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National Survey Of Student Engagement Can Provide Key Information About Student Satisfaction At Invididual CollegesThe National Survey of Student Engagement (also referred to as NSSE) is a tool that you can use to see the satisfaction level of current students at a particular college you are considering. Students are asked questions about many different aspects of their educational experience. Their responses are grouped into five key categories that are measured against all responses from students at similar types of institutions. The key areas measured are: Level of Academic Challenge Active and Collaborative Learning Student-Faculty Interaction Enriching Educational Experiences Supportive Campus Environment Not all colleges participate in the National Survey of Student Engagement. And, those that do participate don't always share their results. It's certainly something you should ask of each school you are considering. Have they partipated in the NSSE and could you see their most recent results? Now, a new website sponsored by the U.S. News and World Report, makes it even easier to see NSSE results. Unfortunately, only 257 colleges voluntarily participated by providing results. However, that number should rise as the general public becomes more aware of the National Survey for Student Engagement and demands that more schools share this information. A quick word of caution on using the NSSE results in your college search process. Remember, it's only one tool to use. Also, in looking at the scores, don't view them as you would a 100 point test score for each area. No college has scored a 100 in any area (not even higher than an 80). The best thing to do is compare scores to the national average for that type of institution. Don't worry about any one or two point differences but you should note any areas where you see a difference of five points or more.
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