Student Survey

Purpose. We want to learn about your experiences at school with planning and preparing for life 

after high school. The questions on this survey ask about preparing for college and a career. The 

information you provide will help schools provide better information and assistance to students 

so that they can prepare for the future. This study is being conducted through the Regional 

Educational Laboratory (REL) Midwest.

Your answers will be kept confidential. The responses that you provide will be linked to you 

only through the identification number assigned to you by the Minnesota Department of 

Education. REL Midwest will be unable to link that number to your identity. We will not provide 

information that identifies you or your school to anyone outside the study team, except as 

required by law. Your answers will be combined with the answers of other students to describe 

what students think about the ways schools prepare them for life after high school.

Risks. There are no known risks related to participating in this survey. 

Your answers are voluntary. You have the right to stop participating in this survey at any time 

without consequences. We hope you will answer all the questions, but if there is a question you 

do not wish to answer, simply skip it. Also, there are no right or wrong answers to these 

questions—we really just want to learn about your experiences at your school.

Procedure. This survey will take about 10 to 15 minutes.

Contact Information. If you have questions or concerns about this study, please contact Jim 

Lindsay at jlindsay@air.org or 630-649-6591. If you have concerns or questions about your 

rights as a participant, contact the chair of AIR’s Institutional Review Board (which is 

responsible for the protection of study participants) using the following contact information:

E-Mail: IRBChair@air.org

Phone: 1-800-634-0797 (toll free)

Mail: IRB Chair

c/o AIR

1000 Thomas Jefferson Street NW

Washington, DC 20007

If you want to take the survey, please continue. If you prefer not to participate, please check 

the “do not” box below and inform your survey administrator. Thank you for your help!

 I want to continue with the survey  I do not want to complete the survey

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control 

number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is XXXX.XXXX, OMB expiration date is XXXX, XX, 2014. Th e time required to 

complete this information collection (survey and ACT Engage insturment) is estimated to average 45 minutes per respondent, including the time to review 

instructions, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collected. Participation in this data collection task is voluntary.

Per the policies and procedures required by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, Part E, Section 183, response s to this data collection will 

be used only for statistical purposes. The reports prepared for this study will summarize findings across the sample and will not associate responses with a 

specific school, district, or individual. Any willful disclosure of such information for nonstatistical purposes, except as r equired by law, is a class E 

felony.

If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of 

Education, Washington, DC 20202. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: 

U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20208. 
Background Information

1. What grade are you currently in?

• 9th

• 10th

• 11th

• 12th

Postsecondary Plans

The following set of questions asks about your plans after high school. When this survey says 

“college,” it means any kind of college, including two-year colleges, four-year colleges, 

universities, community colleges, and career or technical colleges (such as a culinary school or a

cosmetology school)..

2. At this time, what is your plan for next year? (Check all that apply)

• Attend a four-year college or university 

• Attend a community college

• Attend a career or technical college

• Get a job

• Enter the military

• Take a year off

• Other

• I don’t know.

3. So far this school year, how often have you talked to a counselor, teacher, or other adult 

at school about planning for college?

• Never

• One or two times

• More than two times but less than once a week

• Once a week

• More than once a week

4. This school year, have you developed a written plan for achieving your educational or 

career goals after high school?

• Yes 

• No

• I’m not sure.
5. Is your plan stored electronically (for example, in the Minnesota Career Information 

System [MCIS] or Naviance)?

• Yes

• No

• I’m not sure.

• I have not developed a written postsecondary plan with a counselor, teacher, or other 

adult at my school.

6. At the last registration time, did school staff help you in choosing classes that you need 

to reach your goals for after high school?*

• Yes

• No

7. So far this school year, how many times have you discussed your progress towards 

attaining the goals on your plan with a counselor, teacher, or other adult in your school?

• Never

• Once

• Twice

• Three times

• More than three times

• I’m not sure.

• I have not developed a written postsecondary plan with a counselor, teacher, or other 

adult at my school.

To what extent do you disagree or agree with the following statements?

8. At my school, all students are expected to go to some type of college.* 

• Strongly disagree 

• Disagree

• Agree

• Strongly agree 
9. I know the skills that I need to work on if I am going to graduate from high school ready 

for success in college.* 1

• Strongly disagree 

• Disagree

• Agree

• Strongly agree 

• I don’t plan to attend college.

Students’ Academic Readiness

The following set of questions asks about your academic preparation for college. 

10. This school year, has an adult at your school encouraged you to take an honors course 

or a course for college credit, such as an Advanced Placement (AP), International 

Baccalaureate (IB), Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO), or College in the 

Schools course?*

• Yes

• No

11. So far this school year, how often has an adult at your high school discussed with you 

your likelihood to succeed academically in college-level classes?**

• Never

• Once

• Twice

• Three to five times

• More than five times

Students’ Admissions Readiness

The following set of questions asks about developing college plans. 

To what extent do you disagree or agree with the following statement?

12. I know which type of college (for example a four-year college, a community college, a 

career or technical college) would help me reach my goals after high school.

• Strongly disagree 

• Disagree

 

1 An * indicates that this question is based on a question included on a survey from the Center for Applied Research 

and Educational Improvement (CAREI) at the University of Minnesota. ** indicates that this question is based on a 

question included on the Consortium on Chicago School Research 2009 12th-grade student survey 

(http://ccsr.uchicago.edu/downloads/23532009_my_voice_senior_student_codebook.pdf). Some 

questions have been reworded slightly to accommodate this study. 
• Agree

• Strongly agree 

• I don’t plan to attend college.

13. This school year, how often has an adult at your high school discussed with you the 

steps that you need to take to apply to the type of college that you want to attend?*

• Never

• One or two times

• Three to five times

• More than five times

• I don’t plan to attend college.

14. This school year, how often has an adult at your high school discussed with you your 

likelihood of being accepted at different types of colleges?**

• Never

• One or two times

• Three to five times

• More than five times

• I don’t plan to attend college.

Students’ Career Readiness

The following set of questions asks about developing career plans. 

To what extent do you disagree or agree with the following statements?

15. I know the kinds of careers that would best fit my strengths and skills.*

• Strongly disagree 

• Disagree

• Agree

• Strongly agree 

16. I know the level of education required for the career I am most interested in.*

• Strongly disagree 

• Disagree

• Agree

• Strongly agree 

17. This school year, how helpful has your high school been to you in assessing your career 

interests and abilities? **

• Not at all helpful
• Somewhat helpful

• Helpful

• Very helpful

18. How helpful has your high school been to you in developing a career plan? **

• Not at all helpful

• Somewhat helpful

• Helpful

• Very helpful

• I do not have a career plan.

Students’ Financial Readiness

The following set of questions asks about paying for college. 

19. This school year, how often has an adult at your school talked to you about how to pay 

for tuition or other college expenses?**

• Never

• Once

• Twice

• Three to five times

• More than five times

20. Do you have a plan for paying for college?*

• Yes

• No

• I don’t plan to attend college.

Students’ College Actions

The following set of questions asks about some college-related actions you may have taken or 

plan to take. 

21. Have you ever taken the ACT or SAT test?

• Yes

• No, but I plan to take the ACT or SAT.

• No, I do not plan to take the ACT or SAT.

22. Have you submitted the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) so far this 

school year? 

• Yes
• No, but I plan to submit the FAFSA by the end of the summer.

• No, I do not plan to submit the FAFSA.

• I don’t know.

23. So far this school year, how much have your teachers, counselors, or other school staff 

helped you fill out the FAFSA? **

• Not at all

• A little

• Some

• A lot

24. How many college applications, if any, have you submitted so far this school year?

• None

• One

• Two or three

• Four or five

• More than five

25. So far this school year, how much have your teachers, counselors, or other school staff 

helped you with a college application essay or personal statement?**

• Not at all

• A little

• Some

• A lot

• I do not plan to graduate from high school this school year.

26. So far this school year, how much have your teachers, counselors, or other school staff 

helped you find scholarships to apply for? **

• Not at all

• A little

• Some

• A lot

• I do not plan to graduate from high school this school year.

Wrap-Up

These last questions ask for some general information.

27. This school year, who has helped you most to prepare for college? (Check only one). 
• Counselors

• Teachers

• Dean 

• Other adults in my school

• Parents/guardians

• Other family members

• Other adults aside from my school or family

• Friends

• No one

28. Do you have at least one parent or guardian who has completed a college degree? *

• Yes

• No

• I’m not sure.

Thank you for participating in this survey!

ACT ENGAGE SCALES FOLLOWS SURVEY ITEMS.