RADNOR, Pa. (Dec. 5, 2008) — Results from the 2008 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) showed first-year students and seniors at Cabrini College scored higher than students from more than 700 colleges and universities in several benchmarks of effective educational practice: Level of Academic Challenge, Student-Faculty Interaction, Enriching Educational Experiences, and Supportive Campus Environment.
According to the study, activities in these four areas improve student learning and development.
First-year students at Cabrini performed well in the following categories:
- Discussed grades or assignments with an instructor
- Talked about career plans with a faculty member or advisor
- Worked with faculty members on activities other than coursework
- Said the institution substantially encourages contacts among diverse peers
- Completed foreign language coursework
Seniors at Cabrini scored well in:
- Working harder than you expected to meet an instructor's expectation
- Participating in community service or volunteer work
- Reporting the institution substantially encourages contact among diverse peers
- Positively rating their relationships with administrative personnel and offices
- Reporting the institution substantially helps students cope with non-academic matters
In its 10th year, the NSSE provides prospective students, parents, counselors, and others with information about aspects of collegiate quality not available through most venues. For example, most popular college rankings are based primarily on measures of resources and reputation that research studies indicate are not related to learning and personal development outcomes. Unlike a number of other rankings, NSSE results are determined by the students, and not by external organizations rating or assessing colleges and universities. The NSSE 2008 report is sponsored by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
Nearly 380,000 randomly selected first-year and senior students at 722 four-year colleges and universities participated in the survey. Three-hundred seventy students from Cabrini participated, representing roughly 11 percent of the College's student population.