Highlights from the Fall 2021 CIRP Freshman Survey

From August 31 to mid-September 2021, the Office of Institutional Analysis invited all new first-year students to take the CIRP Freshman Survey. About 35% of Gettysburg students completed the survey. This was the first time we conducted the survey on line (In prior years, we used the paper surveys and the response rate had been over 90%). Below are select highlights of Gettysburg results (2021 vs. 2019).

Top Reasons for Going to College

Survey Question: "In deciding to go to college, how important to you was each of the following reasons?" (Rating Scale: Not important--Somewhat Important--Very Important). Compared with the Gettysburg Fall 2019 cohort, a notably higher % of Gettysburg Fall 2021 first-year students indicated "To prepare myself for graduate or professional school" as a "Very Important" reason for going to college; a notably lower % indicated "To please my family" as a "Very Important" reason.

Chart of reasons Gettysburg students want to go to college

View data on reasons for going to college

% of Gettysburg first-year students reporting……as a "Very Important" reason in deciding to attend college:
Reason	2021	2019
To please my family	31%	38%
To make me a more cultured person	58%	57%
To get training for a specific career	68%	69%
To prepare myself for graduate or professional school	70%	64%
To be able to make more money	73%	76%
To gain a general education and appreciation of ideas	81%	80%
To learn more about things that interest me	87%	86%
To be able to get a better job	90%	89%

Top Reasons for Deciding to Attend Gettysburg

Survey Question: "Below are some reasons that might have influenced your decision to attend this particular college. How important was each reason in your decision to come here? (Rating Scale: Not important--Somewhat Important--Very Important). Compared with the Gettysburg Fall 2019 cohort, a notably higher % of Gettysburg Fall 2021 first-year students indicated" The academic reputation of my intended major" as a "Very Important" reason for attending Gettysburg.

Chart of reasons Gettysburg students chose Gettysburg

View data on reasons for attending Gettysburg

% of Gettysburg first-year students reporting……as a "Very Important" reason in deciding to attend Gettysburg:
Reason	2021	2019
This college's graduates make a difference in the world	45%	44%
This college's graduates gain admission to top graduate/professional schools	49%	44%
This college has a good reputation for its social and extracurricular activities	56%	54%
The cost of attending this college	56%	42%
The academic reputation of my intended major	58%	47%
A visit to this campus	59%	64%
I wanted to go to a school about the size of this college	65%	60%
I was offered financial assistance	69%	64%
This college's graduates get good jobs	72%	67%
This college has a very good academic reputation	76%	75%

Degree Aspirations

80% of Gettysburg 2021 first-year students planned to attain a Master’s degree or higher.

Note: For the Fall 2021 results, because of the 35% response rate, the margin of error was approximately plus or minus 3.4 ~ 5.7 (depending on the specific survey item).