A Profile of Selected Characteristics of the Spring 1991 Western Washington University Graduating Class

Executive Summary: Information for this report was obtained from the Registrar's Office, through the Student Tracking System, maintained by the Registrar's Office and supplemented by the Office of Institutional Testing and Assessment. Data was analyzed using fundamental descriptive statistics. In June of 1991, Western Washington University graduated 959 students, 58.7% of whom were females, and 41.3% were males. Most of the graduates were between the ages . "" of 21-24 years of age, current residents of the State of Washington (95.1%), and Caucasian 92.8%those reporting ethnicity). Transfer students made up 49.7% of the graduates; native students (those enrolled in college initially at WWU) made up 46.5% of the graduates. Three GPA categories were analyzed (high school, transfer, and WWU), and, overall, females scored higher mean GPA's than males. Older graduates and graduates with veteran status showed the most marked improvement from mean high school to mean WWU GPA. At graduation, students aged 40 and older had the highest mean WWU GPA at 3.5; graduates aged 30-39 followed with a mean WWU GPA of 3.35. Honors were earned by 10.6% of the June, 1991, graduating class, with 6.8% earning Cum Laude honors, and 3.8% earning Magna Cum Laude honors. Most graduates earned BA degrees (72.3%) through the College of Arts & Sciences (62.3%). Females graduated in higher percentages from all colleges except the College of Business & Economics. Females and graduates with transfer admit status took a higher percentage of BA and BA-Ed. degrees, while males and graduates with native admit status took a higher percentage of BS and BM degrees. Two special analyses were performed: 1) a detailed assessment of graduates with BA-Ed degrees to profile graduates considering teaching careers; and 2) a close scrutiny of variables that might shed light on the length of time taken by the June, 1991, graduates to earn degrees. The profile of graduates with BA-Ed degrees showed that this cohort was: 1) 95.3% Caucasian; 2) 69.8% female; 3) 61.6% between the ages of 19-24; and 4) 61.6% transfer students. To conduct a meaningful analysis of the length of time taken by the June, 1991, graduates to complete their degrees, two special categories of admit status were established: 1) native students who had not taken any college credits outside of WWU; and 2) transfer students who had previously earned an AA degree. When analysed, it was found that the mean number of quarters attended WWU by natives without transfer credits was 14.56, and for transfers with AA degrees, 8.08.