2025 Getting to Know Our Students Survey Instrument

The USG Getting to Know Our Students Survey has been administered to incoming freshmen across the University System of Georgia since 2017. Developed in collaboration with Motivate Lab at the University of Virginia, the survey asks a host of questions designed to assess students’ motivations and attitudes about learning to provide a snapshot at the beginning of their post-secondary journey. The survey is administered twice in the fall semester, once in the first three weeks of classes and again in the final three weeks. Student responses are linked to academic outcomes and administrative data to allow an understanding of how Academic Mindsets and their changes over time are related to student success.

Below are the items from the 2025 Mindset survey.

Verify Age

Are you 18 or older?*

( ) Yes  ( ) No

STUDENT INFORMATION

What is your home institution?*

[select list]

Are you taking a course in History this semester?

( ) Yes  ( ) No

Are you taking a course in Science this semester?

( ) Yes  ( ) No

Provide your college student ID# (Nine digits; This is NOT your social security number)*

_________________________________________________

Please verify your college student ID#*

_________________________________________________

Final digit of your ID 

(We need this to do some randomizing and shorten your survey.)

_________

Consent

Consent

I have read the above information and my questions have been answered satisfactorily by project staff. I believe I understand the purpose, benefits, and risks of the study and give my informed and free consent to be a participant.

*

( ) I Agree

( ) I choose not to participate and will not be contacted in the future on this project

ABOUT ME

People often have very different work styles. Please respond to the following tems. Be honest – there are no right or wrong answers!

YOUR REASON FOR ATTENDING COLLEGE

I am motivated to attend college because I want to:
 

Rank from 1 to 6 with 1 being not Important at all and 6 being the most important.

DECIDING A MAJOR OR FOCUS AREA

What degree program are you currently pursuing?

( ) Associate Degree ( ) Bachelor's Degree ( ) Nexus Degree

What is your pathway, major, or focus area?

_________________________________________________

The following items explores what has influenced you to select your current major or focus area:

Please check all of the following that played a role in you selecting your current major or focus area.

[ ] My interests lie in this area.

[ ] My parents recommended it.

[ ] My high school/college advisor suggested it.

[ ] I think I will be good at it.

[ ] I identify with this area.

[ ] I know someone else who majored in this area.

[ ] The salary potential is attractive to me

[ ] I have a mentor or role model who studied/works in this field.

[ ] It will help me get the job I want.

[ ] This major will be useful to me in the future.

[ ] I had to pick something

[ ] I think it will be easy.

[ ] I have not yet selected a major.

[ ] Other - Write In: _________________________________________________

How long do you think it will take you to earn your degree?

( ) Less than 2 years

( ) Between 2 and 3 years

( ) Between 3 and 4 years

( ) Between 4 and 5 years

( ) Between 5 and 6 years

( ) Between 6 and 7 years

( ) Between 7 and 8 years

( ) More than 8 years.

How much do you think you will earn annually when you graduate?
 

( ) Less than $15,000

( ) $15,001 - $25,000

( ) $25,001 - $35,000

( ) $35,001 - $50,000

( ) $50,001 - $75,000

( ) $75,001 - $100,000

( ) $100,001 - $150,000

( ) $150,000

( ) I don't know

How much do you think you could earn in the workforce right now?
 

( ) Less than $15,000

( ) $15,001 - $25,000

( ) $25,001 - $35,000

( ) $35,001 - $50,000

( ) $50,001 - $75,000

( ) $75,001 - $100,000

( ) $100,001 - $150,000

( ) $150,000

( ) I don't know

YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF THIS COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY

The following items refer to your general feelings about being at your current college or university. Please rate your level of agreement/disagreement with each statement

Students will be asked to respond to two of the following four sections (Your thoughts about…). Depending on their current course taking and parity of their ID, students will see sections related to either English or History and Math or Science.

Your thoughts about English

ENGLISH

The next set of questions asks about your thoughts and feelings about English. This includes English courses you might be enrolled in at this institution and English in general. Read each sentence and mark the choice that shows how much you agree with it. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers.

Your thoughts about History

HISTORY

The next set of questions asks about your thoughts and feelings about History. This includes History courses you might be enrolled in at this institution and History in general. Read each sentence and mark the choice that shows how much you agree with it. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers.
 

Your thoughts about Math

MATH

The next set of questions asks about your thoughts and feelings about math. This includes math courses you might be enrolled in at this institution and math in general. Read each sentence and mark the choice that shows how much you agree with it. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers.

Your thoughts about science

SCIENCE

The next set of questions asks about your thoughts and feelings about Science. This includes Science courses you might be enrolled in at this institution and Science in general. Read each sentence and mark the choice that shows how much you agree with it. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers.
 

Demographics

What is your marital status?

( ) Single

( ) Married

( ) Partnered

( ) Divorced

( ) Widowed

Are you the primary caregiver, guardian, or parent for a child under the age of 18?

( ) Yes  ( ) No

If you have children who live with you, please indicate how many.

( ) 1 ( ) 2 ( ) 3 ( ) 4 ( ) 5 ( ) 6 ( ) 7 ( ) 8 or more

Are you the primary caregiver or guardian for an adult needing care?
 

( ) Yes  ( ) No

Do you plan to work off campus (either for pay or volunteer) during the term?

( ) Yes  ( ) No

How many hours a week do you plan to work off campus?

What kind of setting did you spend the majority of life prior to attending college/university?

( ) Urban

( ) Suburban

( ) Small City

( ) Small Town

( ) Rural

Do you use public transportation to attend college?

( ) Yes  ( ) No ( ) No, but I would if public transit was available ( ) Sometimes

What language(s) are spoken in your home?

Primary Language: _________________________________________________

Secondary Language: _________________________________________________

How would you describe your current financial circumstances in general?

( ) I cannot make ends meet          ( ) I am barely making it       ( ) I am breaking even           ( ) I have extra money after paying the bills ( ) I do not have to worry about money

What is your yearly household income? (If you are unsure, please provide your best estimate)

( ) Less than $15,000

( ) $15,001 - $25,000

( ) $25,001 - $35,000

( ) $35,001 - $50,000

( ) $50,001 - $75,000

( ) $75,001 - $100,000

( ) $100,001 - $150,000

( ) More than $150,000

( ) I don't know

In the past 12 months, have you ever lacked a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence?

( ) Yes  ( ) No

In the past 12 months, have you ever couch-surfed or stayed with friends/peers because you had no other place to live?

( ) Yes  ( ) No

Think of this scale as representing where people stand in the United States. At 10 are the people who are the best off – those who have the most money, the most education, and the most respected jobs. At 1 are the people who are worst off – who have the least money, least education, and the least respected jobs or no job. The higher up you are on this scale, the closer you are to the people at the very top; the lower you are, the closer you are to the people at the very bottom. 

Where would you place yourself on this scale?

What is the highest level of education completed by your parent/guardian/parental-figure and any of your siblings? If you have siblings, what is the educational attainment of the brother and/or sister with the highest level?

What experiences have you had so far that have affected your ability to be successful at your institution?

What has a teacher or instructor (here or at your previous schools) done to make you feel like you could succeed in a course?