COFHE ALUMNI SURVEY CLASS OF 1994

Summary report

Satisfaction with their NU Experience and their Life

More than 90% of Northwestern University alumni of the Class of 1994 reported that they are satisfied with their undergraduate experience, with 51% indicating they were “very satisfied” and an additional 40% noted they were “generally satisfied.” Only four percent of the alumni (was 2% in ‘89) responding noted dissatisfaction with their undergraduate experience at Northwestern. Differences between men and women and among ethnic minorities on this dimension were slight. However, compared to alumni responses at other COFHE institutions, NU alumni are lower in ranking themselves “very satisfied”—among the eighteen universities in this study, Northwestern ranks twelfth. (6 out of 10 non-ivy)

As a further indication of satisfaction, 65% of our alumni, compared to a COFHE median of 68%, indicated they definitely would recommend Northwestern to a high school senior they perceived as being similar to themselves, with another 24% indicating they probably would recommend it. When alumni were queried as to whether they would like to have their child (or children) attend Northwestern, a similar private institution, a less selective private institution, or a public institution, only 1% of alumni indicated they definitely would not want their child to attend NU. Northwestern was the clear choice of institution to send children among those with a definite preference (35% would definitely send their child to NU, compared to the COFHE median of 45%.(COFHE median was 34% in ‘89).

Sixty-one percent of NU alumni indicated they were “very satisfied” with their life (was 51% in ‘89), which is higher than the COFHE median response of 56% (was 49% in ‘89). The majority of Northwestern alumni reported being very or somewhat satisfied with their life (95%), higher than the COFHE figure of 91%.

Further Education

One of the more noteworthy findings of this study is that Northwestern alumni do not appear to pursue educational experiences beyond the undergraduate degree as frequently as do alumni of other COFHE institutions. Northwestern, with 70% (66% in ‘89) indicating they have or are pursuing post-baccalaureate study, ranked next to last on this dimension among the 31 institutions participating in this study (the overall COFHE institutional median was 78%). Proportionally, more males (72%) than females (69%) indicated they had or were pursuing additional education. However, this proportion has narrowed; it was 72% male and 60% female for the class of 1989. For alumni who reported minority affiliations, a larger proportion than for all NU alumni indicated that they had completed or were pursuing a post-baccalaureate degree program, with the exception of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders. However, the number of individuals who indicated an ethnic affiliation other than white is very small.

Of those alumni that received or are currently pursuing post-baccalaureate degrees, the most common areas of study were business (17%), law (8%) and medicine (9%). Only 10% of NU alumni reported they had or were pursuing doctoral-level studies as compared to 15% for COFHE schools. There was a new question this year on how well prepared alumni were by their alma mater for graduate school. Northwestern’s responses of “very well”(67%)were very close to COFHE’s 68%. For alumni pursuing Phds the figure rose to 72% for Northwestern and was 65% for COFHE; however Northwestern only had 33 respondents in this category.

Work Experiences

The majority of NU alumni went to work in the year following graduation (62%, compared to the COFHE median response of 58%). Another 25% went on as students to a post-baccalaureate degree program, compared to the COFHE median of 28%. The primary reasons alumni chose work was for the income from employment (43%), because advanced study was inappropriate to individual career goals at that time (10 %) (was 20% in ‘89), or they needed time to sort out their options (13%) (was 19%). The most common fields of employment were managerial or management-related areas (17%), writer/artist (13%), education (9%), engineer (8%). [These categories are different than those in the ‘89s analysis]

Currently, 77% of Northwestern alumni reported that they are primarily employed for pay, identical to the 77% for the COFHE median. An additional 13% of NU alumni, compared to a 11% median response for all COFHE institutions in the study, reported their primary activity is now raising a family (1.5% of the males, and 23% of the females), and only 5% are involved in post-baccalaureate educational pursuits, compared to 6% for COFHE. Managerial or management-related fields remained the most common occupation (23%), followed by writer/artist (12%), physician (8%) and educator (7%).

The largest percentage of alumni (46%) reported currently being employed by private, for-profit organizations, compared to 43% for the COFHE median response. This was followed by private, non-profit organizations (18%), compared to a 21% median response for all COFHE institutions. More men (52%) reported being employed in private, for-profit organizations than women (40%), while more women reported being employed by private, non-profit organizations (21%) than men (14%).

NU alumni are equal to the COFHE median at the upper income levels, with 43% reporting incomes of more than $75,000. When reported household income is examined, the NU alumni responses are slightly higher than those for all COFHE institutions over $75,000.

2004 Individual and Household Income (pretax)

n=420 / NU
INDIVIDUAL / COFHE
Median / NU
HOUSEHOLD / COFHE
Median
Income / N / % / % / n / % / %
None / 16 / 4 / 5 / 3 / 1 / 1
Up to $74,999 / 224 / 53 / 53 / 114 / 27 / 31
$75,000 - $124,999 / 109 / 26 / 24 / 129 / 31 / 28
More than $124,999 / 71 / 17 / 19 / 172 / 41 / 40

Involvement as an Undergraduate and Contributions to Personal Development

NU alumni reported very high involvement in their coursework, both in (58%)( was 68% in ’89) and outside (17%) (was 22% in ’89)of the major. It is also the area alumni cite as having made the greatest contribution to their personal development (coursework in major: 42%; coursework outside of major: 26%). However, perhaps the more useful information can be gleaned from those areas in which alumni indicated they had little or no involvement as undergraduates. A large percentage of NU alumni cited four areas in which they had little or no involvement: participation in faculty research (81%) was 85%; interaction with pre-major advisor (87%) was 85%; study abroad (87%); and, off-campus study in the US (91%) was 88%. In the past few years, important steps have been taken to address each of these areas, although the full impact of these new initiatives remains to be seen.

Alumni identified their involvement in several extracurricular activities as having made very high or high contributions to their personal development. Alumni most frequently attributed their involvement with their housing organizations as having made the greatest contribution to their personal development (fraternity/sorority—30%; residence hall—37%). Internships (35%), and independent study (30%) were also very important. Alumni cited their experiences with working either on (26%) or off-campus (28%) as having made very high or high contributions to their personal development (was 32% in ’89). Twenty-nine percent of NU alumni also reported that community service had made a very high or high contribution to their professional development.

Involvements Outside Work

Alumni most frequently cited professional associations as their involvement outside work (41%, very close to the COFHE median response of 40%). The percentage of alumni citing involvement in religious organizations (28%) (was 41% in ‘89) was higher for NU alumni than the median COFHE response (25%). Likewise, those reporting making a financial contribution to religious organizations was also higher than the COFHE median: 22% (was 34% in ‘89) for NU alumni compared to an18% (was 24% in ‘89) median response for all COFHE institutions. However, the percentage of alumni citing religious involvement and contributions dropped significantly between the classes of 1989 and 1994.

Current Involvement with Northwestern

NU alumni involvement with and support of their alma mater is less than for COFHE alumni. Twenty-four percent of NU alumni compared to 33% for all COFHE institutions reported they were involved with Northwestern and 33% reported that they did not feel very connected to NU (COFHE: 23%). Only 29% of NU’s alumni reported that they had attended functions while on campus, substantially less than the COFHE median response of 37%. A lower percentage of alumni also reported being involved in NU’s annual fundraiser: 20% (was 29% in ‘89) compared to a COFHE median response of 27% (was 36% in ‘89). However, NU alumni reported keeping abreast of the University at similar levels to the COFHE median for all institutions. Among NU alumni, 77% (was 82% in ‘89) responded that they read campus publications (compared to an 85% COFHE median response); 56% reported they have visited campus in the past five years (compared to a 59% COFHE median response); and 73% (was 52% in ‘89) reported that they have visited the institutional web site (compared to a COFHE median response of 77%(was 58% in ‘89).

Twenty-six (was 33% in ‘89) percent of NU alumni, compared to 39% (was 47% in ‘89) COFHE alumni, reported making a financial contribution to Northwestern beyond any dues. [Note: that question is included in a series of donation questions. For the question on dollar amount contributions, 46% of NU and 65% of COFHE alumni said they contributed]. Of those alumni who contributed,the distribution between giving levels are comparable to that indicated by the COFHE institutional median in all categories.

2004 Financial Contribution to NU

NU Survey Respondents / COFHE Median
n=209 / N / % / %
$1 - $99 / 93 / 44 / 49
$100 - $999 / 103 / 49 / 45
$1,000 or more / 13 / 6 / 6

Personal Skills

Alumni were asked to assess a series of personal skills and abilities in terms of its importance to them. They were then asked to indicate what they believed was Northwestern’s contribution to their development of that skill or ability. Of the abilities questioned, the three deemed most important by NU alumni were: the ability to communicate well orally (80%, compared to a COFHE median response of 81%); the ability to write effectively (74%, compared to a COFHE median response of 73%); and the ability to acquire new skills and knowledge on my own (76%, compared to a 76% COFHE median response). Correspondingly, 32% of Northwestern alumni credited the University with having a very important role in developing their ability to write effectively—below the COFHE median response of 38%. The University was also credited with having a very important role in developing alumni’s ability to acquire new skills by 28% of the respondents, but this response rate was still substantially lower than the 38% COFHE median response. When considering the extent to which Northwestern contributed to the development of these skills, Northwestern alumni are less inclined than many COFHE peers to attribute a great deal of responsibility for the development of these abilities to Northwestern. NU responses equal or are less than the median COFHE responses on all dimensions.

Reconsideration of Values

Most alumni noted they reconsidered many of their values and beliefs while at Northwestern. NU alumni were higher than the COFHE median response in one such area: beliefs about religion (62% vs. 60%). The greatest percentage of NU alumni noted they reconsidered their beliefs about the nature of humans and society (62%, was 67%)lower than the COFHE median response of 67% (was 74%). The biggest differences between NU and COFHE schools were in own moral and ethical values (NU 42%, COFHE 40% and beliefs about people with other sexual orientations (NU 56%, COFHE 60%). [Several questions in this section in the ’89 survey were omitted in the current survey.]

Achievements

Alumni were asked to rate a series of items representing achievements in life according to how essential the individual viewed the achievement to be in his or her own life, and to then indicate the extent to which they believe they had achieved each of these accomplishments in their own lives. Overwhelmingly, NU alumni most frequently cited “raising a family” as the most essential goal (52%, almost the same the COFHE median response of 53%). Helping others who are in difficulty was viewed as an important achievement by 25% of NU alumni, lower than the COFHE median response (28%). While alumni reported varying degrees of accomplishment of their goals, it would seem that most believe there are still many areas of growth yet to be fully achieved. For NU alumni, 27% reported a great deal of achievement with: raising a family (compared to the COFHE median of 24%); helping others in difficulty (10%, compared to a 13% COFHE median response); and having administrative responsibility for the work of others (9%, compared to a COFHE median response of 11%).

Institutional Emphases

Comparing how NU alumni perceive the current areas of emphasis at their alma mater with the ideal emphases, there is one important area of difference. More alumni perceived faculty research to be receiving a greater emphasis than any of the other listed areas (40%); however, in terms of the number of alumni who felt that faculty research should receive a great deal of emphasis in the ideal institution, it ranked eighth among all areas. Teaching undergraduates was seen as currently receiving a great deal of emphasis by 25% of the alumni, and ranked third among all the possible areas. But, this area was listed most frequently and ranked first in terms of the emphasis alumni believed it should receive in the ideal institution (73%).

Financial Support

As expected, fewer of our students were debt-free, with 46% indicating they had not taken out loans, compared to the COFHE response of 49%. Twenty-six percent noted that they incurred up to $15,000 in loans (compared to a 22% COFHE median response), and 24% noted they accrued more than $15,000 in debt while pursuing their undergraduate degree (slightly less than the COFHE median response of 26%).

Seventy-three percent of Northwestern Alumni answered “yes, definitely” to the question “Were benefits worth the financial cost?” The COFHE median response was 78%.

The financial need patterns of our alumni were closer to the COFHE median at the graduate level.Sixty-eight percent of our students used loans to finance further study, compared to 67% of COFHE alumni. Also, the imputed amount borrowed for graduate studies of students who borrowed was $47,608 for Northwestern and $50,550 for all COFHE schools.

Here is the Financial Support section from 1989 for comparison. Extensive changes were made to the questions:

NU alumni were less reliant on parental resources as a major source of funds for their education (64%), compared to the COFHE average of 77%, and correspondingly, they were more reliant on institutional financial aid, which was the second most frequently cited source, with 46% indicating it as a major source of funds (more than the COFHE median of 42%).

As expected, fewer of our students were debt-free, with 59% indicating they had taken out loans, compared to the COFHE response of 52%. Twenty-three percent noted that they incurred $9,000-12,000 (compared to a 19% COFHE median response), and 32% noted they accrued more than $10,000 in debt while pursuing their undergraduate degree (equal to the COFHE median response).

These patterns of greater financial need continue on at the graduate level as 70% of our students used loans to finance further study, compared to 56% of COFHE students. Sixteen percent of NU alumni reported debt in the amount of $1-19,999, compared to 21% of all COFHE respondents, and 23% reported borrowing more than 20% to finance their post-baccalaureate studies, lower than the COFHE median of 36%.

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