Just before graduation, the 1998 Houghton College seniors were given a Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) survey. Nationwide many colleges and universities participate in the HERI studies. Houghton College and approximately 50 other Christian colleges are participating in this study as part of an ongoing FIPSE grant to help determine the impact Christian campuses make on the development of faith and values of their students.
Houghton College seniors were compared with seniors from other protestant 4-year colleges and private 4-year colleges. Below are listed selected areas in which Houghton College seniors differ from students in both the other categories.
The full report is available. If you wish read the entire report, contact
Willis Beardsley (wbeardsley@houghton.edu)
for a copy.
(HC N=109, Protestant 4-yr. N=9,677, Private 4-yr. N=5,813)
| In the past year Houghton College seniors were: |
Houghton College % |
Protestant 4-year % |
All Private 4-year % |
| More likely to have attended a church service |
98 |
87 |
80 |
| More likely to have dined with someone from a different racial/ethnic group |
89 |
77 |
78 |
| More likely to have been a guest in a professor's home |
87 |
58 |
56 |
| More likely to have been lonely or homesick |
76 |
59 |
58 |
| More likely to agree that college sports should be de-emphasized |
52 |
38 |
36 |
| More likely to have voted in a student election |
43 |
26 |
27 |
| More likely to have participated in leadership training |
39 | 28 |
25 |
| More likely to have been elected to student office |
24 |
14 |
13 |
| Houghton College seniors were: |
Houghton College % |
Protestant 4-year % |
All Private 4-year % |
| More likely to be satisfied with the overall quality of instruction |
98 |
87 |
88 |
| More likely to have discussed a class with another student |
91 |
72 |
73 |
| More likely to report that professors provided intellecual challenge/stimulation |
71 |
56 |
58 |
| Less likely to report that professors didn't take them seriously |
47 |
57 |
58 |
| Less likely to be satisfied with the library facilities |
31 |
51 |
55 |
| Less likely to be satisifed with the ethnic diversity of the faculty |
23 |
37 |
37 |
Houghton College seniors were: |
Houghton College % |
Protestant 4-year % |
All Private 4-year % |
| More likely to be an education major |
25 | 16 | 11 |
| More likely to be a humanities major |
15 |
7 |
7 |
| More likely to be a fine arts major |
13 |
4 |
4 |
| In the past year Houghton College seniors were: |
Houghton College % |
Protestant 4-year % |
All Private 4-year % |
| More likely to have spent 10 or fewer hours working |
88 |
45 |
53 |
| More likely to have spent less than 1 hour a week partying |
86 |
58 |
41 |
| More likely to have spent 2 or fewer hours a week watching TV |
61 |
47 |
45 |
| More likely to have spent 20 or more hours a week studying |
25 |
11 |
13 |
Students Reporting Stronger Abilities and Skills in 1998
Houghton College seniors were: |
Houghton College % |
Protestant 4-year % |
All Private 4-year % |
| More likely to report strong growth of knowledge in a particular field |
86 | 68 | 68 |
| Less likely to report above average self-confidence in social settings |
48 |
59 |
61 |
| More likely to report strengthening of religious beliefs and convictions |
41 |
28 |
21 |
Houghton College seniors were: |
Houghton College % |
Protestant 4-year % |
All Private 4-year % |
| More likely to be satisfied with overall college experience |
96 |
86 |
86 |
| More likely to be satisfied with the sense of community on campus |
89 |
64 |
61 |
| More likely to be satisfied with relevance of coursework to life |
84 |
71 |
70 |
| More likely to be satisfied with humanities courses |
82 |
71 |
74 |
| More likely to be satisfied with recreational facilities |
81 |
53 |
57 |
| More likely to be satisfied with science and mathematics courses |
79 | 63 | 63 |
| More likely to be satisfied with student housing |
76 |
54 |
56 |
| More likely to be satisfied with leadership opportunities |
75 |
65 |
64 |
Student objectives noted as very important or essential by Houghton College seniors: |
Houghton College % |
Protestant 4-year % |
All Private 4-year % |
| More likely to believe it is important/essential to help others in difficulty |
87 | 79 | 77 |
| More likely to believe it is important/essential to develop a philosophy of life |
73 |
60 |
60 |
| Less likely to believe it is important/essential to become an authority in my own field |
49 |
63 |
65 |
| Less likely to believe it is important/essential to obtain recognition from colleagues |
31 |
44 |
49 |
| Less likely to believe it is important/essential to be successful in own business |
14 |
27 |
30 |
| Less likely to believe it is important/essential to be very well off financially |
12 |
42 |
50 |
Houghton College seniors were: |
Houghton College % |
Protestant 4-year % |
All Private 4-year % |
| More likely to be politically conservative |
56 | 40 | 31 |
| More likely to agree that homosexual realtionships should be prohibited |
49 |
38 |
27 |
| Less likely to agree that a national health care plan is needed |
49 |
64 |
68 |
| Less likely to agree that the government is not protecting the consumer |
40 |
57 |
59 |
| Less likely to agree that AIDS should be controlled through testing |
26 |
39 |
39 |
| Less likely to believe that abortion should be legal |
13 |
38 |
50 |
| Less likely to believe that marijuana should be legalized |
6 |
24 |
32 |
Supplemental Questions - Houghton College Results
| During the past year I have: | Often % |
Sometimes % |
Never % |
| Attended church services |
83 |
14 |
3 |
| Maintained daily, personal devotions |
52 |
43 |
5 |
| Shared faith with another person |
28 |
65 |
6 |
| Met with small group for prayer/Bible study |
43 |
38 |
19 |
|
Question |
Stongly agree |
Agree | Disagree | Strongly disagree |
| I have a personally meaningful relationship with God |
72 |
26 |
2 |
0 |
| Even if the people around me were opposed to my Christian convictions, I would still hold fast to them |
68 |
30 |
2 |
0 |
| My relation with God contributes to my sense of well-being |
76 |
21 |
3 |
0 |
| I feel like I need to be open to consider new insights and truths about my faith |
59 |
37 |
4 |
0 |
| The way I do things from day to day is often affected by my relationship with God |
59 |
36 |
4 |
1 |
| I feel that identifying and using my spiritual gifts is not really important |
1 |
8 |
35 |
56 |