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ABOUT THE MICHIGAN STUDENT STUDY

Methodology

The MSS project is comprehensive in nature, capturing a variety of information on the Class of 1994 at specific points during their college career. It includes detailed information obtained from over 2500 students at their point of entrance to the University (1990) , and from large representative samples of these students at the end of the freshperson (1991), sophomore (1992), and senior (1994) years.

Student survey information is matched to university registrar data (e.g., grades, course selection, progress towards degree, etc.) to facilitate the general examination of specific academic experiences and their related attitudinal perceptions. Confidentiality of all student information and responses is strictly protected and guaranteed in the research design, with even research team members unable to match individual responses to individual student records.

Individual one-hour interviews were also conducted with 200 members of the class at the end of their first year, Winter 1991 term and at the end of their fourth year, Winter, 1994 allowing students to reflect upon important aspects of their overall experiences at Michigan. The research team reasoned that one-to-one interviews were necessary to provide a more comprehensive, in-depth view of students' perceptions of campus life, by allowing them to elaborate on issues of particular concern to them.