the american freshman: national norms fall 2011 - Higher Education ...

most important reason to attend college (88.3%
vs. 91.7%, respectively). Wanting to learn about
things that interest them is the top priority for
students intending to major in the social sciences
(84.9%) or in humanities (89.6%), although for
future social science majors, this reason is also
close to wanting a better job (83.0%).
Business majors are the most likely to attend
college with an eye towards making more
money, as 84.0% report that this is “very important,”
much more than the 72.3% of STEM
majors, the 65.4% of social science majors, and
the 55.6% of humanities majors.
The most striking differences in reasons to
attend college are between probable business and
humanities majors. Whereas wanting a better
job was first for business majors, it ranks fourth
among those planning to major in humanities,
with just 73.3% indicating “very important.”
Gaining a general education and appreciation
for ideas is second for humanities majors
(74.7%), but in fifth place for business majors
(69.9%). And, while
being able to make more
money is second in
importance for business
majors, it is second to last
100
in importance as a reason
90
to attend college for those
80
planning to major in the
70
humanities. These differ-
60
ences in importance for
50
attending college clearly
40
show that these two
30
groups of entering
20
students want and appre-
10
ciate different aspects of
0
the experience and
outcomes of college.
% of Students
78.4
Changing Patterns in How Students
Pay for College
Fewer incoming students report financing at
least some of their first-year expenses through
grants or scholarships, moving from 73.4%
who did so in 2010 down to 69.5% in 2011,
a drop of 3.9 percentage points (see Figure 3).
At the same time that fewer students entering in
2011 are receiving scholarships, those receiving
$10,000 or more in this type of aid also dropped,
from 29.2% in 2010 to 26.8% in 2011, a drop
of 2.4 percentage points. Thus, fewer students
are receiving scholarships, and the dollar amount
of scholarships is trending downward.
78.3
Family Resources
(Parents, Relatives,
Spouse, etc.)
At the same time that fewer
students entering in 2011 are
receiving scholarships, those
receiving $10,000 or more in
this type of aid also dropped.
Figure 3. Sources of Financing for First Year of College
(% Indicates Any Funds Received)
73.4
69.5
Aid Which Need Not
Be Repaid (Grants,
Scholarships, etc.)
64.3
61.7
My Own Resources
(Savings from Work,
Work-Study, Other
Income)
53.1
2010
2011
52.5
Aid Which Must
Be Repaid
(Loans, etc.)
11