Exercises to Practice Using the IPEDS Dataset Cutting Tool (DSCT)

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Practice Exercise for the IPEDS Dataset Cutting Tool (DCT)

Compare 2003-04 Graduation Rates forTexasColleges and Universities by Carnegie Classification and Control.

(Graduation Rate for first-time, full-time degree- or certificate-seeking undergraduate students whocompleted their degree within 150% of normal time.)

Go to the IPEDS Peer Analysis System at

Select Institution level login

Agree to terms of the NCES DATA USAGE AGREEMENT

Select Dataset Cutting Tool (DCT)

Enter UserId and Password (institution’s unitid for both) and

Create Custom Dataset (this is the default option)

Pick year from which to select universe of schools (default 2004)

TagSelectschools using specificcriteria (default option)

Tag View data by Data Year (default option)

Click

Selecting Schools:

Under Choose

Under Tag

Click

Results of Institution Selection:

View list of schools

To see a pop of window of the unitids for the schools selected, press

Close pop-up window

Scroll down and Click

Selecting Survey Data Year and Surveys:

Click on the radio button 04 for data year (fall) 2004 (graduation rate 2003-04)

(screen will immediately add list of available surveys for that year)

View the list of surveys available

Tag Frequently used/Derived Variables

Tag Institutional Characteristics and Student Charges

Click

Selecting Survey Sections:

FromInstitutional Characteristicstag Directory Information

From Tag

Click

Variable Selection:

For variables from Institutional Characteristics—Directory Information

Tag and

[You may click on link adjacent to variable to view description, then close window]

For variables fromFrequently used/Derived Variables, tag

[You may click on link adjacent to variable to view description, then close window]

Scroll down and press

Results: Summary of Selection Criteria

Review screen summary of selection criteria (also shown on page 4 of this DCT Practice Exercise)

Results: Review Output Options in “Get” drop-down box(All output options are shown on page 4 of this DCT Practice Exercise)

a)In the Getdrop-down box, select the Data Dictionary/Info to view the dataset configuration

Click

Then in the file download window, click “Open” to view the Data Dictionary

After viewing Data Dictionary, use your browser’s back button to return to the previous page

b)In the Getdrop-down box, select Data Onlineto view output on screen

Click

[You can click on headers to sort the output in ascending or descending order]

Use DCT’s Back button to return to previous screen

c)In the Get drop-down box, select CSV file for Spreadsheet to view data output in Excel (CSV download screens are reproduced on page 5 of this DCT Practice Exercise)

Click

Click on zipped output: csv_dctfile(see page 5 of this DCT Practice Exercise)

In File Download box, press “Open” (see page 5 of this DCT Practice Exercise)

Open (unzip) the zipped CSVfile with zip software (e.g., WinZip)

[File will be saved on your computer in a drive and folder you indicate]

Open the unzipped CSV file by clicking on the file icon on your computer

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