Table 1.
Measurement of specific variables.
| Types of variables | Definitions of variables | Measurement of variables | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent variable | Admitted characteristics | Whether the current college is the first choice?(Yes = 1, No = 0) | |
| Whether the current major is the first choice? (Yes = 1, no = 0) | |||
| Voluntary autonomy (by oneself = 1, affected by others = 0) | |||
| Admission routes (classified recruitment = 1, non-classified recruitment = 0) | |||
| Dependent variables | Overall satisfaction | Overall satisfaction (1-10points, 1 = highly dissatisfied, 10 = highly satisfied) | |
| Academic satisfaction | Overall satisfaction on academic factors (1–10points, 1 = highly dissatisfied, 10 = highly satisfied) | ||
| Nonacademic satisfaction | Overall satisfaction on nonacademic factors (1–10points, 1 = highly dissatisfied, 10 = highly satisfied) | ||
| Controlled variables | Individual features | Gender | (Male = 1, female = 0) |
| Registered residence | (Urban =1, rural = 0) | ||
| Grade | (Freshman = 1, sophomore = 2, junior = 3, senior = 4) | ||
| Types of high school | (Key high school = 1, regular high school = 0) | ||
| Division of sciences and humanities in high school | (Humanities = 1, sciences = 0) | ||
| Reattendance of college entrance examination | (Yes = 1, no = 0) | ||
| Family background | Parents’ educational attainment | No formal education = 1, primary school = 2, junior high school = 3, high school = 4, vocational/technical school = 5, technical secondary school = 6, junior college = 7, undergraduate = 8, postgraduate and above = 9 | |
| Household income | Logarithm of the annual income | ||
| Experiences in colleges | academic Achievements(scores) | Ranks in class (rank/class size) | |
| Teacher-student relationship and the relationship with classmates | Intimacy with classmates (1–10points, 1 = highly alienated, 10 = highly intimated) | ||
| Intimacy with roommates (1–10points, 1 = highly alienated, 10 = highly intimated) | |||
| Intimacy with teachers (1–10points, 1 = highly alienated, 10 = highly intimated) | |||
| Academic efficacy | (Academic Efficacy Subscale in PALS，1–5points) | ||
| learning motivation | Achievement Goal Framework by Elliot and McGregor (2001) (external learning motivation, 1–5points) | ||
| Achievement Goal Framework by Elliot and McGregor (2001) (internal learning motivation, 1–5points) | |||
| Club participation | Hours devoted to club participation per semester | ||
| Types of colleges | “Project 211”colleges = 1, others = 0 | ||