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deviations below the mean, indicating a relatively lower rating. The high category includedstudents whose calculated score is one or more standard deviations above the mean, indicating arelatively higher rating.Finally, a factor analysis tested how well the items included in the scale measure acommon underlying construct. The factor analysis yielded a standardized Cronbach’s alpha of0.895.Integration and Sense of Belonging at SchoolThe sense of belonging measures presented in Table 3.9 are derived from nine questions askedin the MDRC student survey. These questions were first devised for use in MDRC’s evaluationof a learning communities program at Kingsborough Community College. 6 Students were askedto indicate if they strongly agree (1); agree (2); disagree (3); or strongly disagree (4) with thefollowing:1. College is an unfriendly place.2. I do not feel that I fit in or belong in college.3. The instructors and staff understand who I am and where I am coming from.4. It is difficult to make good friends with other students.5. The other students do not understand who I am and where I am coming from.6. College has the feeling of a community, where many people share the same goalsand interests.7. Many people at college know me by name.8. I do not feel I am part of college life.9. I feel that I matter to the college instructors, staff, and other students.Originally, for some questions, a higher value response indicated a greater sense of belonging,and for some questions, a higher value response indicated a lesser sense of belonging.Those latter questions were recoded to change the direction of responses. 7 After the directionwas recoded for those questions, a higher value response indicated a greater sense of belongingfor all questions.6 Scrivener et al. (2008).7 For questions 3, 6, 7, and 9: 1 became 4; 2 became 3; 3 became 2; 4 became 1.110