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Still Searching

• Advising Undeclared Second-Year Students

Carrie PetrUniversity of Nebraska- LincolnCode
190 2007 NACADA Conference
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Purpose Scope for Study

• Retention Rate of Sophomore students at UNL
• Undeclared Sophomore Myths
• Baseline data for future study

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UNL Division of General Studies

• Campus Role
• Undeclared
• Population
• 18,053 undergraduates at UNL
• 2135 students in General Studies
• 471 sophomores

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Research Questions

• How many sophomores know their intended major?
• If they know their major, why have they not
  declared it yet?
• What resources do sophomores use in the major
  selection process?
• Are undeclared sophomores at risk for leaving UNL?

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How study was constructed

• Fall 2006
• 2nd year students vs. sophomore-level credits
• 36-Question survey
• In-office vs. online responses
• Response rate
• --- students surveyed, 164 responses 143 valid
  responses

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Who completed the survey?
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Life is about choices

• Anticipated major
• GPA significant
• Know 2.5-3.24
• Dont know 3.25

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Have majorwont travel

• 68 of sophomores surveyed have chosen a major,
  but have not declared it. Why not?
• Men tend to dominate overall 53.7 57.9
  havent gotten around
• Intended majors
• Business
• Nursing
• Education/Human Sciences
• Arts and Sciences
• Journalism
• Others Agriculture. Architecture, Engineering,
  Fine Performing Arts
• Other category - self-reported responses have
  two themes
• Not knowing the system
• Fear of the decision (salary, confidence, other
  options)

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How snug is the fit?

• Students were asked how comfortable they were
  with being Undeclared at this time
• GPA higher GPA, less comfortable 47.1 very
  uncomfortable
• Women also very comfortable 71.4

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Who you gonna turn to?

• Which resources do students use when thinking
  about a major?
• Advisers
• Faculty
• Career Services
• Online resources
• Alumni
• Employment
• Parents
• Students
• ACT 21-24 most likely to use any resource
• Women use resources (Career Services, websites,
  employers) more often alumni 90.9 frequently
• Unsure of major
• 60.7 occasionally

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Advisers Use, Recycle, Discard?

• Answering Yes
• How many times seen adviser?
• Almost everyone 2-4 times
• Lowest GPA ( below 1.74) 5-7
• Academic issues, drop/add, policy not listed for
  even lowest GPA
• Men more likely to need help choosing a major
  (61.6), review policy (72.7), academic problems
  (52.4)
• Women more likely to get a referral (55)
• Most likely academic issues 1.74-2.49

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Fight or Flight?

• 4 choices
• Leave of absence
• Not get 4 yr degree
• Quit college
• Transfer
• ACT 21-24 frequently consider transferring 80
• Women are more likely (46) to consider
  transferring
• Men are more likely to quit college altogether
  (64)
• LoA, transfer, quit folks number is small, but
  almost all have 1.74 or lower

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Looking forward

• Should we encourage students to declare?
• How to reframe ourselves as resources?
• Share retention data with students, University
  community
• How can we serve sophomores who are
  uncomfortable?
• Do they know how to choose a major?
• Do they know how to decide upon the choice for
  them?

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