COUNSELING
CENTER
UNIVERSITY
OF MARYLAND
COLLEGE
PARK, MARYLAND
A COMPARISON OF INCOMING HONORS AND NON-HONORS
FRESHMEN
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK
1990
Deborah
A. Gerrity, Jane F. Lawrence and William E. Sedlacek
Research
Report #10 - 91
Summary
During the summer of 1990 the Counseling Center and the
University Honors Program (UHP) at the University of Maryland at College Park
(UMCP) initiated a multiyear study of honors and non-honors incoming
freshmen. This first step focused on determining the differences and
similarities between the two groups in areas of demographic information,
attitudes, interests and behaviors using the University New Student Census (UNSC).
The findings indicated that honors and non-honors
first-time freshmen were similar in racial/ethnic, gender, and religious
backgrounds. Some of their high school experiences were also similar, such as:
what contributed most to their development in the past year, and their patterns
of study. In addition, both groups had similar interests in using counseling
center services.
In most other areas, though, honors and non-honors
freshmen responded differently to UNSC items. As well as being different on
obvious criteria such as GPA, SAT scores and class rankings, honors students'
parents' attained higher levels of education. Honors students also were
different in their: reasons for coming to college, educational objectives,
academic aspirations, and factors which affect their long-term career
choice. Honors and non-honors students looked at UMCP differently: in
ranking of schools, as well as who influenced their deciding to attend and the
factors which were most convincing.
The conclusions begin to suggest some of the implications
for working with honors students and the impact that recruiting more
academically-talented students might have on the UMCP campus. These
implications include possible different emphases in the future on: content in
academic courses, orientation to campus life, parental involvement in
university activities, and marketing and retention strategies.
During the summer of 1990 the Counseling Center and the
University Honors Program (UHP) at the University of Maryland at College Park
(UMCP) initiated a multiyear study of honors and non-honors incoming
freshmen. UMCP has one of the oldest (instituted in 1965) campus-wide
honors programs in the United States (Danzig, 1982; Nemko, 1988). Currently
numbering over 1,200 students--approximately five percent of the
UMCP's undergraduate population--the UHP offers academically-talented
students an enriched academic experience through separate honors coursework,
departmental and college honors programs, research opportunities, special
housing, and student activities.
Since little research has been done nationally on
academically-talented students, this study will provide useful
information about the differences and similarities between UMCP honors and non-honors
students, contributing to a better understanding of their backgrounds, goals
and interests. In addition, a primary goal of the multi-year program of
honors research will be to provide UMCP and the UHP with information to assist
in increasing their effectiveness in attracting and retaining academically-talented
students.
For the Fall 1990 class, UMCP received nearly 15,000
applications for 3,300 spaces (Office of Public Information, 1991). Applicants
were requested to submit high school transcripts and Scholastic Achievement
Scores (SAT). Selection was based upon academic performance, completion of a
proscribed series of courses during high school, and/or demonstration of
special talents or abilities. In addition, those applicants who wished to enter
the UHP were required to submit a separate Honors application, transcripts,
test
2
scores, an essay, and letters of recommendation. Selection
into the UHP was competitive and based upon evidence of academic achievement in
difficult courses, special talents or skills, and maturity. As would be
expected, there were differences in mean grade point average (GPA) in high
school and SAT scores. The Office of Academic Systems at UMCP reported combined
mean SAT scores of 1067 for non-honors freshmen and 1262 for honors
freshmen. They also reported mean high school GPA's at 2.94 for incoming non-honors
freshmen and 3.59 for incoming honors freshmen. The total first-time
freshman population at UMCP for Fall, 1990 was 3,241.
During the separate summer orientations for incoming honors
and non-honors freshmen, the Counseling Center administered the University New Student Census (UNSC) to 231
incoming honors students and 709 non-honors freshmen. The UNSC is a survey instrument which
contains demographic, attitudinal and behavioral questions. The sample is
comprised of approximately 70 % of the honors and 25 % of the non-honors
first-time freshmen who entered UMCP in the Fall of 1990.
The following report highlights the major similarities and
differences on the UNSC between
honors and non-honors freshmen. The UNSC
contained both multiple choice and Likert-type (agree-disagree)
items. Differences between honors and non-honors freshmen were determined
by using chi-square (multiple choice items) and multivariate analysis of
variance (MANOVA) (Likert-type items) statistics. Appendix A lists the
Likert-type items discussed in this report with their corresponding
percentages of both honors and non-honors students, as well as the mean
response and standard deviation for each group. When these Liken-type
items are discussed in the text, the item number will be provided in brackets
3
(i.e. [1]). Otherwise, the discussion relates to the
multiple choice items. Please note that item percentages may not add to 100 due
to either rounding or, in some cases, presentation of only the most popular
responses. Differences between honors and non-honors reported were
significant at p < .05.
WHO ARE
OUR STUDENTS?
Demographics. The survey results indicated
that there was not a significant difference between honors and non-honors
freshmen by either gender or race (see Table 1). This may be a surprising
finding since the stereotype of honors students is that they are usually White
men. UMCP honors students were also very similar to non-honors in the
religious affiliations of their families, as well as students' present
religious affiliations. However, more honors students reported having both
father and mother with a college degree than non-honors incoming freshmen
(fathers: honors = 81 % ; non-honors = 67 % and mothers: honors = 65 % ;
non-honors = 50 % ). In fact, 50 % of the fathers of honors students
compared to 35 % of the non-honors fathers had earned a graduate or
professional degree (mothers: honors = 30 % ; non-honors = 17 % ).
High School Class Standing. Ninety-four
percent of the honors compared to 54% of the non-honors freshmen had B+
or better GPA's in high school. In conjunction with having higher GPAs, honors
freshmen were ranked higher in their high school classes. Seventy-seven
percent of the honors freshmen compared to 30% of the non-honors freshmen
were in the top 10 % of their high school graduating class. An additional 21 %
of the honors and 40 % of the non-honors freshmen were in the top 25 % of
their class. In other words, 98 % of the honors freshmen were in the top 25 %
of their high school class.
4
|
Table 1: General Characteristics of 1990 First-Time
Freshmen |
|||
|
|
All 1990 UMCP First-Time
Freshmen |
1990 UNSC Non-Honors
Freshmen |
1990 UNSC Honors Freshmen |
|
Sex |
|
|
|
|
Male |
53% |
53% |
52% |
|
Female |
47% |
47% |
48% |
|
Race |
|
|
|
|
American Indian |
<1% |
<1% |
0% |
|
Asian |
12% |
14% |
14% |
|
Black |
15% |
11% |
10% |
|
Hispanic |
4% |
3% |
3% |
|
White |
66% |
71% |
71% |
|
Other |
<1% |
1% |
2% |
-Note: Percentages may not add to 100 due to
rounding
Residence During College. Although most of the
incoming freshmen planned to live in the residence halls on campus, this was
true for a larger percentage of honors freshmen than non-honors (honors =
86 % ; non-honors = 70 %). For both groups, most of the remaining
students planned to live with parents or other relatives (honors = 12 % ;
nonhonors = 27 % ).
WHY ARE
THEY IN COLLEGE?
Main Reason. Honors and non-honors
students had different motivations for coming to college (see Figure 1). Honors
students came to college to prepare for graduate school (34 % ), learn more
about things (19 % ), get a better j ob (18 %) and gain a general education
(14%). The non-honors students came to college to get a better job (34%),
gain a general education (16%), prepare for graduate school (16%), learn more
about things (13%), and make more money (10%). There were significant
differences when asked if they seriously thought about not going to college
(means: honors = 4.63; non-honors = 4.37) [1], and if they expected that
their courses at UMCP would be stimulating and exciting (means: honors = 1.96;
non-honors = 2.14) [2], with non-honors thinking more about not
going to college and expecting less from their classes.
Highest Decree Intended. While the largest
number of both non-honors and honors freshmen intended to obtain a Master's
as their highest degree (honors = 35 %; non-honors = 44%), twice as many
honors compared to non-honors freshmen planned to earn a doctoral degree
(honors = 32 % ; non-honors = 15 %). In contrast, twice as many nonhonors
compared to honors freshmen planned to stop at the baccalaureate level (honors
= 9 % ; non-honors = 22 %) .
Why UMCP? More
than one-half of the non-honors (57%) compared to one-quarter
of the honors students (27 %) said that UMCP was their first choice among
colleges (see
Figure 2). Slightly more than
another quarter of both groups chose UMCP second (honors = 28 % ; non-honors
= 26 % ). Fourteen percent of the honors students and 3 % of the nonhonors
freshmen said that UMCP was their last choice.
Honors
students were more divided on their reasons for coming to UMCP than nonhonors
students. Low tuition (29 %), financial aid offered (29 %), good academic
reputation (21%) and "other" (10%) were chosen by honors students
while non-honors students chose good academic reputation (38%), low
tuition (20%) and "other" (19%) as their reasons for coming to UMCP.
Although
over all of the choices for person who influenced the student to come to
UMCP there were significant
statistical differences, the ranking of the highest categories was consistent
between the two groups. A large percentage of students in both groups agreed
that their parents were the most
influential persons in their decision to come to UMCP
(honors
= 45 % ; non-honors = 42 %). The next most popular choice for both groups
was "other" than the choices listed on the survey (honors = 29 % ;
non-honors = 26 %) (see
Figure 3
for all of the choices provided). Eleven percent of non-honors freshmen
said that
UMCP
students were most influential in their decision-making about UMCP but
none of the other choices were chosen by more than 10 % of honors students.
Current
Educational Objectives. Again, although there may not appear to be great
differences between the percentages of honors and non-honors students
choosing specific objectives, overall, the differences were large enough to be
statistically significant.
8
Students' most important educational objectives in order
of popularity were to: learn skills directly applicable to my career goals
(honors = 32 % ; non-honors = 39 % ), learn as much as I can about
several fields of study (honors = 23 % ; non-honors = 19 % ), become
independent in my thinking and behavior (honors = 12 % ; non-honors = 14
%), and decide upon a career goal (honors = 12 % ; non-honors = 13 % ).
Choices eliciting less frequent responses were: learn to write better than I
now can (honors = 5 % ; non-honors = 6 %), learn to speak better than I
now can (both 4 %), improve my self-understanding (both 3 %),
"other" (honors = 2 % ; non-honors = 4 %) and get to know
different kinds of people (honors = 1 % ; non-honors = 5 %).
WHAT ARE
THEIR ACADEMIC STRENGTHS AND NEEDS?
Contributions to Development in
the Past Year. Both honors and non-honors freshmen agreed on what
had contributed most to their development in the previous year. They indicated
that their social life (27 % ), the friendships that they made (22 %) and their
job experience (11 %) were the preeminent factors.
Classroom Behavior and Study
Methods. More honors than non-honors students agreed that
they rarely missed any of their high school classes (means: honors = 2.10; nonhonors
= 2.34) [3] and that they frequently volunteered to give answers or raise
questions in class (means: honors = 2.27; non-honors = 2.62) [4]. More
honors than non-honors students also reported that they were good at
budgeting their time (means: honors = 2.60; non-honors = 2.85) [5]. There
were no differences between honors and non-honors responses to the amount
of study time spent cramming. Most students (72 %) said that they crammed at
least half the time when studying. However, there were differences in whether
11
or not the students kept up with their reading
assignments. Honors students (58%) were more likely to say that they usually
keep up than non-honors students (45 %). Non-honors freshmen more
strongly agreed than honors freshmen with the statement: "My family often
encouraged me to study more when I was in high school." (means: honors =
2.86; nonhonors = 2.42) [6] .
Weakest Area. The
areas which most honors students chose as their weakest were significantly
different in order of popularity than those of non-honors freshmen.
Honors freshmen indicated that: study habits (24%), math (17%), reading (14%),
writing (12%), and science courses (10 %) were their weakest areas, while non-honors
freshmen picked: study habits (24%), math (23%), writing (17%), taking exams
(10%), and reading (10%).
Services Needed. More
than a quarter of honors and almost half of non-honors incoming freshmen
agreed that they were interested in seeking help regarding reading and study
skills (means: honors = 3.14; non-honors = 2.74) [7]. Both groups were
especially interested in improving their writing skills but non-honors
freshmen were more strongly interested (means: honors = 1.94; non-honors
= 1.71) [8]. More non-honors students were interested in improving their
spelling skills than honors students (means: honors = 2.98; non-honors =
2.54) [9] .
Both
honors and non-honors students, as a whole, were neutral about their
expectations of adjusting to college, although there were significant differences
between the two groups (means: honors = 3.34; non-honors = 3.02) [10].
Even so, the distributions of students to the statement: "I expect to have
a hard time adjusting to the academic work of college." tell us something
about how complex the transition to college may be for students.
12
Over a third of non-honors incoming freshmen agreed
or strongly agreed that they expect to have a hard time, and almost another
third were neutral. In contrast, fewer than a quarter of honors students
expected to have a hard time, although the same percentage of honors students
as non-honors students were neutral.
There were no differences
between the two groups in level of interest in seeking emotional/ social
counseling (means: honors = 3.70; non-honors = 3.77) [11] or in seeking
educational/vocational counseling (means: honors = 2.56; non-honors =
2.54) [12].
WHAT ARE
THEIR EXTRACURRICULAR INTERESTS?
General Interests.
Although they were the same top three extracurricular activities for both
groups, comparatively, more honors students were interested in musical or
dramatic organizations (honors = 15 % ; non-honors = 10 %) and student
publications/communications (honors = 12 % ; non-honors = 8 %) and fewer
honors students were interested in recreational activities (honors = 41 % ; non-honors
= 50 %) then other incoming freshmen. Honors students were no different than
other incoming freshmen in regard to their expectations of being involved in
some form of recreation sport activity or fitness program at the UMCP (means: honors
= 2.08; non-honors = 2.11) [13] and in the percentage who closely follow
one or more UMCP athletic teams (means: honors = 3.31; non-honors = 3.17)
[14]. Honors students were more strongly interested than non-honors in
joining some campus clubs or groups (means: honors = 1.49; non-honors =
1.83) [15]. Although more than two-thirds of both groups had done some
volunteer work in the past, more honors students endorsed the item than non-honors
students had done (means: honors = 1.74; nonhonors = 2.17) [ 16] .
13
WHAT ARE
THEIR FUTURE VOCATIONAL/OCCUPATIONAL GOALS?
Immediate Post-Graduation
Goals. Although a higher percentage of honors freshmen than non-honors
said that there were no foreseeable obstacles (honors = 67 % ; non-honors
= 59%), there were no significant differences between honors and non-honors
on whether or not there were obstacles and which ones they believed could
prevent the attainment of their first vocational goal. When asked what they
wished to do after graduation, more honors than non-honors incoming
freshmen said that they planned to go to graduate school (honors = 60 % ; non-honors
= 42 % ). The second most popular choice for both groups was to begin a career
(honors = 16 % ; non-honors = 35 % ), followed by the joint choice of
getting married and beginning a career (honors = 13 % ; non-honors = 15
%).
Types of Careers. UNSC
participants were asked to respond to the statement: "The three
occupations that are my vocational goals right now are:... ". Responses
were then coded into one of the six Holland (1970) vocational types (see Table
2) and the differences were significant between honors and non-honors
freshmen. Students listed occupations which were classified in the following
categories: Investigative (honors = 41 % ; non-honors = 33 % ), Realistic
(honors = 28 % ; non-honors = 20 %), Enterprising (honors = 15 % ; nonhonors
= 19%), Artistic (honors = 9%; non-honors = 12%), Social (honors = 7%;
nonhonors = 10%), and Conventional (honors = 1%; non-honors = 6%).
Nontraditional
Careers. While both honors and non-honors students were not
encouraged to explore nontraditional interests in their high school studies and
activities [17], they agreed that they would be supported by their families if
they entered a nontraditional career [ 18] .
14
Table 2
Types of
Occupations
Holland
Types Career Themes Preferred
Realistic Rugged, practical, enjoys Agriculture, nature,
working outdoors, enjoys mechanical activities,
working with things more construction work
than ideas or people,
especially with tools and
large machinery
Investigative Likes working with ideas Design engineers, social
more than with people or scientists, laboratory
things; enjoys solving abstract technicians
problems; creative
Artistic Artistically inclined and likes Artists,
composers,
to work on activities requiring actors, poets
self-expression; original,
creative
Social Social and outgoing; School superintendent,
concerned about the welfare clinical or counseling
of others; enjoys being center psychologist
of groups; prefers to work
with people rather than ideas
or things
Enterprising Great talent with words tend Salespersons. business
putting to use in selling, executives, realtors,
leading, and dominating; politicians
enjoys power, status, material
wealth
Conventional Prefers highly structured work Bank examiners,
settings; enjoys office work statisticians, tax experts,
and fits well into large computer operators
organizations
More honors than non-honors students had talked to
people in nontraditional careers when thinking about their own (means: honors =
3.25; non-honors = 3.60) [19].
Important Characteristic of Career.
Students in both honors and non-honors curricula chose a wide range of
items as most important in their long-term career choice, but the items
were not similarly popular for both groups. The two items which were selected
by at least 10 % of the honors population were: intrinsic interest in the field
(37 %) and high anticipated earnings (17%). For non-honors students, the
four items which were selected by at least 10 % of the group were: high
anticipated earnings (22 %), intrinsic interest in the field (19%), work with
people (10%), and well respected or prestigious occupation (10%).
WHAT ARE THEIR BELIEFS AND ATTITUDES?
School. More incoming non-honors than honors
freshmen agreed that most high school students would cheat on an exam if they
thought they would not get caught (means: honors = 2.32; non-honors =
2.00) [20]. Both groups disagreed that they were more interested in the grade
than course content [21].
Religion. There were no differences between groups on the
religion-related questions in the survey' except for "Meditation is
important for my spiritual development." and "I expect to be involved
in religious activities on campus." Although more than half of both groups
disagreed that meditation is important, more non-honors students more
strongly disagreed (means: honors = 3.55; non-honors = 3.74) [22]. In
addition, while most of the
For information on
students' religious affiliations both past and present, and attitudes and
beliefs about God and
spirituality, please see Counseling Center Research Report #14 - 90
(Gerrity, D. A. and
Sedlacek, W. E. A profile of incoming freshmen at the University of
Maryland, College Park,
1990).
16
respondents did not expect to be involved in religious
activities on campus, honors students indicated that they were more likely not
to have expectations of being involved than nonhonors students (means: honors
= 3.19; non-honors = 3.54) [23].
Social Issues. Honors
students chose a wider variety of items than non-honors for what they
believed was the most important current issue for society to resolve. Both
groups saw the same top three issues as most important: drug abuse (honors = 24
% ; non-honors = 34 % ), ecology/pollution (honors = 32 % ; non-honors
33 % ), and racism (honors = 12 % ; non-honors = 17 % ). Ten percent of
honors students also chose the economy as very important (honors = 10 % ; non-honors
= 7 %) .
CONCLUSIONS
AND IMPLICATIONS
This first in a series of
reports intended to track differences and similarities between honors and non-honors
students produced several noteworthy findings. First, on a number of non-academic
characteristics--religious affiliations, importance of social life
and friends, and interest in pursuing extracurricular activities--honors
and non-honors students are very similar. Second, while conventional
wisdom seems to be that honors programs are comprised primarily of White, male
students, according to the results of this study, racial/ethnic subgroups and
women are as well-represented in the UHP as they are in the incoming
freshmen class as a whole.
Third, honors students' parents
tend to have higher educational degrees than those of non-honors
students. In fact, 50 % of honors' fathers compared to 35 % of non-honors
possessed graduate or professional degrees (mothers: honors = 30 % ; non-honors
= 17 % ). While this is not unexpected, it does provide insight into the type
of households in which
17
honors students are being raised and the possible value
placed on educational achievement. York-Anderson and Bowman (1991) found
that freshmen whose parents or siblings had attended college perceived more
support from their family, possibly found college less stressful, and had more
guidance in following their career paths, than those whose families had not
attended college.
Fourth, one possible indication of parental influence on
honors students is displayed in their motivation for attending college: twice
as many honors as non-honors students came to college to prepare for
graduate school. If this trend continues and more academically talented
students are recruited to UMCP, there could be curricular consequences as these
students will expect additional programs and services to prepare them for
admission to graduate school.
Fifth, for most incoming honors students, UMCP was not
their first choice. This is consistent with prior research that found that high
ability high school graduates have traditionally chosen to attend out-of-state,
often private, colleges and universities (Callcott, 1966). In fact, cost and
financial aid were more important inducements for honors students (their two
most important reasons) to attend UMCP than for non-honors students.
These findings suggest a number of questions that UMCP
personnel involved in academic and student affairs program planning should
consider, both presently with these two populations (honors and non-honors),
as well as when thinking about the future direction of UMCP. These questions
include: If cost and financial aid are important recruiting and retaining
incentives for honors students, how can we maximize this in our marketing
strategies? How can we better convey our academic strengths to prospective
academically
18
talented students? Do non-honors students need more
information about academics during orientation and throughout their first year
at UMCP? Considering the differences in career aspirations, should changes be
made in classes/programs specifically to the stated goals of the two groups?
Should we and can we offer services which involve parents and provide more
support for incoming freshmen? Are our support services flexible enough to be
effective with both groups or should they have different foci and resources?
In sum, this study has provided
a first look at the demographics, academic preparation and career aspirations
of UMCP's honors and non-honors freshmen. It has probably raised more
questions than it has answered, but in many ways, that is initially more
useful. It is hoped that our future research will build upon this beginning,
further elucidating our understanding of these two groups of undergraduate
students.
19
References
Callcott, G. (1966). Maryland and America: 1940-1980.
Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Danzig, A. B. (1982). Honors at the University of
Maryland: A status report on programs for talented students. (Available
from ERIC #ED243358).
Gerrity, D.G. and Sedlacek, W.E. (1990) A profile of
incoming freshmen at the University of Maryland. College Park. 1990.
Counseling Center Research Report #14-90.
Holland, J.L. (1970). The self-directed search: A
guide to educational and vocational planning. Palo Alto, California:
Consulting Psychologists Press.
Nemko, M. (1988). How to get an ivy league education at
a state university. New York: Avon Books.
Office of Public Information. (1991) Facts about the
flagship. (Available from University of Maryland at College Park, 2101
Turner Building, College Park, MD, 20742), March.
York-Anderson, D. C. and Bowman, S. L. (1991).
Assessing the college knowledge of firstgeneration and second-generation
college students. Journal of College Student Development. 32, 116-122.
20
|
Appendix A: Responses to Likert-type Questions. |
||||||||
|
Question |
Strongly Agree % |
Agree % |
Neutral % |
Disagree % |
Strongly Disagree % |
|
Mean** |
SD |
|
1* I thought seriously
about not going to college. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
4 |
7 |
6 |
15 |
68 |
|
4.37 |
1.1 |
|
Honors |
1 |
4 |
4 |
12 |
79 |
|
4.63 |
0.85 |
|
2* I expect that, for the
most part, my courses will be stimulating and exciting. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
15 |
59 |
22 |
3 |
0 |
|
2.14 |
0.72 |
|
Honors |
20 |
65 |
13 |
1 |
0 |
|
1.96 |
0.62 |
|
3* I rarely missed any of
my high school classes |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
34 |
29 |
13 |
18 |
6 |
|
2.34 |
1.28 |
|
Honors |
44 |
27 |
11 |
12 |
7 |
|
2.1 |
1.26 |
|
4* I frequently volunteer
to give answers or raise questions in class. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
16 |
34 |
28 |
17 |
5 |
|
2.62 |
1.1 |
|
Honors |
27 |
36 |
22 |
13 |
2 |
|
2.27 |
1.05 |
|
5* I am good at budgeting
my time. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
7 |
35 |
28 |
24 |
5 |
|
2.85 |
1.04 |
|
Honors |
13 |
40 |
28 |
14 |
5 |
|
2.6 |
1.04 |
|
6* My family often
encouraged me to study more when I was in high school. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
29 |
34 |
12 |
16 |
9 |
|
2.42 |
1.29 |
|
Honors |
17 |
26 |
23 |
24 |
11 |
|
2.86 |
1.26 |
|
7* I am interested in
seeking help reading and study skills. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
13 |
31 |
31 |
21 |
5 |
|
2.74 |
1.08 |
|
Honors |
9 |
19 |
35 |
22 |
15 |
|
3.14 |
1.16 |
|
8* I am interested in
improving my writing skills. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
43 |
46 |
7 |
3 |
0 |
|
1.71 |
0.75 |
|
Honors |
31 |
50 |
14 |
5 |
0 |
|
1.94 |
0.82 |
|
9* I would like to improve
my spelling skills. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
19 |
34 |
27 |
14 |
6 |
|
2.54 |
1.12 |
|
Honors |
10 |
28 |
32 |
17 |
14 |
|
2.98 |
1.19 |
|
10* I expect to have a
hard time adjusting to the academic work of college. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
6 |
28 |
30 |
31 |
6 |
|
3.02 |
1.03 |
|
Honors |
4 |
18 |
30 |
38 |
11 |
|
3.34 |
1.02 |
|
11* I am interested in
seeking counseling regarding emotional/social concerns. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
1 |
9 |
27 |
38 |
25 |
|
3.77 |
0.95 |
|
Honors |
2 |
8 |
33 |
32 |
25 |
|
3.7 |
1 |
|
12* I am interested in
seeking counseling regarding educational/vocational concerns. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
17 |
35 |
30 |
15 |
4 |
|
2.54 |
1.06 |
|
Honors |
17 |
37 |
25 |
15 |
6 |
|
2.56 |
1.11 |
|
13* I expect to
participate in some form of recreational sport activity or fitness program
(e.g., aerobics) at the University. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
32 |
39 |
19 |
6 |
4 |
|
2.11 |
1.05 |
|
Honors |
34 |
36 |
20 |
8 |
2 |
|
2.08 |
1.03 |
|
14* I closely follow one
or more UMCP athletic teams. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
14 |
20 |
20 |
28 |
19 |
|
3.17 |
1.32 |
|
Honors |
11 |
19 |
19 |
28 |
22 |
|
3.31 |
1.32 |
|
15* I want to join some
campus clubs or groups. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
39 |
43 |
16 |
2 |
1 |
|
1.83 |
0.82 |
|
Honors |
59 |
35 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
|
1.49 |
0.65 |
|
16* I have done volunteer
work. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
35 |
37 |
10 |
14 |
5 |
|
2.17 |
1.18 |
|
Honors |
49 |
36 |
8 |
6 |
1 |
|
1.74 |
0.92 |
|
17* While in high school,
I was encouraged to explore nontraditional interests in my studies and
activities (for example, for women: auto-mechanics, woodworking, calculus,
for men: cooking, sewing, home economics). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
8 |
21 |
17 |
32 |
22 |
|
3.38 |
1.26 |
|
Honors |
11 |
22 |
21 |
28 |
19 |
|
3.22 |
1.28 |
|
18* If I decided to enter
a non-traditional career, my family/relatives would be very supportive and
accepting of my career. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
39 |
33 |
15 |
10 |
3 |
|
2.06 |
1.1 |
|
Honors |
40 |
32 |
17 |
8 |
3 |
|
2.02 |
1.07 |
|
19* I have talked to
people in nontraditional careers (for example, women engineers, male nurses,
women firefighters, men secretaries) about their work. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
7 |
16 |
17 |
33 |
28 |
|
3.6 |
1.23 |
|
Honors |
10 |
20 |
22 |
29 |
18 |
|
3.25 |
1.26 |
|
20* Most high school
students would cheat on an exam if they knew they wouldn't get caught. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
35 |
42 |
13 |
7 |
3 |
|
2 |
1 |
|
Honors |
26 |
37 |
19 |
17 |
2 |
|
2.32 |
1.1 |
|
21* Getting a good grade
in a course is more important to me than learning the content of the course. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
3 |
15 |
26 |
40 |
15 |
|
3.49 |
1.03 |
|
Honors |
6 |
11 |
27 |
38 |
18 |
|
3.51 |
1.08 |
|
22* Mediation is important
for my spiritual development. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
3 |
9 |
31 |
28 |
30 |
|
3.74 |
1.06 |
|
Honors |
5 |
12 |
33 |
25 |
26 |
|
3.55 |
1.14 |
|
23* I expect to be
involved in religious activities on campus. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Non-Honors |
6 |
12 |
30 |
28 |
25 |
|
3.54 |
1.16 |
|
Honors |
10 |
20 |
32 |
17 |
21 |
|
3.19 |
1.26 |
*Item significant at p<05.
**Likert-type items
scored as: [1=strongly agree, 5=strongly disagree]