreational or leisure activities.
• Over 7 students in 10 (73%) spend time dealing with family responsibilities.
• About half (49%) are involved in work for pay.
• Just about 3 in 10 (28%) participate in unpaid community service or volunteer activities.
See Table 39.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 36 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
Table 39: Sources of time use Q24 All colleges Langara College (n=8,187) (n=463) Education-related activities Attending scheduled classes and/or labs 92% 94% Other academic work outside of class/labs 83% 82% Commuting between campus and current 74% 86% residence Participating in student government, student clubs 11% 9% Non-academic activities Participating in recreational/leisure activities 93% 96% Dealing with family responsibilities 73% 76% Working for pay 49% 60% Unpaid community service/volunteer activities 28% 33% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
6.1.1 Hours on education-related activities
Tables 40 and 41 show the number of hours students spend on education-related activities.
• Almost all students spend some time in class. Almost 8 students in 10 spend more than 10 hours a week in class, including 51% who spend more than 20 hours attending class or labs.
• While 1 student in 5 spends no time on academic work outside of class, about 1 student in 3 spends over 10 hours a week on this activity, about 50% spend up to 10 hours on academic work outside of class.
Table 40: Amount of time spent on academic-related activities Q24 All colleges Langara College (n=8,187) (n=463) Attending class Never or rarely 8% 6% Up to 5 hours 5% 6% 6 to 10 hours 9% 10% 11 to 20 hours 27% 44% More than 20 hours 51% 33% Academic work outside of class Never or rarely 17% 18% Up to 5 hours 25% 22% 6 to 10 hours 25% 25% 11 to 20 hours 19% 25% More than 20 hours 13% 9% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 37 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
• Most students spend some time commuting to school. While half the students spend up to 5 hours commuting per week, 25% of students report spending more than 5 hours commuting to and from school.
• While 9 students in 10 are not involved in student government, student clubs, and the like, most who are spend 5 hours or fewer participating in these activities.
Table 41: Amount of time spent on other education-related activities Q24 All colleges Langara College (n=8,187) (n=463) Commuting to school Never or rarely 26% 14% Up to 5 hours 50% 52% 6 to 10 hours 16% 24% 11 to 20 hours 6% 8% More than 20 hours 2% 2% Student government/student clubs Never or rarely 89% 91% Up to 5 hours 9% 6% 6 to 10 hours 2% 2% 11 to 20 hours <1% - More than 20 hours <1% <1% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Tables 42 to 45 show the amount of time students spend on non- academic activities.
• Almost all students spend some time on leisure and recreational activities in a typical week. More than 6 students in 10 report spending over 5 hours a week on leisure and recreation activities, including 11% who report spending over 20 hours a week on such activities.
Table 42: Amount of time spent on recreational/leisure activities Q24 All colleges Langara College (n=8,187) (n=463) Never or rarely 7% 4% Up to 5 hours 31% 30% 6 to 10 hours 33% 33% 11 to 20 hours 18% 20% More than 20 hours 11% 13% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 38 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
• While slightly more than 1 student in 4 claims to spend no time on family, 1 in 3 says family time consumes up to 5 hours per week (31%), and 4 in 10 (42%) report it takes over 5 hours per week.
Table 43: Amount of time spent on family-related activities Q24 All colleges Langara College (n=8,187) (n=463) Never or rarely 27% 24% Up to 5 hours 31% 40% 6 to 10 hours 16% 19% 11 to 20 hours 9% 8% More than 20 hours 17% 8% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
• Work also consumes a large amount of time for some students. While 51% report that they do not work, about 1 student in 3 reports working for pay for over 10 hours a week, including 13% who work more than 20 hours.
Table 44: Amount of time spent working for pay Q24 All colleges Langara College (n=8,187) (n=463) Never or rarely 51% 40% Up to 5 hours 7% 9% 6 to 10 hours 10% 15% 11 to 20 hours 19% 22% More than 20 hours 13% 13% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
• A large majority (72%) of students do not spend time doing volunteer work or community service. Similarly, volunteer activities most commonly consume up to 5 hours (20%) but can involve more time for some students (8%).
Table 45: Amount of time spent on community service/volunteering Q24 All colleges Langara College (n=8,187) (n=463) Never or rarely 72% 67% Up to 5 hours 20% 22% 6 to 10 hours 5% 8% 11 to 20 hours 2% 2% More than 20 hours 1% <1% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 39 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
6.2 Summer work
A large majority of students (81%) report that in the past year, they worked for pay during the summer or other school-related breaks.
• Just over half (52%) say they had a full-time job, working more than 30 hours a week.
• Many others had a part-time job requiring up to 30 hours per week (29%).
See Table 46.
Table 46: Working for pay during the summer months Q25 All colleges Langara College (n=8,134) (n=460) Never or rarely 19% 24% 1 to 10 hours 6% 7% 11 to 20 hours 8% 14% 21 to 30 hours 15% 17% More than 30 hours 52% 37% Note: Responses may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
APPENDIX A
QUESTIONNAIRE
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 1 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
See separate file.
APPENDIX B
FIELD GUIDE
www.pra.ca [email protected]
2005 CANADIAN COLLEGE STUDENT SURVEY
Field Guide
December 13, 2004
Prepared for:
The Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation and The Canadian College Student Survey Consortium
Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation & Canadian College Student Survey Consortium 2004 Canadian College Student Survey Field Guide⎯December 13, 2004
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 Introduction...... 1
2.0 Schedule...... 2
3.0 Preparing to administer the survey ...... 2 3.1 Over-sampling...... 2 3.2 Survey printing...... 3 3.3 Who will administer the survey to students? ...... 3 3.4 Instructions for survey administrators ...... 3
4.0 Administering the survey...... 4 4.1 The OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) format...... 4 4.2 Survey completion...... 4
5.0 Reporting...... 5 5.1 Where to send completed surveys...... 5
ANNEX A Sample Selection Procedures
ANNEX B Survey Instruction Sheet
ANNEX C Survey Administration Recording Template
Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation & Canadian College Student Survey Consortium 1 2004 Canadian College Student Survey Field Guide⎯December 13, 2004
1.0 Introduction
This field guide assists This field guide was prepared to assist colleges participating in the colleges to administer 2005 Canadian College Student Survey to administer the survey. the survey. It is important that all participating colleges use similar procedures to administer the survey.
The field guide outlines the timing of survey and contains suggestions for:
preparing to administer the survey administering the survey reporting.
The Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation is conducting the survey in coordination with a consortium of Canadian colleges, who are responsible for administering the survey to students at their respective institutions. This is the fourth year that these organizations have conducted the survey.
The survey collects The purpose of the survey is to collect information that will assist nationwide data on the policy-makers and post-secondary institutions to identify and personal circumstances address barriers related to the access and affordability of post- of college students. secondary education at colleges in Canada.
This survey provides national-level data on student access, time use, and educational financing for Canadian college students at participating institutions. It also identifies issues specific to certain learner groups and regions. Additionally, the survey enables participating colleges to compare the results for their institutions with a “national average”6 for participating institutions.
Participating colleges will Each participating institution will be provided with a final report receive a final report. once Prairie Research Associates (PRA) Inc. has collected, tabulated, and analyzed the survey results. The final report will show overall results as well as the results for each respective institution.
6 Prairie Research Associates (PRA) Inc. will calculate the “national average” based on the survey results. Thus, it will not be representative of the population of Canada.
Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation & Canadian College Student Survey Consortium 2 2004 Canadian College Student Survey Field Guide⎯December 13, 2004
2.0 Schedule
Table 1 provides the schedule for the survey.
Table 1: Schedule Task Completed by Distribution of enrolment request and field guide to colleges December 13, 2004 Colleges submission of enrolment information to PRA January 5, 2005 Finalize sampling for each college January 14, 2004 Distribution of surveys to colleges January 28, 2005 Colleges return all surveys to PRA April 15, 2005 Distribute individual college reports June 30, 2005 Final report to CMSF September 30, 2005
3.0 Preparing to administer the survey
Each college has been provided with recommended survey sample sizes along with the rationale for sample selection procedures. Individual colleges are responsible for selecting samples of student classes to participate in the survey. Please refer to Appendix A for detailed sampling instructions.
3.1 Over-sampling
Over-sampling is It will be difficult for institutions to precisely match the recommended when it is recommended sample sizes because the survey will be not possible to match administered to students on a class basis. Over-sampling is recommended sample recommended in situations where it is not possible to select a set of sizes. classes that exactly match the recommended sample size. It is better to exceed the recommended sample than to fall short.
Recommended sample It is anticipated that the number of completed surveys will be sizes have been lower than the sample sizes selected. Therefore, to account for increased by 15% to spoilage, refusals, and non-attendance, the recommended sample account for spoilage and sizes have been increased by approximately 15%. Institutional non-attendance. administrators expecting higher levels of non-attendance should increase the overall number of students surveyed (i.e., they should select additional classes for program types with higher levels of non-attendance).
A reporting template is included near the end of this document. Once survey administration is complete, please record the size of the final sample to which the survey was administered.
Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation & Canadian College Student Survey Consortium 3 2004 Canadian College Student Survey Field Guide⎯December 13, 2004
3.2 Survey printing
The survey questionnaires provided were printed using a special off set printer for machine-scannable surveys. Therefore, please do not photocopy the survey questionnaire. Each institution will receive a more than adequate supply of questionnaires. If you require more questionnaires, please contact Carrie Bibik at PRA, 1-888-877-6744.
3.3 Who will administer the survey to students?
Colleges need to assign Institutions need to consider how they will administer the survey to someone from their students. Some institutions may rely on their faculty to administer institution to administer the survey to their classes, while others may opt to use the survey. administrative research staff or co-op students/volunteers.
In either of the above cases, instructors of the classes selected to participate in the survey need to be informed of the research in advance so that they can incorporate the survey into their lesson plans.
3.4 Instructions for survey administrators
Survey administrators Instructions should be provided for those individuals who will be must be familiar with the administering the survey to students. A sample Survey Instruction survey. Sheet can be found in Appendix B. It may be tailored to the particular circumstances of survey administration at your institution, but the basic instructions should remain the same.
Survey administrators should provide students with a brief introduction of the purpose of the study and must be able to respond to student questions about the survey.
The survey will take about 15-20 minutes to complete.
Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation & Canadian College Student Survey Consortium 4 2004 Canadian College Student Survey Field Guide⎯December 13, 2004
4.0 Administering the survey
The Survey Instruction Survey administrators may need to clarify for students a few areas Sheet provides answers in the survey instrument. These areas can be addressed either in the to common questions survey introduction or as questions arise. The Survey Instruction that students may have. Sheet found at the end of this document provides answers to some common questions.
Survey administrators will be required to distribute the questionnaire to all students in the class, collect all completed questionnaires, and return them to the office responsible for organizing the survey.
4.1 The OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) format
The survey uses an Most students will be familiar with the format of the survey. Optical Mark Recognition Administrators need to be prepared to respond to questions and format. should familiarize themselves with the Survey Instruction Sheet at the end of this document. Further instructions for completing the questionnaire will be included on the survey instrument.
Institutions should purchase a supply of pencils in order for students to complete the survey appropriately.
4.2 Survey completion
The survey administrator Surveys should be collected and remitted to the institutional staff should return completed member in charge of the survey. A tracking list of the number of surveys to the surveys completed by class, program type, and campus should be institutional staff member kept. Once the survey administration is complete, this information in charge of the survey. should be recorded on the Survey Administration Template and submitted to PRA.
Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation & Canadian College Student Survey Consortium 5 2004 Canadian College Student Survey Field Guide⎯December 13, 2004
5.0 Reporting
Survey administration It is important for all institutions to record and report the final results must be results of the survey administration. This information will help submitted to PRA. PRA assess the comparability of data obtained from various colleges. It will also help identify and solve any administrative barriers to future research.
Please use the template provided in Appendix C to record the information indicated and forward it by e-mail or toll-free fax to:
Carrie Bibik E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 1-800-717-5456
5.1 Where to send completed surveys
Please forward all completed surveys to:
Carrie Bibik Prairie Research Associates 500-363 Broadway Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3N9
ANNEX A
SAMPLE SELECTION PROCEDURES
Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation & Canadian College Student Survey Consortium 1 2003 Canadian College Student Survey Field Guide⎯December 13, 2004
SAMPLE SELECTION PROCEDURES
Rationale
In order to ensure that the survey results are as accurate as possible, the following three aspects of the research methodology must be considered:
Overall sample sizes must be large enough to ensure an acceptable degree of statistical reliability (maximum variation of results) at the institutional level.
Sample sizes for each program category must be representative of the distribution of the student population in each program category.
Sample selection within each program category must be random. This ensures that the sample is representative of the institution’s population.
The recommended sample sizes for each program category at your institution are specified in the attached cover letter. It is the responsibility of individual institutions to select classes that are representative of all students in the respective program category to be surveyed.
This document provides general guidelines for the random selection of the samples. Prairie Research Associates (PRA) Inc. will provide support to institutions requiring assistance in this phase of the project.
Guidelines for selecting classes
A list of all of the classes offered in each of the five program categories, with enrolment figures for each class, is required to select classes to be surveyed. It is important that distinctions between the five program categories are maintained.
General principles for the selection of a representative sample are outlined below:
Classes to be surveyed could be narrowed to only “core” or required courses for the field of study or program type. This will minimize the number of individual students who are surveyed twice and ensure that the students surveyed are more likely to belong to the program type associated with the specific class surveyed.
Classes to be surveyed should include representation from: − a mix of course levels (e.g., first year, second year, etc.) − a variety of fields of study − a mix of delivery times (morning, afternoon, evening, weekends) in order to capture information from both full-time and part-time students − a mix of campuses (in order to obtain a mix of urban/rural and because different campuses often have a different mix of students and programs).
Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation & Canadian College Student Survey Consortium 2 2003 Canadian College Student Survey Field Guide⎯December 13, 2004
If a random sampling method is undertaken, it will likely yield a sample that meets the above sampling criteria. However, survey administrators should review the final list of classes to be surveyed to ensure that the sample is representative of their student population.
The recommended samples for each program type are about 15% higher than the minimum number of completed surveys required. This is to account for spoilage and non-attendance in class, as well as occasional crossover of program types.7 If non-attendance at your institution is higher than 10-15% (or for specific program types), please increase the sample sizes accordingly.
Random sampling
Random sampling can be conducted in various ways. The following methods can be used for each of the program categories where a relatively large sample is required:
One method of manual random selection is to create a list of all available classes and then select every third class to include in the sample (or every fourth class, fifth class, or whatever frequency is appropriate to obtain the total sample required for the program category).
To check that the total is approximately the same as the recommended sample, simply add up the total number of students in the selected classes. Some adjustments may be required to ensure that a sufficient sample from each program category is obtained. Repeat this procedure for the other program categories.
One method of electronic random selection is to use a “random number generator” function in a spreadsheet (this example uses Microsoft Excel). To use the “random number generator” function, leave the first column blank. In the second column, create a list of all available classes. In the third column, record the number of students in each class. Any important identification information for the class should be placed in a final column.
Highlight all of the cells in the blank column for which there are corresponding entries in the rows next to it. Go to the Insert Menu function and scroll down to Function. In the Function window, select “All” as the function category and “RAND” as the function name. Click OK. This will insert a random number between 0 and 1 beside each entry.
Highlight the entire workbook. Move the cursor to the Data Menu and scroll down to Sort. In Sort By Field, select the column in which the random numbers are placed. Now simply take the first classes in the list until the required number of students for the sample is reached. Repeat the procedure for the other program categories.
7 It is expected that some students surveyed will belong to other program strata than those targeted for the class surveyed.
Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation & Canadian College Student Survey Consortium 3 2003 Canadian College Student Survey Field Guide⎯December 13, 2004
As this survey will be administered to classes of students, it will be difficult to obtain a truly random sample. However, using either of the processes described above should introduce a sufficient level of random selection.
If random sampling is too onerous for institutions, a representative set of classes to survey may be entirely hand-picked by the institution. However, this approach is not recommended as a first option.
Reporting sampling procedures
As consistency in sampling procedures is an important aspect in any survey research, please let PRA know which sampling procedure was used for your institution.
A brief description of the sampling procedure should include such details as the whether it was possible to select a representative sample (e.g., were all campuses included, was the time of day of classes considered, etc.), whether random sampling was undertaken, what kind of manual intervention or adjustment was required, etc.
This will enable PRA to note any important differences in the research caveats and better provide recommendations for the future administration of the survey.
Assistance is available
PRA would be pleased to provide any further advice as you proceed with selecting samples and administering the survey. Please contact Carrie Bibik or Kerry Dangerfield at 1-888-877-6744 if you require further assistance.
ANNEX B
SURVEY INSTRUCTION SHEET
Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation & Canadian College Student Survey Consortium 1 2003 Canadian College Student Survey Field Guide⎯December 13, 2004
2005 SURVEY INSTRUCTION SHEET
Introduction
READ THE ITALICIZED PORTIONS TO CLASS:
This survey is being conducted on behalf of the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation, in coordination with a consortium of Canadian colleges.
Students at a number of colleges across Canada are completing this survey so that the Foundation can learn more about students, their educational goals, and their financial situations. Please fill out the survey in pencil. The survey will take about 15 to 20 minutes to complete. Your participation in this study is voluntary and all responses will be completely anonymous. The raw data collected will be kept confidential, and only aggregate statistical results will be reported.
Completing the form
READ THE ITALICIZED PORTIONS TO CLASS:
Instructions for how to fill the form in properly are included on the questionnaire.
Please use pencil to complete the questionnaire. If you do not have a pencil, please raise your hand and I will provide you with one. For each question, please completely fill in the appropriate bubble(s) with soft pencil lead. When making corrections, please erase your error completely. Please do not use white-out.
(F APPLICABLE, REFER TO THE COVER LETTER THAT WAS SENT WITH THE SURVEYS FOR CAMPUS CODES)
Please print the two-digit code in the boxes provided on the top right-hand corner of the questionnaire. Your campus code is _____.
Example: Campus Codes
NOTE: The “program code” and “other code” fields are for institutional use only. (Institutions – please insert instructions if you are using these fields)
Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation & Canadian College Student Survey Consortium 2 2003 Canadian College Student Survey Field Guide⎯December 13, 2004
For question 2, definitions for each program type are (SEE TABLE 1 BELOW).
Table 1: Program definitions Response category Definition Access or upgrading program These are programs that involve basic education skills upgrading such as Math, Reading, Language, or Job Preparation training (resume writing, interview preparation) in order to complete a previously unfinished credential or improve basic education skills in order to obtain employment or carry on with further education. Career or technical program All certificate or diploma programs at a college that will lead to a credential in a particular vocation or general program area. University preparation or transfer A program of studies that involves initial course work at the college program level, followed by transfer to a university for completion of course work leading to a formal degree. Post-diploma or advanced Short-term programs that require a previously completed diploma diploma program or degree for admission. Degree program A program of study that leads to a formal degree in selected disciplines.
Several questions require you to respond to a number of items. You are to indicate the response that best reflects your situation for each and every item. For example, in Question 12, please fill in one bubble for each of a through l.
12. Over the course of your current year of studies, including summer months when you may/may not have classes, how much money will you have received or drawn upon from the following sources? (Please choose only ONE response for each item).
$0 $1 to $1,000 $2,000 $1,001 to $4,000 $2,001 to $7,000 $4,001 to $10,000 $7,001 to Over $10,000
a. Work income/ take- home pay (received during current year of ± Q ± ± ± ± ± studies)
b. Personal savings (not from current work Q ± ± ± ± ± ± income) c. Student line of credit/personal bank ± ± ± ± Q ± ± loan d. etc ± ± ± Q ± ± ±
Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation & Canadian College Student Survey Consortium 3 2003 Canadian College Student Survey Field Guide⎯December 13, 2004
Additionally, for question 12, if you and your spouse (or significant other) share your income, please record your spouses’ contribution to living expenses and expenses for children (if applicable) as “money from family” (Q12d).
For Q17, if you share an income, record your expenses as half of what your household would spend on shared items (such as utilities). For personal items such as clothing and entertainment, record what your household spends on these items for you personally. For personal items, also, include any expenditures related to dependent children who rely on you for financial support.
Collecting the surveys
Please collect the surveys once they are completed and return them to
______. (Insert institutional contact information here.)
ANNEX C
SURVEY ADMINISTRATION RECORDING TEMPLATE
Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation & Canadian College Student Survey Consortium 1 2003 Canadian College Student Survey Field Guide⎯December 13, 2004
2005 SURVEY ADMINISTRATION REPORTING TEMPLATE
In order to facilitate the assessment of the comparability of data obtained from various colleges, it is important for all institutions to record and report the final results of the survey administration. This information will also serve as a basis for identifying and solving survey barriers to future research.
Please record all survey administration information on this template and return it to:
Carrie Bibik ([email protected]) Prairie Research Associates 500-363 Broadway Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 3N9 Phone: 1-888-877-6744 Fax: 1-800-717-5456 (toll-free)
Name of institution: ______Name of contact person: ______Dates of survey administration: ______Description of sampling method used: ______
Table 1: Sampling information Number of survey Number of classes Program type Total sample size completions selected Institutional total Access/upgrading Career/technical Degree programs University transfer Post/advanced diploma Total campus 01 Total campus 02 Total campus 03 Note: If your institution has more than three campuses, please insert additional rows at the bottom of this table.
Description of any issues encountered: ______
APPENDIX C
DATA CLEANING DECISIONS
Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation 1 Institutional Report: 2005 Canadian College Student Survey⎯June 30, 2005
DATA CLEANING DECISIONS
The following rules were used to clean the data for the 2005 Canadian College Student Survey:
Q27 (age). Any response under 16 was recoded to "no response."
Q19 (anticipated debt) and Q20 (years to repay debt). If a respondent answered "no debt anticipated" to either Q19 or Q20, both questions were recoded to "no debt anticipated."
For a series of questions (i.e., Q12 and Q16), if a respondent recorded an amount for at least one item, any missing information was set to "$0." The same logic applied to Q24, where missing information was set to "never or rarely."