Student Surveys

Appendix D. Student Survey

Survey Source Key

Note, sources will be removed from final version.

• College Board, Completing the SAT Questionnaire

• CCSR: Consortium on Chicago School Research Spring 2005 Survey of Chicago Public Schools Senior Student Edition

• Dallas Independent School District 2012 Senior Exit Survey

• ELS: Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, Base Year (IES, National Center for Education Statistics - NCES)

• ELS Follow-Up: Education Longitudinal Study of 2002, First Follow-Up (NCES)

• HSLS: High School Longitudinal Survey of 2009, Student Baseline (NCES)

• HSLS Follow-Up: High School Longitudinal Survey of 2009, Student First Follow-up (NCES)

• HSLS: High School Longitudinal Survey of 2009, Parent Survey (NCES)

• PERTS Growth Mindset Assessment: Project for Education Research That Scales Growth Mindset Assessment

• Westat Student Survey: Westat GEAR UP Student Survey, 2000

Introduction

We are asking you to complete a short survey about your plans for college and about activities related to college planning.

The survey should take about 15 minutes to complete.

Your answers could help improve the college advising and support services provided in GEAR UP programs across the country.

You will also have the opportunity to sign up for the chance to receive a series of text messages that have helped other students with college outcomes.

Your school’s Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) program is participating in an important study to better understand how GEAR UP works in high schools and to increase the number of students who enroll in and complete college. The U.S. Department of Education is sponsoring this study and has hired Abt Associates and Survey Research Management to conduct this survey.

Your participation is voluntary. You do not have to complete this survey and you may choose not to answer a question or to stop the survey at any point. You can participate in GEAR UP even if you do not complete the survey. If you are under 18 years old, your parent/guardian has been given information about this study and has agreed that you can participate if you would like.

Protecting your privacy is very important to us. Your name will not be included in any reports or data produced by the study. We will not share information from this survey that identifies you to anyone outside of the study team, except as required by law.

We know your time is valuable and we thank you for your participation in this survey!

SC1. Are you willing to take this survey?

• Yes

• No [SKIP to SC4]

Per the policies and procedures required by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, Part E, Section 183, responses to this data collection will be used only for statistical purposes. The reports prepared for this study will summarize findings across the sample and will not associate responses with a specific program, district, or individual. Any willful disclosure of such information for nonstatistical purposes, except as required by law, is a class E felony.

Paperwork Burden Statement: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is xxxx-xxxx. Public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to average 15 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. The obligation to respond to this collection is voluntary. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, application or survey, please contact (National Center for Education Evaluation/Institute of Education Sciences U.S. Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue, SW Room 502i, Washington, DC 20208) directly. (Note: Please do not return the completed instrument, form, application or survey to this address.)

SC2. This summer and next fall we will be sending a series of text messages (approximately 30) to some students from around the country to support successful and smooth transitions to college.

Would you like to be considered for a chance to participate in this text message program? (standard text messaging rates may apply)

Not all students will get the texts. Who gets the texts is decided by chance, like flipping a coin.

• Yes

• No [SKIP to Q1]

SC3. So that we can send you text messages, please provide us with your cell phone number.

By including your cell phone below, you agree to receive text messages to support your successful transition into college.

This information will be kept in secure and protected data files separate from the responses you provide. A study generated unique identification number will link your survey responses to your contact information. Your cell phone number will be destroyed within 30 days of the completion of the study.

[SKIP to Q1]

Source: Dallas Independent School District 2012 Senior Exit Survey (adapted)

SC4. Thank you for your time.

[SUBMIT and EXIT]

Instructions: Throughout this survey when you see the term ‘college’ please think about any school that offers degrees or certificates to students who have completed high school, such as a community or technical college, a state university, a private liberal arts college, or a training institute.

College Plans

First, please answer the following questions about the college application process and your plans for college.

1. How many colleges, if any, have you applied to?

____ Number

Source: Author developed

2. Which of the following activities do you expect to be doing this fall? [If Q2a = Yes, GO TO Q3, ELSE SKIP TO Q6]

	Yes	No	I don’t know
Continuing your education after high school			
Working			
Serving in the military			
Starting a family or taking care of your children			
Attending high school or a GED completion course			

Source: HSLS Follow-up, adapted

3. Which college are you most likely to attend next year (during the 2017-2018 school year)?

• [Dropout with list of states]

  • Dropdown with list of schools with NCES IPEDS number

• [text box for students who couldn’t find their college]

• I haven’t decided yet

Source: Author developed

4. Have you/your family completed and submitted a FAFSA to apply for financial aid for your education?

• Yes

• No, not yet, but I’m planning to submit a FAFSA

• No, I’m not planning to submit a FAFSA

• No, I haven’t thought about this yet

• No, I don’t know if I or anyone in my family will apply

• I don’t know what a FAFSA is

Source: Adapted from HSLS

5. Have you paid a deposit or received a fee waiver to enroll at [POPULATE WITH COLLEGE SELECTED IN Q3 / IF COLLEGE NOT SELECTED: your intended college/university]?

• Yes

• No

• Don’t Know

Source: Dallas Independent School District 2012 Senior Exit Survey (adapted)

Educational Expectations

These next questions ask about your expectations for life after high school.

6. If there were no barriers, how far in school would you want to go?

• Less than high school completion

• Complete a high school diploma, GED or alternative high school credential

• Complete a certificate or diploma from a school that provides occupational training

• Complete an Associate's (2-year) degree

• Complete a Bachelor's (4-year) degree

• Complete a Master’s degree

• Complete a Ph.D., M.D., law degree, or other high level professional degree

• I don’t know

Source: High School Longitudinal Study (HSLS) Follow-up

7. As things stand now, how far in school do you think you will actually get?

• Less than high school completion

• Complete a high school diploma, GED or alternative high school credential

• Complete a certificate or diploma from a school that provides occupational training

• Complete an Associate's (2-year) degree

• Complete a Bachelor's (4-year) degree

• Complete a Master’s degree

• Complete a Ph.D., M.D., law degree, or other high level professional degree

• I don’t know

Source: HSLS for question, HSLS follow-up for answer choices (Change You to I)

8. Whatever your plans, do you think you have the ability to complete a Bachelor's degree?

• Definitely

• Probably

• Probably not

• Definitely not

Source: HSLS

Academic Preparation

The next set of questions asks about your experiences in school.

9. What grade were you in when you took Algebra I (sometimes called Math I)? (If you have taken it more than once, answer for the most recent time you took it. If you are currently taking Algebra I or Math I, choose your current grade.)

• 8th grade or earlier

• 9th grade

• 10th grade

• 11th grade

• 12th grade

• I have not taken Algebra I/Math I yet

Source: HSLS Follow-up

10. Have you taken any Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses? Include any courses you are taking now.

• Yes

• No [SKIP TO Q12]

• I don't know [SKIP TO Q12]

Source: Adapted from HSLS Follow-up. Merged AP and IB questions into one.

11. Have you already taken either of the following tests?

	Yes	No	I don’t know
Any Advanced Placement (AP) test			
Any International Baccalaureate (IB) test			

Source: HSLS Follow-up, adapted

12. Other than AP and IB courses, have you taken any high school courses for college credit? (Include any courses for college credit that you are taking now.)

• Yes

• No

• I don’t know

Source: HSLS Follow-up. (Changed You to I)

13. Indicate your cumulative grade point average (GPA) for all classes you took in high school though the end of your junior year (last year).

A+	(97-100)	C+	(77-79)
A	(93-96)	C	(73-76)
A–	(90-92)	C–	(70-72)
B+	(87-89)	D+	(67-69)
B	(83-86)	D	(65-66)
B–	(80-82)	F	(below 65)

Source: College Board SAT Survey, adapted

14. Have you already taken the following tests?

	Yes	No	I don’t know
PSAT or Aspire or PLAN			
SAT or ACT			
ACCUPLACER or COMPASS			

Source: HSLS Follow-up, adapted

15. By the end of this school year, do you think you will have met the minimum requirements needed for admission to a…

	Yes	No	I don’t know
School that provides occupational training, usually less than 2 years?			
2-year community college?			
Typical 4-year college?			
Highly selective 4-year college such as Harvard University?			

Source: HSLS Follow-up, adapted

College Preparation Experiences

These next questions ask about some of your college preparation experiences.

16. Since the beginning of last school year (2015-2016), that is, your junior year, how many times have you discussed the following topics with a college counselor/advisor at your high school?

	0 times	1 time	2 times	3 times	4 times	5 or more times
College graduation rates, employment rates, and/or other student outcomes at different colleges						
Admissions requirements (such as SAT/ACT scores, transcripts, and letters of recommendation) for different types of colleges						
Timelines for applying to college						
How to complete the Common Application						
Your family’s options for paying for college						
How much you and your family will have to pay for college if you get financial aid						
How to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form						
Colleges that would be a good fit for you based on your grades, resources, and interests						

Source: Author developed

17. How did you discuss each of the following topics with the college counselor/advisor at your high school? (Check all that apply.) [POPULATE TABLE WITH ONLY Q16 ITEMS WITH ANSWER OF 1 OR MORE TIMES]

	One –on-one	In a group	I don’t know
College graduation rates, employment rates, and/or other student outcomes at different colleges			
Admissions requirements (such as SAT/ACT scores, transcripts, and letters of recommendation) for different types of colleges			
Timelines for applying to college			
How to complete the Common Application			
Your family’s options for paying for college			
How much you and your family will have to pay for college if you get financial aid			
How to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form			
Colleges that would be a good fit for you based on your grades, resources, and interests			

Source: Author developed

18. Have you gotten information on financial aid (such as scholarships, grants, or loans) in any of the following ways?

	Yes	No	I don’t know
Talked to parents/guardians, family, or friends about financial aid			
Talked one-on-one with staff at your high school (e.g., college advisor, teacher or guidance counselor)			
Researched financial aid options on the internet			
Went to an informational meeting held at your high school			
Received information from a community organization or other college preparation program			
Source: Adapted from HSLS. Question is originally from HSLS parent survey. Adapted sub-questions to teenager respondent.

Beliefs about Learning

This next question asks for your beliefs about learning.

19. Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements:

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Somewhat disagree	Somewhat agree	Agree	Strongly agree
You can learn new things, but you can’t really change your basic intelligence.						
Your intelligence is something about you that you can’t change very much.						
You have a certain amount of intelligence and you really can’t do much to change it.						

Source: PERTS Growth Mindset Assessment

Background Information

These next questions ask you about your family and you.

20. What is your gender?

• Male

• Female

Source: Adapted HSLS was on parent survey

21. Are you Hispanic or Latino/Latina?

• Yes

• No

Source: Adapted HSLS was on parent survey

22. What is your race? (Check all that apply.)

• White

• Black or African American

• Asian

• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

• American Indian or Alaska Native

Source: HSLS

These next questions are about your parents or guardians. If you live in more than one household, answer about the parents or guardians you live with most of the time. Please choose one parent to begin.

23. What is this parent’s or guardian’s relationship to you?

• Biological mother

• Biological father

• Adoptive mother

• Adoptive father

• Stepmother

• Stepfather

• Other female guardian

• Other male guardian

Source: HSLS, adapted

24. What is the highest level of education [he/she] has completed?

• Less than high school

• High school diploma or GED

• Completed a certificate or diploma from a school that provides occupational training

• Completed some college but no degree

• Associate (2-year) degree

• Bachelor’s (4-year) degree

• Master’s degree

• Educational Specialist diploma

• Ph.D., M.D., law degree, or other high level professional degree

• I don’t know

Source: HSLS, adapted

25. Do you have another parent or guardian in the same household as you?

• Yes

• No [SKIP to Q28]

Source: HSLS

26. What is this parent’s or guardian’s relationship to you?

• Biological mother

• Biological father

• Adoptive mother

• Adoptive father

• Stepmother

• Stepfather

• Other female guardian

• Other male guardian

Source: HSLS, adapted

27. What is the highest level of education [he/she] has completed?

• Less than high school

• High school diploma or GED

• Completed a certificate or diploma from a school that provides occupational training

• Completed some college but no degree

• Associate’s (2-year) degree

• Bachelor’s (4-year) degree

• Master’s degree

• Educational Specialist diploma

• Ph.D., M.D., law degree, or other high level professional degree

• I don’t know

Source: HSLS, adapted

28. Do you have any sisters or brothers?

• Yes

• No [SKIP TO CONCLUSION]

Source: Author developed

29. Have any of your sisters or brothers:

	Yes	No	I don’t know
Earned a high school diploma?			
Earned a GED?			
Applied to college?			
Enrolled in college?			
Completed education at a college?			

Source: HSLS Parent Survey, adapted

Concluding Remarks

Thank you for completing the survey! If you have any additional questions please do not hesitate to contact a member of the study team at: [email protected] or toll-free at XXX-XXX-XXXX.

Abt Associates Inc.  ▌pg. D-1