College Students in the Nineties: Report on a Project in Progress. ASHE Annual Meeting Paper.

University of California Santa Barbara students were surveyed in 1996 to learn about student life and culture in the 1990s. Fifty-five percent of 815 randomly selected undergraduates responded to a mail survey. Responses were grouped according to students' race, gender, and social class. Reasons identified for attending college included: to receive preprofessional or precareer training, to make more money, and to develop self-knowledge. Findings support the widespread belief that young people are relatively anxious about their future life chances. Differences in social practices and activities of students were found for different racial, ethnic, and gender categories. Students reported on their use of alcohol and drugs and the frequency of attending large parties at private homes. Information was also obtained on the frequency of students' interactions with faculty about academic matters, and the frequency of attending cultural events. The data, which include 4 tables and 10 figures, suggest that students from working class and lower income families, minorities, and those who are the first in the family to attend college are less uncertain than their upper middle class peers about the value of a college education. Additional findings and policy implications are considered. (Contains 20 references and 18 endnotes.) (SW)