The University of North Carolina at Pembroke College Portrait

Students who are actively involved in their own learning and development are more likely to be successful in college. Colleges and universities offer students a wide variety of opportunities both inside and outside the classroom to become engaged with new ideas, people, and experiences. Institutions measure the effectiveness of these opportunities in a variety of ways to better understand what types of activities and programs students find the most helpful.

Institutions participating in the VSA program measure student involvement on campus using one of four national surveys. Results from the one survey are reported for a common set of questions selected as part of VSA. Following are the selected results from the College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CSEQ). The questions have been grouped together in categories that are known to contribute to student learning and development. The results reported below are based on the responses of seniors who participated in the survey.

Group Learning Experiences

• 74% of seniors participated in discussions with other students and faculty members outside of class
• 98% of seniors worked on class assignments and projects with other students
• 47% of seniors managed or provided leadership for a club or organization

Active Learning Experiences

• 82% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week outside of class on academic activities
• 41% of seniors worked with a faculty member on a research project
• 63% of seniors worked on an off-campus committee, organization, or project
• 100% of seniors applied material learned in class to other areas such as jobs or internships
• 7% of seniors participated in study abroad
• 96% of seniors made at least one class presentation last year

Institutional Commitment to Student Learning and Success

• 88% of seniors discussed career plans with a faculty member
• <1% of seniors discussed academic programs or course selections with a faculty member
• 67% of seniors used a learning lab or center to improve skills
• 50% of seniors talked with a faculty or staff member about personal concerns
• 94% of seniors reported working harder than they thought they could to meet an instructor's standards or expectations

Student Interaction with Campus Faculty and Staff

• 96% of seniors worked harder after receiving feedback from an instructor
• 96% of seniors discussed grades, make-up work, or assignments with their instructor
• 92% of seniors discussed ideas for term papers or other class projects with a faculty member
• 81% of seniors requested feedback from instructors about academic performance
• 79% of seniors found campus staff to be helpful, considerate, or flexible

Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas

• 74% of seniors had discussions with students from a different country than their own
• 90% of seniors had discussions with students whose philosophy of life and personal values were very different from their own
• 90% of seniors had discussions with students whose race or ethnic background was different than their own

Student Satisfaction

• 76% of seniors would attend the same university again if they started over
• 86% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
• 84% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive

Evaluation of Experiences

Survey Administration Process

Survey Information