Freshmen technology-savvy, survey shows

By BRENT CUNNINGHAM

Reporter Staff

When they packed their bags to come to UB this fall, more than half of the students in the freshman class included their own computer, according to a survey of more than 2,000 members of the Class of 2001.

The survey administered during orientation shows that 61 percent anticipated having their own computer by fall. The remainder anticipated needing a computer, but expected the university to provide them with computer access.

If UB had mandated entering freshmen to purchase a computer, such a decision would have had "minimal impact on admissions," according to the Office of Institutional Analysis, which released results of the survey conducted by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program.

If such a mandate were in place, 6.5 percent said they would be "very likely" or "likely" to reconsider and another 17.4 percent said they would be "somewhat likely" to reconsider application.

Interestingly, another 32 percent said such a requirement would have made their application even "more likely."

Taken as a whole, the survey results describe a class familiar with, but not fixated upon, technology. Ninety-one percent indicated "at least basic proficiency" with word-processing software. Yet 86 percent ranked UB written material "very" or "somewhat" important in forming their impressions of the university. Likewise, while 80 percent have some experience with the Internet/Web, only 18 percent said the UB Web site influenced their decision to apply.

More than 80 percent said that parents, teachers, guidance counselors and peers were "somewhat" or "very" important in their attempts to select a university.

While a majority of incoming freshmen may own computers, an even larger majority (72 percent) ranked personal contact as the method they prefer when conducting business with UB.

Other survey findings include:

- More than 95 percent of entering freshmen are very confident of their ability to solve personal and academic problems.

- Natural Sciences and Mathematics (17.0 percent), Engineering and Applied Sciences (15.3 percent) and Social Sciences (14.4 percent) are the most popular choices for a major.

- More than one-third of freshmen (37.5 percent) said they would have liked more information about their intended major.

- More than 30 percent would have appreciated more information about part-time jobs, internships, work study and financial aid. A similar number wished they could have talked to more UB students and faculty when making their decision.

The survey was administered to 2,228 entering freshmen as part of a survey of more than 300,000 students at 700 two- and four-year institutions across the U.S.; 2,035 responded to one or more of the UB-specific questions on the questionnaires they received.