October
How often do you visit the University Parent Web site?
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30 (5%) said this is the first time |
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19 (3%) said once or twice a year |
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57 (9%) said once or twice a semester |
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246 (40%) said about monthly |
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61 (10%) said about weekly |
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17 (3%) said more than once a week |
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182 (30%) said when parent emails remind me to |
September
As your student begins this academic year, what concerns you most regarding your student’s University experience?
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171 (35%) said health/safety |
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76 (16%) said career planning |
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72 (15%) said finances |
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65 (13%) said time management |
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43 (9%) said academics |
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39 (8%) said friends/socializing |
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10 (2%) said involvement opportunities |
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5 (1%) said housing/dining |
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2 (.4%) said other |
| In our biennial survey of University of Minnesota parents, we always ask a version of this question. In 2008, Health/Safety led the list of parent concerns, selected by 22 percent of respondents. Our guess is that fears about H1N1 is a significant factor in raising the percentage of parents selecting health and safety as their top concern this fall. |
August
Do you expect your student to go to graduate school after completing an undergraduate degree?
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40 (13%) said no |
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137 (46%) said yes, right after earning a bachelor's degree |
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71 (24%) said yes, but not until he/she works for a year or two |
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49 (16%) said maybe, but not in the immediate future |
June/July 2009
Has the economic downturn of the past year affected your student's choice of major or career?
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159 (60 percent) said my student is still committed to the same major/career |
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75 (29 percent) said my student has not changed major/career, but is more anxious about the job market |
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19 (7 percent) said my student is committed to the same major/career, but, due to poor job prospects, is continuing on to graduate school |
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10 (4 percent) said my student has decided to change major/career |
May 2009
How often do you and your student send text messages to one another?
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97 (30%) said I don't text |
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54 (17%) said once a week or less |
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39 (12%) said 1-2 times a week |
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69 (21%) said every 2-3 days |
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65 (20%) said one or more times a day |
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We asked the same question in February 2008, and at that time, more than half of parents responding (58.6%) said they did not text. Just 8.6 percent were texting daily. |
April 2009
How do you expect his year's national economic downturn to impact your family's ability to pay for your student's education next year?
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162 (40%) said my ability to afford my student's education will be unchanged |
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162 (40%) said my student or I will take more in loans next year |
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39 (9%) said I will increase my contribution to my student's education |
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34 (8%) said I will reduce my contribution to my student's education |
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12 (3%) said I am unable to afford my student's education at the U of M. My student will drop out or transfer |
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3 (1%) said my student is a senior: 3 or 1 percent |
March 2009
Do you have
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209 (29.1%) said a Facebook page |
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26 (3.7%) said a MySpace page |
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92 (13.1%) said a LinkedIn page |
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21 (3%) said a Twitter page |
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21 (3%) said another social networking site |
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403 (57.3%) said I'm not on any of these sites |
February 2009
Parents of incoming students would like to know how much spending money their student will need in college. On average, how much spending money do you give your student per month?
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134 (45.4%) said I don't give my student spending money |
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64 (21.7%) said $50 or less |
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38 (12.9%) said $51 to $100 |
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27 (9.2%) said $101-$150 |
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32 (10.8%) said $151 or more |
January 2009
On what topic(s) regarding your student have you ever personally contacted the University? (Check all that apply)
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250 (75.8%) said billing/financial aid questions/concerns |
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70 (21.2%) said roommate or housing issues |
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37 (21.2%) said course selection/academic advising |
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5 (1.5%) said career planning |
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21 (6.4%) said mental health concerns |
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35 (10.6%) said physical health concerns |
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20 (6.1%) said safety |
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9 (2.7%) said
faculty dispute |
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54 (16.4%) said none |
December 2008
Which computer platform does your student primarily use?
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112 (29.1%) said Mac, by personal choice |
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8 (2.1%) said Mac, based on student's major |
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238 (61.2%) said Windows, by personal choice |
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23 (6%) said Windows, based on student's major |
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4 (1%) said I don't know |
Which computer platform do you (the parent) primarily use?
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55 (14.3%) said Mac, by personal choice |
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5 (1.3%) said Mac, based on work or other factors |
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236 (61.2%) said Windows, by personal choice |
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86 (22.3%) said Windows, based on work or other factors |
  |
3 (.1%) said both/other |
November 2008
Parents frequently ask if their student needs a laptop or desktop computer. What does your student have?
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451 said laptop |
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25 said desktop |
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31 said both laptop and desktop |
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6 said neither |
October 2008
Where or how will your student vote on November 4?
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120 said in-person in our home (non-university) precinct |
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279 said with an absentee ballot from our home (non-university) precinct |
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365 said in a University-area precinct |
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5 said doesn't plan to vote |
? |
5 said other/not sure |
Link to the Previous Survey
Results Archive for questions and responses going back
to December 1999.
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