ARR #9245

Interviewing dates:
Sample:

WGBH
SEPTEMBER 18-22, 2015
NATIONAL ONLINE SURVEY OF 811 COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS
PRELIMINARY TOPLINE

0B.

Have you taken classes at a community college within the last 5 years?
YesCONTINUE
NoTERMINATE

2.

First, how would you rate the overall strength of American society today?
Very strong
Somewhat strong
Not very strong
Not strong at all

3.

18%
44
31
7

When it comes to succeeding in America today would you say a college education is:
Essential
Important, but not essential
Or do you think success in America
doesnt require a college education?

5.

19%
53
24
3

How would you rate the strength of the American education system overall, in terms of how well
it prepares Americans to succeed and contribute to a strong society?
Very strong
Somewhat strong
Not very strong
Not strong at all

4.

100 %
-

61%
36
3

In general, do you think that the type of higher education needed to succeed today is accessible to
most Americans, or is it out of reach?
Yes, accessible
No, out of reach

64%
36

How important do you consider each of the following benefits that can be gained from college.
[RANDOMIZE]

6.

Gaining specific, marketable

job skills

Not
Not very important at
important
all

Very
important

Somewhat
important

70%

25%

4%

1%

7.

Developing critical thinking skills

72

25

8.

Getting a diploma or certificate

required for a job

71

24

Exploring different subjects to

find interests

62

32

Gaining independence from

parents

60

29

11.

Getting a higher paying job

70

25

12.

Becoming a more complete

citizens

52

36

9.

10.

Now please use a scale from A to F to grade the quality of education that you think is provided, on
average, at each of the following types of higher education institutions, in general.
[RANDOMIZE]
A
38%

B
42%

C
16%

D
3%

F
1%

Private colleges or universities

53

32

10

15.

Community colleges

36

41

19

16.

Online universities

17

34

32

11

13.

Public universities

14.

And how would you grade the value of the education provided at each type of institution, on average,
meaning is it worth what it costs. Please again use an A through F scale, where A means excellent value,
and F means very poor value.
[RANDOMIZE]
A
37%

B
39%

C
17%

D
5%

F
2%

17.

Public universities

18.

Private colleges or universities

39

33

17

19.

Community colleges

44

36

14

20.

Online universities

24

32

27

12

And finally, on average, how would you grade the job each type of institution does preparing students to
succeed in todays economy.
[RANDOMIZE]
A
37%

B
41%

C
15%

D
5%

F
2%

Private colleges or universities

45

33

16

23.

Community colleges

39

36

19

24.

Online universities

19

29

30

15

21.

Public universities

22.

[ROTATE NEXT THREE QUESTIONS]

25.
How much do you think the average four-year private college or university in your area
charges for a years tuition?
($40,000+)
($35,000-$39,999)
($30,000-$34,999)
($25,000-$29,999)
($20,000-$24,999)
($15,000-$19,999)
($10,000-$14,999)
($5,000-$9,999)
($1,000-$4,999)
(<$1,000)
(Free)
(Depends)
(Not sure/Refused)

36%
4
7
7
13
7
8
6
6
6
-

26.

How much do you think the average community college in your area charges for a years tuition?
($40,000+)
($35,000-$39,999)
($30,000-$34,999)
($25,000-$29,999)
($20,000-$24,999)
($15,000-$19,999)
($10,000-$14,999)
($5,000-$9,999)
($1,000-$4,999)
(<$1,000)
(Free)
(Depends)
(Not sure/Refused)

27.

How much do you think the average four-year public university in your area charges for a
years tuition?
($40,000+)
($35,000-$39,999)
($30,000-$34,999)
($25,000-$29,999)
($20,000-$24,999)
($15,000-$19,999)
($10,000-$14,999)
($5,000-$9,999)
($1,000-$4,999)
(<$1,000)
(Free)
(Depends)
(Not sure/Refused)

28.

6%
1
1
2
5
7
12
25
32
12
-

21%
3
6
5
12
9
16
12
10
7
-

If a high school senior inherited $200,000, what do you think would be better for him or her to do
with that money:
Spend it all on a four-year college education
Spend some on a community college education and save the rest

34%
66

Turning specifically to community colleges

29.

What is the first word or phrase that comes to mind when you think about community colleges?
[TEXT ENTRY]

30.

Which of the following best describes your experience with community college?
SELECT ALL THAT APPLY
Currently enrolled in an associate degree program
Currently enrolled in a certificate program
Currently taking classes but not in a program
Completed an associate degree program
Completed a certificate program
No longer taking classes, and never completed a program

48%
22
18
13
10
5

[IF CODE 6 ABOVE NO LONGER TAKING CLASSES]

31.
Which of the following are reasons you are no longer taking classes:
SELECT ALL THAT APPLY
The cost
Work responsibilities
Family responsibilities
Lost interest in subject
Didnt like the classes I took
Other [TEXT ENTRY]
32.

65%
33
53
17
8
8

Was your goal in attending the community college program

To graduate and receive a degree or certificate
To take classes but not intending to graduate

33.

93%
7

After you finish(ed) community college (do you plan to/did you):

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY

Transfer to a four year college
Find a new job
Get a promotion or raise
Other[TEXT ENTRY]
34.

45%
66
16
4

Would you say you (are getting/got) what you wanted out of community college, or had you
hoped for something more?
Getting what wanted
Hoped for more

72%
28

35.

What is the main thing you (hope/hoped) to get out of community college? Why did you decide
to enroll? [TEXT ENTRY]

36.

While attending community college (are you working/did you work):

Yes
No

68%
32

(IF YES)
About how many hours a week (were/are) you working? [TEXT ENTRY]
37.

(Are you borrowing/did you borrow) money to attend community college?

Yes
No

43%
57

[IF CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN, OR COMPLETED ASSOCIATE OR CERTIFICATE

PROGRAM. Q31 = CODE 1, 2, 4, OR 5]
Which is closest to how you feel about your community college program:
The program is too narrowly focused on a few specific topics and skills
The program has the focus I need to achieve my goals
The program is not focused enough on the specific topics and skills I care about
Please indicate if you think each of the following is a very common reason for attending community
college, a somewhat common reason, not a very common reason, or not a common reason at all.
[RANDOMIZE]
Very
common

Somewhat
common

Not very
common

Not
common
at all

74%

20%

5%

1%

It is an option for people with bad

grades in high school

40

41

16

To learn the skills to get a better

job and earn more money

63

32

To eventually transfer to a 4-year

college

58

35

44.

To learn English

27

36

28

45.

To take a course or two without

committing to a program

47

40

11

46.

It is conveniently located

59

34

47.

It is an option for people with job

or family responsibilities

65

29

40.

41.
42.

43.

It is more affordable than a 4year college

17%
72
10

48.

Which of those reasons were factors in your decision to go to community college?

SELECT ALL THAT APPLY

More affordable than a 4-year college
Learning the skills to get a better job and earn more money
Convenient location
Fit with job and/or family responsibilities
To transfer to a 4-year college
To take courses without committing to a program
Option for people with bad grades in high school
To learn English
49.

75%
51
46
40
39
19
15
5

Which one of those reasons was most important to your decision to go to community college?
[SHOW ONLY SELECTIONS FROM PREVIOUS QUESTION. IF ONLY ONE
SELECTED IN PREVIOUS, CODE THAT OPTION HERE]
More affordable than a 4-year college
Learning the skills to get a better job and earn more money
Fit with job and/or family responsibilities
To transfer to a 4-year college
Option for people with bad grades in high school
To take courses without committing to a program
Convenient location
To learn English

43%
22
12
12
4
3
3
1

Now thinking specifically about your community college experience, what grade would you give
for the quality of each of the following:
[RANDOMIZE]
A
39%

B
40%

C
17%

D
3%

F
1%

50.

The teachers

51.

The physical campus and

infrastructure

39

38

18

The variety of courses available

to you

42

34

19

The career advice or guidance

you received

37

35

18

54.

Convenience

58

30

55.

The value, meaning is it worth

what it costs

48

33

15

52.

53.

56.

57.

58.

Preparing you for college-level

course work

42

39

15

Preparing you to succeed in

todays workforce

40

38

17

The motivation of other students

29

34

27

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements:

[RANDOMIZE]
Strongly
agree
59.

60.

61.

62.
63.

64.

Community colleges are

essential to helping people get
basic job skills

Somewhat Somewhat
agree
disagree

52%

38%

8%

2%

Community colleges are essential

to providing low income families
opportunities to improve their
situation

60

34

Community colleges are an

essential part of our education
system

60

34

You typically get what you pay

for in higher education

35

42

19

It would be difficult to live a

middle class life with just a
community college education

26

35

27

12

Most community college students

would probably go somewhere
else if they had a choice

37

38

22

On another topic
65.

Strongly
disagree

How closely have you been following the presidential race?

Very closely
Somewhat closely
Not very closely
Not at all

24%
44
20
12

66.

How much difference do you think who wins the presidential election will make in your day to
day life?
A great deal
A lot
Some
Not much
None at all

67.

31%
24
28
13
4

How likely is it that a presidential candidates position on college affordability could sway your
vote?
Very likely
Somewhat likely
Not very likely
Not at all likely

32%
48
16
5

The following questions for statistical purposes only.

68.

What is the highest level of formal education you have completed?

Less than high school
High school graduate
Vocational, technical school
Some college
College graduate
Graduate degree

69.

What was the highest level of formal education your FATHER completed?
Less than high school
High school graduate
Vocational, technical school
Some college
College graduate
Graduate degree
Dont know

70.

1%
21
11
55
11
1

11%
30
10
19
16
9
5

What was the highest level of formal education your MOTHER completed?
Less than high school
High school graduate
Vocational, technical school
Some college
College graduate
Graduate degree
Dont know

12%
31
7
20
19
9
3

71.

Were you born in the United States?

Yes
No

72.

Were both your parents born in the United States?

Yes
No

73.

19%
81

What is your racial or ethnic heritage?

White
African-American, black
Asian
Latino, Hispanic
(Otherspecify)

78.

36%
26
29
9

Are you of Latino or Hispanic descent?

Yes
No

77.

84%
16

When you think about politics, do you think of yourself as a Democrat or a Republican?
Democrat
Republican
Independent
Other

76.

15%
24
44
11
6

Are you registered to vote?

Yes
No

75.

82%
18

In terms of politics, would you say that you are very liberal, somewhat liberal, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal
Somewhat liberal
Moderate
Somewhat conservative
Very conservative

74.

94%
6

67%
14
5
11
3

Do you have children under age 25 living in your household?

Yes
No

54%
46

79.

Would you describe the area where you live as urban, suburban, small town or rural?
Urban
Suburban
Small town
Rural

80.

Which of the following best describes your current employment situation?

Employed full-time
Employed part-time
Full-time student
Unemployed
Stay-at-home parent
Retired

81.

30%
30
25
11
5

Are you
Female
Male

0A.

2%
11
48
29
10

In which of these categories is your total YEARLY household income--that is, of everyone living
in your family household?
Under $30,000
$30,000 to under $50,000
$50,000 to under $75,000
$75,000 to under $100,000
$100,000 or more

83.

37%
25
19
9
9
1

Thinking in terms of economic classes, which best describes your households situation:
Upper class
Upper middle class
Middle class
Lower middle class
Lower class

82.

32%
39
19
11

55%
45

What year were you born?

18-19
20-24
25-29
30-39
40+

10%
32
22
24
12