Common Data Set

A.  General Information
B.  Enrollment and Persistence
C.  First-Time First-Year (Freshman) Admission
D.  Transfer Admission
E.  Academic Offerings and Policies
F.  Student Life
G.  Annual Expenses
H.  Financial Aid
I.  Instructional Faculty and Class Size
J.  Degrees Conferred

A1. Address Information

Name of College or University

Mailing Address
City/State/Zip/Country



Main Phone Number
WWW Home Page Address
Admissions Phone Number
Admissions Toll-free Number
Admissions Office Mailing Address
City/State/Zip/Country

Admissions Fax Number
Admissions E-mail Address

The University of Montana Missoula

The University of Montana
32 Campus Drive
Missoula, MT 59812-0002 United States


(406) 243-0211
http://www.umt.edu
Local: 243-6266
800-462-8636
The University of Montana
Admissions Office
Missoula, MT 59812-0002 United States
406-243-5711
admiss@umontana.edu

A2. Source of institutional control (check one only)

Public
Private (nonprofit)
Proprietary

A3. Classify your undergraduate institution:

Coeducational college
Men’s college
Women’s college

A4. Academic year calendar

Semester
Quarter
Trimester
Other (describe):

A5. Degrees offered by your institution

Certificate
Diploma
Associate
     Transfer
     Terminal
Bachelor's

B1. Institutional Enrollment—Men and Women

Provide numbers of students for each of the following categories as of the institution’s official fall reporting date or as of October 15, 2003.

Total all undergraduates 11,343

Total all graduate and professional students: 2,009

GRAND TOTAL ALL STUDENTS: 13,352

B2. Enrollment by Racial/Ethnic Category.

Provide numbers of undergraduate students for each of the following categories as of the institution’s official fall reporting date or as of October 15, 2003. Complete the “Total Undergraduates” column only if you cannot provide data for the first two columns.

Persistence
B3. Number of degrees awarded by your institution from July 1, 2002, to June 30, 2003.

Graduation Rates
The items in this section correspond to data elements collected by the IPEDS Web-based Data Collection System’s Graduation Rate Survey (GRS). For complete instructions and definitions of data elements, see the IPEDS GRS instructions and glossary on the 2003 Web-based survey.

For Bachelor’s or Equivalent Programs
Report for the cohort of full-time first-time bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree-seeking undergraduate students who entered in fall 1997. Include in the cohort those who entered your institution during the summer term preceding fall 1997.

B4. Initial 1997 cohort of first-time, full-time bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree-seeking undergraduate students; total all students:      1711

B5. Of the initial 1997 cohort, how many did not persist and did not graduate for the following reasons: deceased, permanently disabled, armed forces, foreign aid service of the federal government, or official church missions; total allowable exclusions:        _5__

B6. Final 1997 cohort, after adjusting for allowable exclusions:      1706
(Subtract question B5 from question B4)

B7. Of the initial 1997 cohort, how many completed the program in four years or less (by August 31, 2001):      335

B8. Of the initial 1997 cohort, how many completed the program in more than four years but in five years or less (after August 31, 2001 and by August 31, 2002):      320

B9. Of the initial 1997 cohort, how many completed the program in more than five years but in six years or less (after August 31, 2002 and by August 31, 2003):      114

B10. Total graduating within six years (sum of questions B7, B8, and B9):      769

B11. Six-year graduation rate for 1997 cohort (question B10 divided by question B6):      45%

For Two-Year Institutions:

B12. Initial 2000cohort, total of first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking students: __________________

B13. Of the initial 2000 cohort, how many did not persist and did not graduate for the following reasons: deceased, permanently disabled, armed forces, foreign aid service of the federal government, or official church missions; total allowable exclusions: ___________________

B14. Final 2000 cohort, after adjusting for allowable exclusions___________________
(Subtract question B13 from question B12)

B15. Completers of programs of less than two years duration (total): ___________________

B16. Completers of programs of less than two years within 150 percent of normal time: ____________

B17. Completers of programs of at least two but less than four years (total): _______________

B18. Completers of programs of at least two but less than four-years within 150 percent of normal time: ____________

B19. Total transfers-out (within three years) to other institutions: _________________

B20. Total transfers to two-year institutions: __________________

B21. Total transfers to four-year institutions: __________________

Retention Rates
Report for the cohort of all full-time, first-time bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree-seeking undergraduate students who entered in fall 2002(or the preceding summer term). The initial cohort may be adjusted for students who departed for the following reasons: deceased, permanently disabled, armed forces, foreign aid service of the federal government or official church missions. No other adjustments to the initial cohort should be made.

B22. For the cohort of all full-time bachelor’s (or equivalent) degree-seeking undergraduate students who entered your institution as freshmen in fall 2002 (or the preceding summer term), what percentage was enrolled at your institution as of the date your institution calculates its official enrollment in fall 2003?     71 %

Applications

C1. First-time, first-year (freshman) students: Provide the number of degree-seeking, first-time, first-year students who applied, were admitted, and enrolled (full- or part-time) in fall 2003. Include early decision, early action, and students who began studies during summer in this cohort. Applicants should include only those students who fulfilled the requirements for consideration for admission (i.e., who completed actionable applications) and who have been notified of one of the following actions: admission, nonadmission, placement on waiting list, or application withdrawn (by applicant or institution). Admitted applicants should include wait-listed students who were subsequently offered admission.

C2. Freshman wait-listed students (students who met admission requirements but whose final admission was contingent on space availability)

Do you have a policy of placing students on a waiting list?
If yes, please answer the questions below for fall 2002 admissions:
Number of qualified applicants placed on waiting list _____
Number accepting a place on the waiting list _____
Number of wait-listed students admitted _____

Yes No

Admission Requirements

C3. High school completion requirement
Check the appropriate box to identify your high school completion requirement for degree-seeking entering students:

High school diploma is required and GED is accepted
High school diploma is required and GED is not accepted
High school diploma or equivalent is not required

C4. Does your institution require or recommend a general college-preparatory program for degree-seeking students?

Require
Recommend
Neither require nor recommend

C5. Distribution of high school units required and/or recommended. Specify the distribution of academic high school course units required and/or recommended of all or most degree-seeking students using Carnegie units (one unit equals one year of study or its equivalent). If you use a different system for calculating units, please convert.

Basis for Selection

C6. Do you have an open admission policy, under which virtually all secondary school graduates or students with GED equivalency diplomas are admitted without regard to academic record, test scores, or other qualifications? UM does not have an open policy. Entrance requirements for traditional full-time students are: high school graduation, 2.5 cumulative grade average or score of 22 on the ACT or 1030 combined verbal/math on the SAT, and successful completion of college prep program requirements. Nontraditional students, GED freshman, and summer-only students are exempt from the above requirements.

C7. Relative importance of each of the following academic and nonacademic factors in your first-time, first-year, degree-seeking (freshman) admission decisions.

SAT and ACT Policies

C8. Entrance exams

A. Does your institution make use of SAT I, SAT II, or ACT scores in admission decisions for first-time, first-year, degree-seeking applicants?

Yes No

If yes, place check marks in the appropriate boxes below to reflect your institution’s policies for use in admission.

In addition, does your institution use applicants' test scores for placement or counseling?

Placement
Counseling

Yes No
Yes No

B. Does your institution use the SAT I or II or the ACT for placement only? If so, please mark the appropriate boxes below:

C. Latest date by which SAT I or ACT scores must be received for fall-term admission     July 1

      Latest date by which SAT II scores must be received for fall-term admission

D. If necessary, use this space to clarify your test policies (e.g., if tests are recommended for some students, or if tests are not required of some students):
In lieu of a 2.5 cumulative grade average from high school and a ranking in the upper half of the graduating class,  the following test scores may also be used to qualify a student for admission:

    22 composite on the enhanced ACT
    920 combined verbal/math on SAT up to April 1995 or 1030 combined score beginning April 1995

Nontraditional freshman, GED freshman, part-time students, and summer-only students are exempt from this academic or testing requirement.

Freshman Profile

Provide percentages for ALL enrolled, degree-seeking, full-time and part-time, first-time, first-year (freshman) students enrolled in fall 2003 including students who began studies during summer, international students/nonresident aliens, and students admitted under special arrangements.

C9. Percent and number of first-time, first-year (freshman) students enrolled in fall 2003 who submitted national standardized (SAT/ACT) test scores. Include information for ALL enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first-year (freshman) students who submitted test scores. Do not include partial test scores (e.g., mathematics scores but not verbal for a category of students) or combine other standardized test results (such as TOEFL) in this item. SAT scores should be recentered scores. The 25th percentile is the score that 25 percent scored at or below; the 75th percentile score is the one that 25 percent scored at or above.

Percent submitting SAT scores      38%
Percent submitting ACT scores      52%

Number submitting SAT scores        762
Number submitting ACT scores    1,045

Percent of first-time, first-year (freshman) students with scores in each range:

C10. Percent of all degree-seeking, first-time, first-year (freshman) students who had high school class rank within each of the following ranges (report information for those students from whom you collected high school rank information).

C11. Percentage of all enrolled, degree-seeking, first-time, first-year (freshman) students who had high school grade-point averages within each of the following ranges (using 4.0 scale). Report information only for those students from whom you collected high school GPA.

C12. Average high school GPA of all degree-seeking, first-time, first-year (freshman) students who submitted GPA:    3.2

Percent of total first-time, first-year (freshman) students who submitted high school GPA:

92%

Admission Policies

C13. Application fee

Does your institution have an application fee?
Amount of application fee:          $30 nonrefundable
Can it be waived for applicants with financial need?
The fee can be deferred but not waived.

Yes No

Yes No

C14. Application closing date

Does your institution have an application closing date? Applications for first-time first-year freshman are on a rolling space-available basis.  For transfers application priority deadlines are March 1 for fall semester and November 15 for spring semester.

C15. Are first-time, first-year students accepted for terms other than the fall? Yes No

C16. Notification to applicants of admission decision sent (fill in one only)

On a rolling basis beginning (date):   Sept 15
By (date): __________
Other: __________

C17.Reply policy for admitted applicants (fill in one only)

Must reply by (date): __________
No set date:        X
Must reply by May 1 or within _____ weeks if notified thereafter
Other: __________

C18. Deferred admission: Does your institution allow students to postpone enrollment after admission?

Yes No
If yes, maximum period of postponement: 1 year then   must reapply

C19. Early admission of high school students: Does your institution allow high school students to enroll as full-time, first-time, first-year (freshman) students one year or more before high school graduation?

Yes No

C20. Common application: Will you accept the Common Application distributed by the National Association of

Secondary School Principals if submitted?
If “yes,” are supplemental forms required?
Is your college a member of the Common Application Group?

Yes No
Yes No
Yes No

Early Decision and Early Action Plans

C21. Early decision: Does your institution offer an early decision plan (an admission plan that permits students to apply and be notified of an admission decision well in advance of the regular notification date and that asks students to commit to attending if accepted) for first-time, first-year (freshman) applicants for fall enrollment? Yes No

If “yes,” please complete the following:
First or only early decision plan closing date
First or only early decision plan notification date
Other early decision plan closing date
Other early decision plan notification date
For the Fall 2002 entering class:
Number of early decision applications received by your institution
Number of applicants admitted under early decision plan

_____
_____
_____
_____

_____
_____

Please provide significant details about your early decision plan: ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________

C22. Early action: Do you have a nonbinding early action plan whereby students are notified of an admission decision well in advance of the regular notification date but do not have to commit to attending your college?

Yes No

If “yes,” please complete the following:

Early action closing date
Early action notification date

_____
_____

Fall Applicants

D1. Does your institution enroll transfer students? Yes No
(If no, please skip to Section E)
If yes, may transfer students earn advanced standing credit by transferring credits earned from course work completed at other colleges/universities? Yes No

D2. Provide the number of students who applied, were admitted, and enrolled as degree-seeking transfer students in fall 2003.

Application for Admission

D3. Indicate terms for which transfers may enroll:

Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer

D4. Must a transfer applicant have a minimum number of credits completed or else must apply as an entering freshman?

Yes No
If yes, what is the minimum number of credits and the unit of measure?    12

D5. Indicate all items required of transfer students to apply for admission:

D6. If a minimum high school grade point average is required of transfer applicants, specify
(on a 4.0 scale): ____

D7. If a minimum college grade point average is required of transfer applicants, specify
(on a 4.0 scale):     2.0

D8. List any other application requirements specific to transfer applicants:

Transfer applicants need to submit their medical history records, an application form, and a nonrefundable fee of $30.

D9. List application priority, closing, notification, and candidate reply dates for transfer students. If applications are reviewed on a continuous or rolling basis, place a check mark in the “Rolling admission” column.

D10. Does an open admission policy, if reported, apply to transfer students? Yes No

D11. Describe additional requirements for transfer admission, if applicable:
______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________

Transfer Credit Policies

D12. Report the lowest grade earned for any course that may be transferred for credit:    D

D13. Maximum number of credits or courses that may be transferred from a two-year institution:

Number:       no limit
Unit type ____________

D14. Maximum number of credits or courses that may be transferred from a four-year institution:

Number:       no limit
Unit type ____________

D15. Minimum number of credits that transfers must complete at your institution to earn an associate degree:    30

D16. Minimum number of credits that transfers must complete at your institution to earn a bachelor’s degree:      30

D17. Describe other transfer credit policies:

Transfer students must earn 39 upper division credits and at least 30 credits from UM

E1. Special study options: Identify those programs available at your institution. Refer to the glossary for definitions.

Accelerated program
Cooperative (work-study) program
Cross-registration
Distance learning
Double Major
Dual enrollment
English as a Second Language (ESL)
Exchange student program (domestic)
External degree program
Other (specify): Bachelor of Nursing in Missoula  in cooperation with Montana State University-Bozeman

Honors program
Independent study
Internships
Liberal arts/career combination
Student-designed major
Study abroad
Teacher certification program
Weekend college

E2. Has been removed from the CDS.

E3. Areas in which all or most students are required to complete some course work prior to graduation:

Arts/fine arts
Computer literacy
English (including composition)
Foreign or symbolic languages
History
Other (describe): Ethical and human values, foreign language and symbolic systems,
historical and cultural studies.

Humanities
Mathematics
Philosophy
Sciences (biological or physical)
Social science

Library Collections

Report the number of holdings. Refer to the most recent Academic Libraries Survey for corresponding equivalents.

E4. Books, serial backfiles, electronic documents, and government documents (titles) that are accessible through the library’s catalog:                   1,351,307

E5. Current serial subscriptions (paper, microform, electronic):      7,279

E6. Microforms (units):      298,393

E7. Audiovisual materials (units):      56,866

E8. E-Books:      7,050

F1. Percentages of first-time, first-year (freshman) students and all degree-seeking undergraduates enrolled in fall 2003 who fit the following categories:

F2. Activities offered Identify those programs available at your institution.

Choral groups
Concert band
Dance
Drama/theater
Jazz band
Literary magazine

Marching band
Music ensembles
Musical theater
Opera
Pep band
Radio station

Student government
Student newspaper
Student-run film society
Symphony orchestra
Television station
Yearbook

F3. ROTC (program offered in cooperation with Reserve Officers’ Training Corps)

Army ROTC is offered:
On campus
At cooperating institution (name): ______________________________________________________

Naval ROTC is offered:
On campus
At cooperating institution (name): ______________________________________________________

Air Force ROTC is offered:
On campus
At cooperating institution (name): ______________________________________________________

F4. Housing: Check all types of college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing available for undergraduates at your institution.

Coed dorms
Men’s dorms
Women’s dorms
Apartments for married students
Apartments for single students
Other housing options (specify): Apartments for students & families, Honors floors, international floors, quiet floors, activity dorms, personal development housing

Special housing for disabled students
Special housing for international students
Fraternity/sorority housing
Cooperative housing

Provide 2003-2004 academic year costs for the following categories that are applicable to your institution.

G1. Undergraduate full-time tuition, required fees, room and board

List the typical tuition, required fees, and room and board for a full-time undergraduate student for the FULL 2003-04 academic year (30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours for institutions that derive annual tuition by multiplying credit hour cost by number of credits). A full academic year refers to the period of time generally extending from September to June; usually equated to two semesters, two trimesters, three quarters, or the period covered by a four-one-four plan. Room and board is defined as double occupancy and 19 meals per week or the maximum meal plan. Required fees include only charges that all full-time students must pay that are not included in tuition (e.g., registration, health, or activity fees.) Do not include optional fees (e.g., parking, laboratory use).

Comprehensive tuition and room and board fee (if your college cannot provide separate tuition and room and board fees): N/A

Other ______________________________________________________________________________________

G2. Number of credits per term a student can take for the stated full-time tuition 12 minimum 25 maximum

G3. Do tuition and fees vary by year of study (e.g., sophomore, junior, senior)?

Yes No

G4. If tuition and fees vary by undergraduate instructional program, describe briefly:     Additional fees are charged for Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, and Business Administration.

G5. Provide the estimated expenses for a typical full-time undergraduate student:

 *includes transportation

G6. Undergraduate per-credit-hour charges:

Undergraduate per-credit-hour charges are estimates, based on 12 credits per semester

Aid Awarded to Enrolled Undergraduates

H1. Enter total dollar amounts awarded to enrolled full-time and less than full-time degree-seeking undergraduates (using the same cohort reported in CDS Question B1, “total degree-seeking” undergraduates) in the following categories. Include aid awarded to international students (i.e., those not qualifying for federal aid). Aid that is non-need-based but that was used to meet need should be reported in the need-based aid columns. (For a suggested order of precedence in assigning categories of aid to cover need, see the entry for “non-need-based scholarship and grant aid” on the last page of the definitions section.)

Indicate the academic year for which data are reported for items H1, H2, H2A, and H6 below:
2003-2004 estimated or 2002-2003 final

 Which needs-analysis methodology does your institution use in awarding institutional aid? Formerly H3

Federal methodology (FM)
Institutional methodology (IM)
Both FM and IM

H2. Number of Enrolled Students Receiving Aid: List the number of degree-seeking full-time and less-than-full-time undergraduates who applied for and were awarded financial aid from any source. Aid that is non-need-based but that was used to meet need should be counted as need-based aid. Numbers should reflect the cohort receiving the dollars reported in H1. Note: In the chart below, students may be counted in more than one row, and full-time freshmen should also be counted as full-time undergraduates.

H2A. Number of Enrolled Students Receiving Non-need-based Grants and Scholarships: List the number of degree-seeking full-time and less-than-full-time undergraduates who had no financial need and who were awarded institutional ---not external non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. Numbers should reflect the cohort awarded the dollars reported in H1. Note: In the chart below, students may be counted in more than one row, and full-time freshmen should also be counted as full-time undergraduates.

H3. Incorporated into H1.

H4. Percent of the 2003 undergraduate class who graduated between July 1, 2002 and June 30, 2003 and borrowed through any loan programs (federal, state, subsidized, unsubsidized, private, etc.; exclude parent loans). Include only students who borrowed while enrolled at your institution.       56%

H5. Average per-borrower cumulative undergraduate indebtedness of those in line H4. Do not include money borrowed at other institutions:          $18,175

Aid to Undergraduate Degree-seeking Nonresident Aliens (Note: Report numbers and dollar amounts for the same academic year checked in item H1.)

H6. Indicate your institution’s policy regarding financial aid for undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens:

Institutional need-based financial aid is available
Institutional non-need-based financial aid is available
Institutional financial aid is not available

If college-administered financial aid is available for undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens, provide the number of undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens who received need-based or non-need-based aid:      N/A

Average dollar amount awarded to undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens:        $ N/A

Total dollar amount of financial aid from all sources awarded to all undergraduate degree-seeking nonresident aliens:
      $ N/A

Process for First-Year/Freshman Students

H7. Check off all financial aid forms domestic first-year (freshman) financial aid applicants must submit:

FAFSA
Institution’s own financial aid form
CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE
State aid form
Noncustodial (Divorced/Separated) Parent’s Statement
Business/Farm Supplement
Other:      UM Supplemental Information Sheet

H8. Check off all financial aid forms nonresident alien first-year financial aid applicants must submit:

Institution’s own financial aid form
CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE
Foreign Student’s Financial Aid Application
Foreign Student’s Certification of Finances
Other:__________________________________

H9. Indicate filing dates for first-year (freshman) students:

Priority date for filing required financial aid forms: March 1
Deadline for filing required financial aid forms: _____________
No deadline for filing required forms (applications processed on a rolling basis): ________

H10. Indicate notification dates for first-year (freshman) students (answer a or b):

a.) Students notified on or about (date): _____________

b.) Students notified on a rolling basis: yes starting  April 1

H11. Indicate reply dates:

Students must reply within 4 weeks of notification.

Types of Aid Available

Please check off all types of aid available to undergraduates at your institution:

H12. Loans

FEDERAL DIRECT STUDENT LOAN PROGRAM (DIRECT LOAN)

Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans
Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans
Direct PLUS Loans

FEDERAL FAMILY EDUCATION LOAN PROGRAM (FFEL)

FFEL Subsidized Stafford Loans
FFEL Unsubsidized Stafford Loans
FFEL PLUS Loans
Federal Perkins Loans
Federal Nursing Loans
State Loans
College/university loans from institutional funds
Other (specify): _________________________

H13. Scholarships and Grants

NEED-BASED:
Federal Pell
SEOG
State scholarships/grants
Private scholarships
College/university gift aid from institutional funds
United Negro College Fund
Federal Nursing Scholarship
Other (specify): _____________________

H14. Check off criteria used in awarding institutional aid. Check all that apply.

I-1. Please report number of instructional faculty members in each category for Fall 2003.

The following definition of instructional faculty is used by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) in its annual Faculty Compensation Survey. Instructional Faculty is defined as those members of the instructional-research staff whose major regular assignment is instruction, including those with released time for research. Institutions are asked to EXCLUDE:
(a) instructional faculty in preclinical and clinical medicine
(b) administrative officers with titles such as dean of students, librarian, registrar, coach, and the like, even though they may devote part of their time to classroom instruction and may have faculty status,
(c) undergraduate or graduate students who assist in the instruction of courses, but have titles such as teaching assistant, teaching fellow, and the like
(d) faculty on leave without pay, and
(e) replacement faculty for faculty on sabbatical leave.

Full-time: faculty employed on a full-time basis
Part-time: faculty teaching less than two semesters, three quarters, two trimesters, or two four-month sessions. Also includes adjuncts and part-time instructors.
Minority faculty: includes faculty who designate themselves as black, non-Hispanic; American Indian or Alaskan native; Asian or Pacific Islander; or Hispanic.
Doctorate: includes such degrees as Doctor of Education, Doctor of Juridical Science, Doctor of Public Health, and Doctor of Philosophy degree in any field such as agronomy, food technology, education, engineering, public administration, ophthalmology, or radiology.
First-professional: includes the fields of dentistry (DDS or DMD), medicine (MD), optometry (OD), osteopathic medicine (DO), pharmacy (DPharm or BPharm), podiatric medicine (DPM), veterinary medicine (DVM), chiropractic (DC or DCM), law (JD) and theological professions (MDiv, MHL).
Terminal degree: the highest degree in a field: example, M. Arch (architecture) and MFA (master of fine arts).

I-2. Student to Faculty Ratio

Report the Fall 2003 ratio of full-time equivalent students (full-time plus 1/3 part time) to full-time equivalent instructional faculty (full time plus 1/3 part time). In the ratio calculations, exclude both faculty and students in stand-alone graduate or professional programs such as medicine, law, veterinary, dentistry, social work, business, or public health in which faculty teach virtually only graduate level students. Do not count undergraduate or graduate student teaching assistants as faculty.

Fall 2003 Student to Faculty ratio:       21 to 1.

I-3. Undergraduate Class Size

In the table below, please use the following definitions to report information about the size of classes and class sections offered in the Fall 2003 term.

Class Sections: A class section is an organized course offered for credit, identified by discipline and number, meeting at a stated time or times in a classroom or similar setting, and not a subsection such as a laboratory or discussion session. Undergraduate class sections are defined as any sections in which at least one degree-seeking undergraduate student is enrolled for credit. Exclude distance learning classes and noncredit classes and individual instruction such as dissertation or thesis research, music instruction, or one-to-one readings. Exclude students in independent study, co-operative programs, internships, foreign language taped tutor sessions, practicums, and all students in one-on-one classes. Each class section should be counted only once and should not be duplicated because of course catalog cross-listings.

Class Subsections: A class subsection includes any subsection of a course, such as laboratory, recitation, and discussion subsections that are supplementary in nature and are scheduled to meet separately from the lecture portion of the course. Undergraduate subsections are defined as any subsections of courses in which degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled for credit. As above, exclude noncredit classes and individual instruction such as dissertation or thesis research, music instruction, or one-to-one readings. Each class subsection should be counted only once and should not be duplicated because of cross-listings.

Using the above definitions, please report for each of the following class-size intervals the number of class sections and class subsections offered in Fall 2003. For example, a lecture class with 800 students who met at another time in 40 separate labs with 20 students should be counted once in the “100+” column in the class section column and 40 times under the “20-29” column of the class subsections table.

Number of Class Sections with Undergraduates Enrolled

Undergraduate Class Size (provide numbers)

Degrees conferred between July 1, 2002 and June 30, 2003

Reference: IPEDS Completions, Part A

For each of the following discipline areas, provide the percentage of diplomas/certificates, associate, and bachelor’s degrees awarded.

Common Data Set Definitions 2003

All definitions related to the financial aid section appear at the end of the Definitions document.
Items preceded by an asterisk (*) represent definitions agreed to among publishers which do not appear on the CDS document but may be present on individual publishers’ surveys.

*Academic advisement: Plan under which each student is assigned to a faculty member or a trained adviser, who, through regular meetings, helps the student plan and implement immediate and long-term academic and vocational goals.

Accelerated program: Completion of a college program of study in fewer than the usual number of years, most often by attending summer sessions and carrying extra courses during the regular academic term.

Admitted student: Applicant who is offered admission to a degree-granting program at your institution.

*Adult student services: Admission assistance, support, orientation, and other services expressly for adults who have started college for the first time, or who are re-entering after a lapse of a few years.

American Indian or Alaska native: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America and who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition.

Applicant (first-time, first year): An individual who has fulfilled the institution’s requirements to be considered for admission (including payment or waiving of the application fee, if any) and who has been notified of one of the following actions: admission, nonadmission, placement on waiting list, or application withdrawn (by applicant or institution).

Application fee: That amount of money that an institution charges for processing a student’s application for acceptance. This amount is not creditable toward tuition and required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not admitted to the institution.

Asian or Pacific Islander: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, or Pacific Islands. This includes people from China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, American Samoa, India, and Vietnam.

Associate degree: An award that normally requires at least two but less than four years of full-time equivalent college work.

Bachelor’s degree: An award (baccalaureate or equivalent degree, as determined by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education) that normally requires at least four years but not more than five years of full-time equivalent college-level work. This includes ALL bachelor’s degrees conferred in a five-year cooperative (work-study plan) program. (A cooperative plan provides for alternate class attendance and employment in business, industry, or government; thus, it allows students to combine actual work experience with their college studies.) Also, it includes bachelor’s degrees in which the normal four years of work are completed in three years.

Black, non-Hispanic: A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa (except those of Hispanic origin).

Board (charges): Assume average cost for 19 meals per week or the maximum meal plan.

Books and supplies (costs): Average cost of books and supplies. Do not include unusual costs for special groups of students (e.g., engineering or art majors), unless they constitute the majority of students at your institution.

Calendar system: The method by which an institution structures most of its courses for the academic year.

*Career and placement services: A range of services, including (often) the following: coordination of visits of employers to campus; aptitude and vocational testing; interest inventories, personal counseling; help in resume writing, interviewing, launching the job search; listings for those students desiring employment and those seeking permanent positions; establishment of a permanent reference folder; career resource materials.

Carnegie units: One year of study or the equivalent in a secondary school subject.

Certificate: See Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma.

Class rank: The relative numerical position of a student in his or her graduating class, calculated by the high school on the basis of grade-point average, whether weighted or unweighted.

College-preparatory program: Courses in academic subjects (English, history and social studies, foreign languages, mathematics, science, and the arts) that stress preparation for college or university study.

Common Application: The standard application form distributed by the National Association of Secondary School Principals for a large number of private colleges who are members of the Common Application Group.

*Community service program: Referral center for students wishing to perform volunteer work in the community or participate in volunteer activities coordinated by academic departments.

Commuter: A student who lives off campus in housing that is not owned by, operated by, or affiliated with the college. This category includes students who commute from home and students who have moved to the area to attend college.

Contact hour: A unit of measure that represents an hour of scheduled instruction given to students. Also referred to as clock hour.

Continuous basis (for program enrollment): A calendar system classification that is used by institutions that enroll students at any time during the academic year. For example, a cosmetology school or a word processing school might allow students to enroll and begin studies at various times, with no requirement that classes begin on a certain date.

Cooperative housing: College-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing in which students share room and board expenses and participate in household chores to reduce living expenses.

Cooperative (work-study plan) program: A program that provides for alternate class attendance and employment in business, industry, or government.

*Counseling service: Activities designed to assist students in making plans and decisions related to their education, career, or personal development.

Credit: Recognition of attendance or performance in an instructional activity (course or program) that can be applied by a recipient toward the requirements for a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.

Credit course: A course that, if successfully completed, can be applied toward the number of courses required for achieving a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.

Credit hour: A unit of measure representing an hour (50 minutes) of instruction over a 15-week period in a semester or trimester system or a 10-week period in a quarter system. It is applied toward the total number of hours needed for completing the requirements of a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.

Cross-registration: A system whereby students enrolled at one institution may take courses at another institution without having to apply to the second institution.

Deferred admission: The practice of permitting admitted students to postpone enrollment, usually for a period of one academic term or one year.

Degree: An award conferred by a college, university, or other postsecondary education institution as official recognition for the successful completion of a program of studies.

Degree-seeking students: Students enrolled in courses for credit who are recognized by the institution as seeking a degree or formal award. At the undergraduate level, this is intended to include students enrolled in vocational or occupational programs.

Differs by program (calendar system): A calendar system classification that is used by institutions that have occupational/vocational programs of varying length. These schools may enroll students at specific times depending on the program desired. For example, a school might offer a two-month program in January, March, May, September, and November; and a three-month program in January, April, and October.

Diploma: See Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma.

Distance learning: An option for earning course credit at off-campus locations via cable television, internet, satellite classes, videotapes, correspondence courses, or other means.

Doctoral degree: The highest award a student can earn for graduate study. The doctoral degree classification includes such degrees as Doctor of Education, Doctor of Juridical Science,Doctor of Public Health, and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in any field such as agronomy, food technology, education, engineering, public administration, ophthalmology, or radiology. For the Doctor of Public Health degree, the prior degree is generally earned in the closely related field of medicine or in sanitary engineering.

Double major: Program in which students may complete two undergraduate programs of study simultaneously.

Dual enrollment: A program through which high school students may enroll in college courses while still enrolled in high school. Students are not required to apply for admission to the college in order to participate.

Early action plan: An admission plan that allows students to apply and be notified of an admission decision well in advance of the regular notification dates. If admitted, the candidate is not committed to enroll; the student may reply to the offer under the college’s regular reply policy.

Early admission: A policy under which students who have not completed high school are admitted and enroll full time in college, usually after completion of their junior year.

Early decision plan: A plan that permits students to apply and be notified of an admission decision (and financial aid offer if applicable) well in advance of the regular notification date. Applicants agree to accept an offer of admission and, if admitted, to withdraw their applications from other colleges. There are three possible decisions for early decision applicants: admitted, denied, or not admitted but forwarded for consideration with the regular applicant pool, without prejudice.

English as a Second Language (ESL): A course of study designed specifically for students whose native language is not English.

Exchange student program-domestic: Any arrangement between a student and a college that permits study for a semester or more at another college in the United States without extending the amount of time required for a degree. See also Study abroad.

External degree program: A program of study in which students earn credits toward a degree through independent study, college courses, proficiency examinations, and personal experience. External degree programs require minimal or no classroom attendance.

Extracurricular activities (as admission factor): Special consideration in the admissions process given for participation in both school and nonschool-related activities of interest to the college, such as clubs, hobbies, student government, athletics, performing arts, etc.

First professional certificate (postdegree): An award that requires completion of an organized program of study designed for persons who have completed the first professional degree. Examples could be refresher courses or additional units of study in a specialty or subspecialty.

First professional degree: An award in one of the following fields: Chiropractic (DC, DCM), dentistry (DDS, DMD), medicine (MD), optometry (OD), osteopathic medicine (DO), rabbinical and Talmudic studies (MHL, Rav), Pharmacy (BPharm, PharmD), podiatry (PodD, DP, DPM), veterinary medicine (DVM), law (LLB, JD), divinity/ministry (BD, MDiv).

First-time student: A student attending any institution for the first time at the level enrolled. Includes students enrolled in the fall term who attended a postsecondary institution for the first time at the same level in the prior summer term. Also includes students who entered with advanced standing (college credit earned before graduation from high school).

First-time, first-year (freshman) student: A student attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level. Includes students enrolled in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer term. Also includes students who entered with advanced standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school).

First-year student: A student who has completed less than the equivalent of 1 full year of undergraduate work; that is, less than 30 semester hours (in a 120-hour degree program) or less than 900 contact hours.

Freshman: A first-year undergraduate student.

*Freshman/new student orientation: Orientation addressing the academic, social, emotional, and intellectual issues involved in beginning college. May be a few hours or a few days in length; at some colleges, there is a fee.

Full-time student (undergraduate): A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credits, 12 or more quarter credits, or 24 or more contact hours a week each term.

Geographical residence (as admission factor): Special consideration in the admission process given to students from a particular region, state, or country of residence.

Grade-point average (academic high school GPA): The sum of grade points a student has earned in secondary school divided by the number of courses taken. The most common system of assigning numbers to grades counts four points for an A, three points for a B, two points for a C, one point for a D, and no points for an E or F. Unweighted GPA’s assign the same weight to each course. Weighting gives students additional points for their grades in advanced or honors courses.

Graduate student: A student who holds a bachelor’s or first professional degree, or equivalent, and is taking courses at the post-baccalaureate level.

*Health services: Free or low cost on-campus primary and preventive health care available to students.

High school diploma or recognized equivalent: A document certifying the successful completion of a prescribed secondary school program of studies, or the attainment of satisfactory scores on the Tests of General Educational Development (GED), or another state-specified examination.

Hispanic: A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.

Honors program: Any special program for very able students offering the opportunity for educational enrichment, independent study, acceleration, or some combination of these.

Independent study: Academic work chosen or designed by the student with the approval of the department concerned, under an instructor’s supervision, and usually undertaken outside of the regular classroom structure.

In-state tuition: The tuition charged by institutions to those students who meet the state’s or institution’s residency requirements.

International student: See Nonresident alien.

Internship: Any short-term, supervised work experience usually related to a student’s major field, for which the student earns academic credit. The work can be full- or part-time, on- or off-campus, paid or unpaid.

*Learning center: Center offering assistance through tutors, workshops, computer programs, or audiovisual equipment in reading, writing, math, and skills such as taking notes, managing time, taking tests.

*Legal services: Free or low cost legal advice for a range of issues (personal and other).

Liberal arts/career combination: Program in which a student earns undergraduate degrees in two separate fields, one in a liberal arts major and the other in a professional or specialized major, whether on campus or through cross registration.

Master’s degree: An award that requires the successful completion of a program of study of at least the full-time equivalent of one but not more than two academic years of work beyond the bachelor’s degree.

Minority affiliation (as admission factor): Special consideration in the admission process for members of designated racial/ethnic minority groups.

*Minority student center: Center with programs, activities, and/or services intended to enhance the college experience of students of color.

Nonresident alien: A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who is in this country on a visa or temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely.

*On-campus day care: Licensed day care for students’ children (usually age 3 and up); usually for a fee.

Open admission: Admission policy under which virtually all secondary school graduates or students with GED equivalency diplomas are admitted without regard to academic record, test scores, or other qualifications.

Other expenses (costs): Include average costs for clothing, laundry, entertainment, medical (if not a required fee), and furnishings.

Out-of-state tuition: The tuition charged by institutions to those students who do not meet the institution’s or state’s residency requirements.

Part-time student (undergraduate): A student enrolled for fewer than 12 credits per semester or quarter, or fewer than 24 contact hours a week each term.

*Personal counseling: One-on-one or group counseling with trained professionals for students who want to explore personal, educational, or vocational issues.

Post-baccalaureate certificate: An award that requires completion of an organized program of study requiring 18 credit hours beyond the bachelor’s; designed for persons who have completed a baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of master.

Post-master’s certificate: An award that requires completion of an organized program of study of 24 credit hours beyond the master’s degree but does not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.

Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma: Includes the following three IPEDS definitions for postsecondary awards, certificates, and diplomas of varying durations and credit/contact hour requirements—Less Than 1 Academic Year: Requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) in less than 1 academic year (2 semesters or 3 quarters) or in less than 900 contact hours by a student enrolled full-time.
At Least 1 But Less Than 2 Academic Years: Requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) in at least 1 but less than 2 full-time equivalent academic years, or designed for completion in at least 30 but less than 60 credit hours, or in at least 900 but less than 1,800 contact hours.
At Least 2 But Less Than 4 Academic Years: Requires completion of an organized program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) in at least 2 but less than 4 full-time equivalent academic years, or designed for completion in at least 60 but less than 120 credit hours, or in at least 1,800 but less than 3,600 contact hours.

Private institution: An educational institution controlled by a private individual(s) or by a nongovernmental agency, usually supported primarily by other than public funds, and operated by other than publicly elected or appointed officials.

Private for-profit institution: A private institution in which the individual(s) or agency in control receives compensation, other than wages, rent, or other expenses for the assumption of risk.

Private nonprofit institution: A private institution in which the individual(s) or agency in control receives no compensation, other than wages, rent, or other expenses for the assumption of risk. These include both independent nonprofit schools and those affiliated with a religious organization.

Proprietary institution: See Private for-profit institution.

Public institution: An educational institution whose programs and activities are operated by publicly elected or appointed school officials, and which is supported primarily by public funds.

Quarter calendar system: A calendar system in which the academic year consists of three sessions called quarters of about 12 weeks each. The range may be from 10 to 15 weeks. There may be an additional quarter in the summer.

Race/ethnicity: Category used to describe groups to which individuals belong, identify with, or belong in the eyes of the community. The categories do not denote scientific definitions of anthropological origins. A person may be counted in only one group.

Race/ethnicity unknown: Category used to classify students or employees whose race/ethnicity is not known and whom institutions are unable to place in one of the specified racial/ethnic categories.

Religious affiliation/commitment (as admission factor): Special consideration given in the admission process for affiliation with a certain church or faith/religion, commitment to a religious vocation, or observance of certain religious tenets/lifestyle.

*Religious counseling: One-on-one or group counseling with trained professionals for students who want to explore religious problems or issues.

*Remedial services: Instructional courses designed for students deficient in the general competencies necessary for a regular postsecondary curriculum and educational setting.

Required fees: Fixed sum charged to students for items not covered by tuition and required of such a large proportion of all students that the student who does NOT pay is the exception. Do not include application fees or optional fees such as lab fees or parking fees.

Resident alien or other eligible non-citizen: A person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who has been admitted as a legal immigrant for the purpose of obtaining permanent resident alien status (and who holds either an alien registration card [Form I-551 or I-151], a Temporary Resident Card [Form I-688], or an Arrival-Departure Record [Form I-94] with a notation that conveys legal immigrant status, such as Section 207 Refugee, Section 208 Asylee, Conditional Entrant Parolee or Cuban-Haitian).

Room and board (charges)—on campus: Assume double occupancy in institutional housing and 19 meals per week (or maximum meal plan).
Secondary school record (as admission factor): Information maintained by the secondary school that may include such things as the student’s high school transcript, class rank, GPA, and teacher and counselor recommendations.

Semester calendar system: A calendar system that consists of two semesters during the academic year with about 16 weeks for each semester of instruction. There may be an additional summer session.

Student-designed major: A program of study based on individual interests, designed with the assistance of an adviser.

Study abroad: Any arrangement by which a student completes part of the college program studying in another country. Can be at a campus abroad or through a cooperative agreement with some other U.S. college or an institution of another country.

*Summer session: A summer session is shorter than a regular semester and not considered part of the academic year. It is not the third term of an institution operating on a trimester system or the fourth term of an institution operating on a quarter calendar system. The institution may have 2 or more sessions occurring in the summer months. Some schools, such as vocational and beauty schools, have year-round classes with no separate summer session.

Talent/ability (as admission factor): Special consideration given to students with demonstrated talent/abilities in areas of interest to the institution (e.g., sports, the arts, languages, etc.).

Teacher certification program: Program designed to prepare students to meet the requirements for certification as teachers in elementary, middle/junior high, and secondary schools.

Transfer applicant: An individual who has fulfilled the institution’s requirements to be considered for admission (including payment or waiving of the application fee, if any) and who has previously attended another college or university and earned college-level credit.

Transfer student: A student entering the institution for the first time but known to have previously attended a postsecondary institution at the same level (e.g., undergraduate). The student may transfer with or without credit.

Transportation (costs): Assume two round trips to student’s hometown per year for students in institutional housing or daily travel to and from your institution for commuter students.

Trimester calendar system: An academic year consisting of 3 terms of about 15 weeks each.

Tuition: Amount of money charged to students for instructional services. Tuition may be charged per term, per course, or per credit.

*Tutoring: May range from one-on-one tutoring in specific subjects to tutoring in an area such as math, reading, or writing. Most tutors are college students; at some colleges, they are specially trained and certified.

Unit: a standard of measurement representing hours of academic instruction (e.g., semester credit, quarter credit, contact hour).

Undergraduate: A student enrolled in a four- or five-year bachelor’s degree program, an associate degree program, or a vocational or technical program below the baccalaureate.

*Veteran’s counseling: Helps veterans and their dependents obtain benefits for their selected program and provides certifications to the Veteran’s Administration. May also provide personal counseling on the transition from the military to a civilian life.

*Visually impaired: Any person whose sight loss is not correctable and is sufficiently severe as to adversely affect educational performance.

Volunteer work (as admission factor): Special consideration given to students for activity done on a volunteer basis (e.g., tutoring, hospital care, working with the elderly or disabled) as a service to the community or the public in general.

Wait list: List of students who meet the admission requirements but will only be offered a place in the class if space becomes available.

Weekend college: A program that allows students to take a complete course of study and attend classes only on weekends.

White, non-Hispanic: A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East (except those of Hispanic origin).

*Women’s center: Center with programs, academic activities, and/or services intended to promote an understanding of the evolving roles of women.

Work experience (as admission factor): Special consideration given to students who have been employed prior to application, whether for relevance to major, demonstration of employment-related skills, or as explanation of student’s academic and extracurricular record.

Financial aid definitions

Financial aid applicant: Any applicant who submits any one of the institutionally required financial aid applications/forms, such as the FAFSA.

Indebtedness: Aggregate dollar amount borrowed through any loan programs (federal, state, subsidized, unsubsidized, private, etc.; excluding parent loans) while the student was enrolled at an institution. Student loans co-signed by a parent are assumed to be the responsibility of the student and should be included.

Institutional and external funds: Endowment, alumni, or external monies for which the institution determines the recipient or the dollar amount awarded.

Financial need: As determined by your institution using the federal methodology and/or your institution's own standards.

Need-based aid: College-funded or college-administered award from institutional, state, federal, or other sources for which a student must have financial need to qualify. This includes both institutional and noninstitutional student aid (grants, jobs, and loans).

Need-based gift aid: Scholarships and grants from institutional, state, federal, or other sources for which a student must have financial need to qualify.

Need-based self-help aid: Loans and jobs from institutional, state, federal, or other sources for which a student must demonstrate financial need to qualify.

Non-need-based gift aid: Scholarships and grants, gifts, or merit-based aid from institutional, state, federal, or other sources (including unrestricted funds or gifts and endowment income) awarded solely on the basis of academic achievement, merit, or any other non-need-based reason. When reporting questions H1 and H2, non-need-based aid that is used to meet need should be counted as need-based aid.

Note: Suggested order of precedence for counting non-need money as need-based:
Non-need institutional grants
Non-need tuition waivers
Non-need athletic awards
Non-need federal grants
Non-need state grants
Non-need outside grants
Non-need student loans
Non-need parent loans
Non-need work

Non-need-based self-help aid: Loans and jobs from institutional, state, or other sources for which a student need not demonstrate financial need to qualify.

Scholarships/grants from external sources: Monies received from outside (private) sources that the student brings with them (e.g., Kiwanis, National Merit scholarships). The institution may process paperwork to receive the dollars, but it has no role in determining the recipient or the dollar amount awarded.

Work study and employment: Federal and state work study aid, and any employment packaged by your institution in financial aid awards.