Population Definitions
First-Year Students
Undergraduate students who are currently classified as first-year students (a.k.a. freshmen), without counting Advanced Placement (AP) credit, are included in the population file. All students were enrolled in the Fall 2007 semester and expected to be classified as first-year students in Spring 2008 (counting any Fall 2007 hours, but not counting any AP credit). The student profile is broader than first-time, first-year students. It includes transfer, part time, distance education, and returning students if they are still considered first-year students according to cumulative credits.
Senior Students
Seniors are those students who were enrolled in Fall 2007 and were considered probable graduates for Spring or Summer 2008. They do not include Fall 2007 graduating seniors. Seniors are within 12-24 hours/6-8 courses of graduation (based on semesters) at the start of Spring semester.