The typical NIU freshman is a white female, comes from Chicago or the surrounding counties, will be the first in her family to graduate from college, estimates her parental income at $35,000 and attends college to get a better job.

This analysis of the typical student is included in the NIU profile of student characteristics for the fall of 1987.

Compiled by the office of institutional research division of finance and planning, the NIU profile examines enrollment trends of on-campus students, student background, attitudes, goals, characteristics and reasons for attending college.

In 1987, 23,118 students enrolled to attend classes on NIU’s DeKalb campus. An analysis of students by race indicates 20,029 or 87.2 percent were white. Of minority students, 1,090 or 4.7 percent were black, 487 or 2.1 percent were Hispanic, 650 or 2.8 percent were Asian and 48 or 0.2 percent were Indian. However, 140 students did not respond to this question.

Foreign students represented 2.9 percent of the student population. These international students are from 76 countries with largest percentages from China and Malaysia, according to the International Student Office.

While the ratio of men to women at NIU is about 5050, slightly more women were enrolled than men. Statistics indicate 46 percent of the men and 53 percent of the women were undergraduates. For graduate students, 41 percent were men and 59 percent were women. For law student, 67 percent were men and 33 percent were women.

The average age of NIU undergraduates in 1986 was 17 to 24. For graduate students during the same time period, the age was 30 or older.

Students listed a variety of reasons in 1986 for attending college. Advancing career options ranked at the top of the list for most students. The majority or 86 percent said they attended NIU as preparation for a better job.

A college education was perceived as increasing employment opportunities by 52 percent of the respondents, who said they attended NIU because its graduates obtain good jobs.