The Echols Scholars Program: An Examination of Intended Purposes and Student Experiences: An Abstract

By Jessamy L. Hoffmann

The following is a statistical abstract of the Echols Scholars Program based upon survey data from the 2001, 2002, and 2003 classes. This data was complied by Jessamy L. Hoffmann for her doctoral dissertation in the Curry School of Education. She defended her dissertation, entitled “The Echols Scholars Program at the University of Virginia: An Examination of Intended Purposes and Student Experiences” in 2004. The Echols Program commissioned this paper for its archives and its findings are worthy of note.

Echols History

The Echols Scholars Program was created in 1960 by the Faculty Senate and Arts and Sciences Dean William Duren. Until 1970, students were housed in a dormitory named for William Holding Echols, a professor of mathematics at the University, and the students soon became known as “the Echols Scholars.” The first class of 1964 consisted of 35 students, of which 27 were from Virginia.

Today’s Echols Program consists of over 850 students from dozens of countries. The first year class is screened by admissions counselors for “avid learners with impressive accomplishment.” This includes participation in academic extracurricular activities, test scores, advanced coursework, and the quality of written essays. Scholars entering in Fall 2001 had a mean SAT I verbal of 741, and math of 736, making the total mean SAT I 1477. The mean SAT for the class entering in Fall 2003 was 1470. Non-Echols entering students in 2001 had an average SAT I verbal of 651 and math of 657, for a total of 1308 (Statistics and Facts About UVA, 2002).

Typically the program’s acceptance rate is 35%-37%. First year students in their spring semester can apply to the program if they feel they were overlooked during the initial selection process.

Objective of the Echols Program

The objective of the Echols Scholars Program is to provide enrolled students with a rigorous education through the offering of eight basic educational components:

• the opportunity to live together,
• the chance to be free of College curricular requirements,
• the ability to create their own major,
• priority course registration within their class year,
• the opportunity to take advanced classes,
• special events, and
• access to specially chosen faculty advisors as well as
• peer advisors.

These students also have access to a network of Echols Scholars composed of current students and alumni. The Program also serves to draw students who might not otherwise apply to or attend the University. Early literature frankly refers to the Program as a “recruiting device,” and in 1963 a University publication noted that “many scholars who would have attended other schools come here now because the program allows exceptional scholars a chance to develop their individual academic interests.”

Research

• A survey containing 45 questions was administered via the Internet. The majority of responses were measured on a five point Likert Scale, as well as some multiple-choice options.
• All members of the classes of 2002 and 2003 composed the population. The response rate was 65.55%.

Significant Findings

• Echols Scholars frequently make use of the academic components of the Program.
• Priority registration within class year, absence of prerequisites, the opportunity to take advanced classes, to challenge themselves, and to take classes they are interested in rather than those “someone wants them to take,” were often cited by respondents as the most positive features of the Program.
• Advising components were the next most frequently utilized, though students were more apt to take advantage of things they could do on their own, such as read the Course Evaluation Book, than to seek out advice such as seeing peer advisors or talking to faculty beyond the mandatory advising sessions.
• 51.3% of students answered “a great deal” when asked if they were attracted to Virginia because of the Echols Scholars Program
• 53.5% of students gave the item ‘to what degree was the Echols Scholars Program the deciding factor in your attendance at the University of Virginia’ a four or five.
• 61.6% of students found the opportunity to add a prestigious program to their transcript relatively attractive as they made their decision to attend the University.
• Students were asked if they would have attended the University of Virginia if they had not been offered a
place in the Echols class; 61.5% indicated they would have attended the University regardless but nearly 40% said that they would not have.
• Finance, the Echols Program, and faculty most attracted students’ attention to the University.
• Priority registration, no prerequisites, and advanced classes were most attractive about Echols.
• Students seemed to express the opinion that they were interested in the educational benefits of the program more than the benefits it created in the job market.
• 82.2% responded that they chose to enter the program “a great deal” to “learn a lot.”
• 59.2% of students responded that they chose to enter the program “a great deal” because of educational advantages.
• 59.9% of students responded that they chose to enter the program “a great deal” to obtain a good education.
• Only 9.2% felt their degree was a great deal more marketable by being in the program.
• Only 9.9% felt that they would stand out to employers a great deal by being in the program.
• Females attended community and informational events more frequently than males.
• Females used the opportunity for priority registration and advising packet more frequently than males.
• In-state students used the student network of Scholars more than those who were out-of-state.
• There were no significant differences in terms of race. There were only small variations in the racial categories respondents identified with. 83.9% of students identified themselves as White/Caucasian.
• Females found the opportunity for special advisors significantly more attractive than males.
• Females found networks and advanced classes significantly more attractive than males.
• Females found the opportunity to use the Course Evaluation Book significantly more attractive than males.

Summary

The over-arching research question of this study asked: to what extent do the intended purposes of the Echols Scholars Program match the reported experiences of the current Echols Scholars and Echols Scholars alumni?

This study found that:

• The academic components of the program are being used frequently.
• The program in its entirety is an attractive factor to students considering the University of Virginia.
• There are specific components of the program that are attractive to students when making their decision to attend the University.
• The program’s ability to offer educational outcomes, such as a good education and opportunities for employment, is also attractive to students.

TABLE 1: Percent of Students Attracted to UVA by the Echols Program:

	Not at all				A great deal
Factor	1	2	3	4	5
Echols Program	9.9	5.9	11.2	21.7	51.3
Deciding Factor	21.7	9.9	15.1	20.4	32.9
Prestige	6.8	10.3	21.2	26.0	35.6
	Yes	No
Attend	61.5	38.5

 

TABLE 2: Percent to Which Students used Program Components

	Not at all				A great deal
Factor	1	2	3	4	5
Priority registration	2.0	2.0	4.6	10.5	80.9
Took advanced classes	0.0	0.0	7.2	29.6	63.2
Took classes that interested you	0.0	0.7	9.3	24.5	65.6
Took challenging classes	0.0	0.0	5.9	36.8	57.2
Opted out of prerequisites	9.9	27.6	25.0	16.4	21.1
Advising packet	26.2	11.4	16.8	24.8	20.8
Course Eval Book*	15.3	30.7	20.7	21.3	12.0
Student network	16.4	27.06	28.9	17.1	9.9
Attend advising	14.6	30.5	37.7	10.6	6.6
Informational event	25.8	11.1	25.2	6.0	2.0
Seek advice	41.3	36.0	8.7	9.3	4.7
Social event*	38.8	38.8	19.1	2.0	1.3
Community event	39.6	40.9	15.4	2.7	1.3
Alumni network*	75.0	16.4	7.9	0.7	0.0
Peer advisor*	91.4	7.3	1.3	0.0	0.0

* The Peer Advising Program, on-line Course Evaluations, and Alumni Networks were radically changed in 2002, too late for inclusion in this study

TABLE 3: Percent to which Certain Factors Influenced Student Attraction to the University of Virginia

	Not at all				A great deal
Factor	1	2	3	4	5
Finance	9.9	6.6	8.6	17.8	57.2
Echols Program	9.9	5.9	11.2	21.7	51.3
Faculty	3.9	2.6	19.7	47.4	26.3
Image	7.2	13.8	19.1	38.8	21.1
Rating	9.9	10.5	19.1	37.5	23.0
Facilities	4.6	13.2	34.9	38.8	8.6
Deciding factor	21.7	9.9	15.1	20.4	32.9
Social climate	19.7	16.4	25.7	23.0	15.1
Research	23.8	26.5	24.5	17.2	7.9
Safety	25.7	24.3	27.0	17.1	5.9

TABLE 4: Percent to which Certain Factors Influenced Student Attraction to the Echols Scholars Program

	Not at all				A great deal
Factor	1	2	3	4	5
Priority registration	2.1	0.7	2.7	14.4	80.1
No prerequisites	2.7	0.7	3.4	17.1	76.0
Advanced classes	2.8	2.1	7.6	28.5	59.0
Prestige	6.8	10.3	21.2	26.0	35.6
Own major	11.6	15.1	21.9	27.4	24.0
Living arrangements	30.8	6.8	14.4	21.9	26.0
Special advisors	18.5	13.7	28.1	24.7	15.1
Course Eval Book	16.4	26.7	26.7	21.2	8.9
Networks	21.9	28.1	30.8	14.4	4.8
Special events	29.5	26.0	26.0	13.7	4.8
Peer advisors	46.6	28.8	16.4	4.8	3.4

TABLE 5: Percent to which Benefits of Being an Echols Scholar were Important to Students

	Not at all				A great deal
Factor	1	2	3	4	5
Learn a lot	0.0	0.0	2.0	15.8	82.2
Educational advantages	1.3	0.7	7.9	30.9	59.2
Good education	0.0	3.3	9.2	27.6	59.9
Good resume	0.7	12.5	28.9	36.2	21.7
Educational endeavor	7.3	13.2	30.5	28.5	20.5
Stand out	5.9	21.1	24.3	36.9	11.8
Favorable future	11.3	19.9	31.8	26.5	10.6
Benefit career	9.2	25.7	30.9	21.7	12.5
Degree marketable	9.2	27.0	33.6	21.1	9.2
Employer	16.6	20.5	29.8	23.2	9.9
Put on resume	20.4	30.3	24.3	15.1	9.9

TABLE 6: One-Way ANOVA in Use of Program Components by Gender

	Male		Female
Factor	mean	SD	mean	SD	F test
Advising	2.46	1.06	2.76	1.07	2.86
Advice	1.88	1.06	2.07	1.19	0.95
Course Eval Book	2.65	1.25	2.98	1.27	2.58
Peer advising	1.14	0.43	1.08	0.27	1.05
Advising packet	2.66	1.43	3.28	1.51	6.24*
Social event	1.73	0.78	1.99	0.92	3.22
Informational event	1.91	0.84.	2.35	0.98	7.78**
Community event	1.64	0.76	2.00	0.92	6.10*
No prerequisites	3.05	1.29	3.15	1.31	0.22
Priority registration	4.44	1.10	4.80	0.54	7.30**
Student network	2.68	1.15	2.83	1.25	0.54
Alumni network	1.34	0.63	1.34	0.67	0.00
Advanced classes	4.58	0.62	4.57	0.62	0.01
Challenging classes	4.46	0.65	4.55	0.58	0.91
Interesting classes	4.59	0.62	4.53	0.73	0.21

* P < .05, ** P < .01,*** P < .00

TABLE 7 One-Way ANOVA in Use of Program Components by Residency

	In-state		Out-of-state
Factors	mean	SD	mean	SD	F test
Advising	2.65	1.08	2.62	1.05	0.02
Advice	2.01	1.15	1.98	1.13	0.02
Course Eval Book	2.88	1.31	2.76	1.17	0.29
Peer advising	1.09	0.34	1.13	0.34	0.55
Advising packet	3.10	1.54	2.87	1.42	0.73
Social event	1.88	0.91	1.89	0.80	0.01
Informational event	2.18	0.98	2.15	0.89	0.03
Community event	1.83	0.88	1.91	0.87	0.03
No prerequisites	3.08	1.31	3.20	1.28	0.28
Priority registration	4.65	0.85	4.70	0.76	0.09
Student network	2.90	1.22	2.46	1.13	4.36*
Alumni network	1.33	0.64	1.37	0.68	0.12
Advanced classes	4.58	0.62	4.50	0.66	0.59
Challenging classes	4.50	0.64	4.54	0.55	0.16
Interesting classes	4.54	0.72	4.57	0.62	0.03

* P < .05, ** P < .0, *** P < .001

TABLE 8 One-Way ANOVA in Attractiveness of Echols Scholars Program Recruitment Aspects by Gender

	Male		Female
Factor	mean	SD	mean	SD	F test
Priority registration	4.55	0.99	4.79	0.51	3.69
Living arrangements	3.12	1.65	3.03	1.58	0.10
Special advisors	2.72	1.36	3.24	1.26	5.51*
Peer advisors	1.78	1.03	1.95	1.07	1.00
Own major	3.14	1.25	3.51	1.34	2.78
Special events	2.19	1.08	2.53	1.23	2.91
Course Eval Book	2.48	1.14	3.01	1.22	6.91**
No prerequisites	4.55	0.94	4.68	0.74	0.82
Networks	2.29	1.09	2.68	1.14	4.12*
Advanced classes	4.18	1.13	4.53	0.75	5.00*
Prestige	3.53	1.31	3.87	1.18	2.62

* P < .05,** P < .01,*** P < .001