The American Freshman PDF Download

This report summarizes trends identified in 25 years of the Cooperative Institutional Research Program's annual surveys of college freshmen. It documents an array of demographic, attitudinal, and social changes involving students entering the nation's colleges since the survey's inception in 1966. Major findings from this report point to significant changes in students' academic skills, self-image, and personal goals, as well as in their preferences for college majors and careers. Presented are separate normative data summaries for men, women, and all freshmen. Among the trends in recent years are increases in the areas of student altruism, support for school integration through busing, and interest in promoting racial understanding. In addition, there is evidence of increasing student support for the environment and abortion rights. The most dramatic changes that are revealed by the data concern the effects of the Women's Movement and the changing role of women in American society. Tables comprise nearly half the report. Appendices present research methodology, a list of colleges and universities participating in the surveys, the precision of the normative data and their comparisons, and the aggregation of major and career responses. Contains 21 references. (GLR)