Survey Results: Calvin-Parents "Question of the Month"
"Question of the Month" is a non-scientific "pop" survey for Calvin parents. Based on the responses received to last month's question, we share the following results:

Question of the Month

Question
of the
Month
April 2008 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
 How often do you and your student send text messages to one another?
 
A.

I don't send text messages
Once a week or less
One or two times a week
Every two or three days
One or more times a day

53.2%
7.2%
15.3%
15.3%
9.0%



Please take a moment to respond to the the
May 2008 "Question of the Month"
 
Results of Previous QOTM Surveys:





•  June 2006
•  July 2006
•  August 2006
•  Sept. 2006
•  October 2006
•  November 2006
•  December 2006

•  January 2007
•  February 2007
•  March 2007
•  April 2007
•  May 2007
•  June 2007
•  July 2007
•  August 2007
•  Sept. 2007
•  October 2007
•  November 2007
•  December 2007

•  January 2008
•  February 200
•  March 2008
•  April 2008

  
June 2006 "Question of the Month"
 

Q.

 "When my student was involved in the college search process, the most helpful information was obtained from . . ."
 
A.

Campus Visits:
Internet:
College faculty members:
Relatives:
Parents:
Pastor or youth pastor:
Friends:
Older siblings:
High school counselor:
National College Guidebook:
Ad in Christian magazine:

53.4%
10.0%
6.7%
6.7%
3.3%
3.3%
3.3%
3.3%
3.3%
3.3%
3.3%
 
July 2006 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
 "Parents of incoming students are asking how much spending money their student will need in college. On average, how much spending money do you give, or anticipate giving, to your student per month?"
 
A.
$40 or less
$41 - $80
$81 - $120
$121 - $160
More than $160

I don't provide spending money for my student

11.1%
11.1%
11.1%
2.5%
2.5%


61.7%

 
August 2006 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
"What has your student been doing this summer?"
 
A.
Living at home with parents:
Working full time for pay:
Working part time for pay:
Traveling:
Resting:
Working or volunteering in Christian ministry:
Taking classes at another institution:
Working full or part time as a volunteer:
Working at a summer internship:
Taking classes at Calvin:
Working on a research project with a Calvin professor:
Getting married:
Other:

62.6%
61.2%
31.7%
23.0%
22.3%

18.0%
7.9%
5.0%
3.6%
3.6%

2.9%
1.4%
15.1%

 
September 2006 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
 "As you think about the upcoming academic year, what concerns you most regarding your student's Calvin experience?"
 
A.

Time Management
Academics
Personal Relationships
Spiritual Wellness
Career Planning
Finances
Health
Involvement opport. outside classroom
Safety
Other

19.0%
15.5%
14.3%
13.7%
11.9%
10.1%
2.4%
2.4%
0.6%
10.1%

 
October 2006 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
 "How does your student most frequently communicate with you?"
 
A.

Cell phone
E-mail
Instant messaging
Landline phone
In person
Letters (posted mail)
Other

51.8%
29.3%
7.9%
3.7%
1.6%
0.0%
5.8 %
 
November 2006 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
 "As your student considers choices of career and vocation, who do you think has had the greatest influence?"
 
A.
  Mother:
  Father:
  College professor or advisor:
 Friends:
 High school teacher:
 Pastor or youth pastor:
 High school counselor:
  Employer:
 Other:
 18.5%
17.4%
17.4%
12.0%
3.3%
2.2%
1.1%
1.1%
27.2%
 
December 2006 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
 "Other than contact with your student, have you initiated contact (in person, phone, e-mail, letters) with individuals, offices, or departments within the college since your student(s) has enrolled at Calvin?"
 
A.
 Yes:
No:
 76.3%
23.7%
Of those who answered Yes, here is a partial listing of offices/persons that these parents report they have contacted:  
Fin. Aid & Scholarships Office:
Financial Services Office, Bursar:
Student Treats program:
Health Services Office:
Calvin Box Office (tickets):
Campus Store:
Prince Conference Center:
Parent Relations Office:
Student’s roommates:
Admissions Office:
Registrar’s Office:
Housing Office:
Coach:
Professor:
Resident Director (RD):
 52.1%
46.5%
39.4%
23.9%
22.5%
21.1%
18.4 %
15.5%
15.5%
15.5%
15.5%
12.7%
12.7%
11.3%
9.9%
 

Complete listing of results
  
 
January 2007 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
 How many credit/debit cards do you think your Calvin student has?
 
A.

None
One
Two
Three
Four or more

 9.0%
61.4%
23.4%
4.1%
2.1%
 
February 2007 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
How frequently do you check your e-mail inbox?
 
A.

Less than once every week
Once every week
2-3 times each week
4-6 times each week
Once a day
Twice a day
Three or more times each day

0.8%
0.8%
3.1%
4.6%
10.8%
21.5%
58.5%
 
March 2007 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
 On a scale of 1-5, please rate your level of agreement or disagreement with the following statement:

"As a parent I believe that it is important that my college student has opportunity to own a traditional college yearbook as a keepsake item for any given year of a college experience."
 
A.

1 - Strongly Agree
2 - Somewhat Agree
3 - Neutral
4 - Somewhat Disagree
5 - Strongly Disagree

 15.1%
20.5%
24.7%
13.7%
26.0%
 
April 2007 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
 How many career changes have you made during your working life?
 
A.

None
One
Two
Three
Four
Five or more

29.1%
17.7%
21.5%
16.5%
6.3%
8.9%


May 2007 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.

On a scale of 1 to 5 please indicate your level of agreement or disagreement with the following statements about course grades.
 
A.
 The grades my student receives in his/her courses are important to me.
• Agree/Strongly Agree: 94.2%
• Disagree/Strongly Disagree: 0.8%

Grades are not important as long as my student is working to his/her full potential.
• Agree/Strongly Agree: 54.5%
• Disagree/Strongly Disagree: 31.4%

I routinely have conversations with my college student about his/her course grades.
• Agree/Strongly Agree: 73.6%
• Disagree/Strongly Disagree: 14.1%

My college student voluntarily shares his/her grades with me at the end of the semester.
• Agree/Strongly Agree: 66.7%
• Disagree/Strongly Disagree: 19.2%

I usually have to ask my college student about grades if I have an interest in seeing them.
• Agree/Strongly Agree: 41.0%
• Disagree/Strongly Disagree: 48.3%

My college student typically does not share his/her grades with me at the end of the semester.
• Agree/Strongly Agree: 11.7%
• Disagree/Strongly Disagree: 75.0%

Read the Complete Table of Survey Results
 
June 2007 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.

Does your student have an iPod/mp3 player?

Do YOU have an iPod/mp3 player?
 
A.
 Does your student have an iPod/mp3 player?
•  Yes - 75.7%
•  No - 24.3%

Do YOU have an iPod/mp3 player?
•  Yes - 38.5%
•  No - 61.5%
 
July 2007 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.

Will your Calvin student have a car on campus this fall?
 
A.

YES - 52.1% (more info)

NO - 47.9% (more info)


The PRIMARY reason that my Calvin student will have a car on campus is:

•  My student lives ON CAMPUS and will have a car on campus primarily for convenience (shopping, errands, excursions, etc.). - 33.0%

•  My student lives ON CAMPUS and will have a car on campus primarily to be able to drive home for weekends, holidays and academic breaks (spring, summer, etc.). - 36.2%

•  My student lives ON CAMPUS and will need a car to commute to an off campus job or internship. - 12.8%

•  My student lives OFF CAMPUS and will need a car to commute to campus and/or work, internship, etc. - 13.8%

•  Other (please specify) - 4.3%

The PRIMARY reason that my Calvin student will not have a car on campus is:

•  My student does not own or have access to a car to keep on campus. - 43.7%

•  My student wishes to avoid the expense of keeping a car on campus (insurance, gas, maintenance, etc.). - 13.8%

•  My student wishes to avoid having other students ask to borrow his/her car. - 1.2%

•  My student lives ON CAMPUS and does not need to have a car on campus. - 36.8%

•  My student lives OFF CAMPUS and does not need to have a car to commute to campus (rides bus, bikes, carpools, walks, etc.) - 1.2%

•  Other (please specify) - 3.5%


 
August 2007 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.

•  How frequently do YOU typically initiate contact (phone, e-mail, IM, voice mail, visit, etc.) with your Calvin student during the academic year?
•  How frequently does YOUR CALVIN STUDENT typically initiate contact (phone, e-mail, IM, voice mail, visit, etc.) with you during the academic year?
 
A.
 How frequently do YOU typically initiate contact (phone, e-mail, IM, voice mail, visit, etc.) with your Calvin student during the academic year?
More than once a day
Once a day
2-6 times a week
Once a week
2-4 times every month
Once a month
Every 1-2 months or more
Never
0.0%
3.1%
43.3%
39.2%
10.3%
2.1%
2.1%
0.0%
How frequently does YOUR CALVIN STUDENT typically initiate contact (phone, e-mail, IM, voice mail, visit, etc.) with you during the academic year?

More than once a day
Once a day
2-6 times a week
Once a week
2-4 times every month
Once a month
Every 1-2 months or more
Never

0.0%
7.2%
34.0%
32.0%
14.4%
5.2%
6.2%
1.0%
 
September 2007 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
 Not including Calvin College, how many other colleges and/or universities did your Calvin student apply to while in the college search process?
 
A.

None, Calvin was the only college One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six or more

23.5%
17.7%
23.1%
19.9%
7.2%
5.4%
3.2%
 
October 2007 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
 If your student expressed an interest in studying in an off-campus program (either inside or outside of the U.S.), how would you respond?
 
A.

I would support him/her
I would try to dissuade him/her
I can't afford it
My response would depend on location

85.9%
0.5%
3.3%
10.4%
 
November 2007 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
 Recent reports suggest that college students are incurring increasingly greater levels of debt. Who do you think should be primarily responsible for teaching personal financial management?
 
A.
Parents, family
High school, middle school
College or university
Financial institutions
Other

87.3%
4.9%
2.1%
0.0%
5.6%
 
December 2007 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
 I visit the Roving WebCam (photo galleries) on Calvin's Web site:
 
A.
  • More than once each week
  • Once a week
  • More than once each month
  • Once a month
  • Once each semester
  • Never

21.4%
17.6%
15.7%
12.6%
19.5%
13.2%


Please take a moment to respond to the the
February 2008 "Question of the Month"
January 2008 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
 During this past year, on which topic has your student most requested your assistance or advice?
 
A.

Finances
Academics
Career planning
Personal relationships
Health
Time management
Campus or community involvement
Faith, spiritual matters
Safety
None of these

37.3%
17.5%
14.3%
12.7%
6.3%
4.8%
0.8%
0.8%
0.0%
5.6%


February 2008 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
 As I consider my own political views, I judge that my college student’s political views are:

 
A.

- Quite similar to my own:
- More conservative than my own:
- More liberal than my own:
- I’m not sure how our political views would compare:

55.7%
7.4%
28.2%

8.7%


March 2008 "Question of the Month"
 
Q.
 A recent survey of Calvin students showed that health concerns can have a direct affect on a student's grade, the decision to drop a course, or staying in college. Based on your experience and observations, which health-related factor do you think was most frequently reported as problematic for Calvin students?
 
A.

Stress:
Cold/flu/sore throat:
Depression/anxiety/seasonal affective disorder:
Sleep difficulties:
Attention deficit disorder:
Concern for troubled family member:

39.6%
29.7%

19.8%
5.4%
3.6%
1.8%


May 2008 "Question of the Month"

 

Q.

Does your student have a Facebook page, MySpace page, or blog?

Do you have a Facebook page, MySpace page, or blog?
 
A.
Click here to submit your answers!