University of South Carolina Aiken College Portrait

Learn More

Students
Find out more about the characteristics of students who attend USCA.
Admissions
See how many students applied, accepted, and enrolled at USCA. Learn more about students’ high school preparation and test scores.
College Costs & Financial Aid
Learn about costs to attend USCA and how much financial aid is typically awarded.
College Cost Estimator
Estimate your cost to attend USCA in a few simple steps.
Classes and Campus Life
Learn more about professors, where students live, and campus safety at USCA.
Student Experiences
Discover ways to be actively involved in your education at USCA – inside and outside the classroom.
Majors, Graduation and Next Steps
See which majors are most popular at USCA and what recent graduates plan to do after earning their bachelor's degree.
Student Success & Progress
Discover how many students who start at USCA finish their bachelor's degree and how long it takes.
Student Learning Outcomes
Figure out what learning gains to expect in critical thinking, writing, and other important subjects at USCA.

Student Learning at University of South Carolina Aiken

All colleges and universities use multiple approaches to measure student learning. Many of these are specific to particular disciplines, many are coordinated with accrediting agencies, and many are based on outcomes after students have graduated.

Assessment at USCA is the ongoing process of self-improvement by analyzing and evaluating academic programs as well as university services through a variety of methods and measurements. Each academic and administrative unit implements an ongoing assessment program that clearly articulates goals and objectives, measures these outcomes on a regular basis at several points in the program and in multiple ways, analyzes the findings, and uses the results for improvements and adjustments in both services and curriculum.

Learning Assessment Examples

Pilot Project to Measure Core Learning Outcomes

Colleges and universities participating in the College Portrait measure the typical improvement in students' abilities to think, reason, and write using one of three tests. This is part of a pilot project to better understand and compare what students learn between their freshman and senior years at different colleges and universities.

2009-10 Results from the ETS Proficiency Profile (formerly MAPP)

The ETS Proficiency Profile (formerly MAPP) measures critical thinking, analytic reasoning, and written communication and reports separate scores on critical thinking and written communication.

Test Administration Process

Test Information

Critical Thinking Results for First-time, Full-time Students

The increase in learning on the performance task is at or near what would be expected at an institution testing students of similar academic abilities.

Freshman Score: 108
Senior Score: 111
ETS score range: 100 to 130

Average ACT scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 22
Senior Score: 21

Average SAT scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 999
Senior Score: 1000

Written Communication Results for First-time, Full-time Students