Rankings and Ratings

2010 National Survey of Student Engagement
Ohio Wesleyan students give OWU high marks for quality of campus environment, academics

When it comes to providing a supportive campus environment, challenging academics, enriching educational experiences, and substantive student-faculty interaction, Ohio Wesleyan University more than makes the grade.

Compared with more than 560 colleges and universities that voluntarily participated in the 2010 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), Ohio Wesleyan surpasses the norm in all of these areas to create a meaningful and powerful undergraduate experience.

In fact, 93 percent of Ohio Wesleyan’s surveyed first-year students report a favorable image of OWU, with 89 percent stating that Ohio Wesleyan demonstrates a “substantial” commitment to helping them succeed academically.

In addition, 86 percent of Ohio Wesleyan’s surveyed seniors stated that they would choose OWU again if they could start their college careers over. And significant numbers of OWU’s seniors also report participating in enriching educational experiences, with 36 percent working on a research project with a faculty member outside of class and 72 percent participating in a practicum, internship, field experience, or clinical assignment.

“Ohio Wesleyan strives to provide students with an exceptional educational experience that connects classroom theory with real-world practice and prepares them to become productive global citizens and effective global leaders,” said President Rock Jones, Ph.D. “We believe an academically rigorous OWU education provides the foundation needed for success in today’s rapidly changing world, and we are gratified our students agree and rate the university so highly on so many indicators of excellence.”

The NSSE program, overseen by the Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research, surveys first-year and senior students annually to determine their levels of engagement with their chosen colleges and universities. For the 2010 survey, students were asked 85 questions. Their answers provide insight into five “Benchmarks of Effective Educational Practice,” all considered important indicators of student learning, development, and success. The benchmark categories are:

• Supportive Campus Environment
• Level of Academic Challenge
• Student-Faculty Interaction
• Enriching Educational Experiences
• Active and Collaborative Learning

The five tables below summarize Ohio Wesleyan’s scores in each benchmark area. Each table also indicates how OWU compares to its Carnegie Class peers (102 liberal arts colleges nationwide) and to all 563 NSSE participants. Below the tables are examples of the characteristics that comprise each benchmark area.

Characteristics of a supportive campus environment include:

• Campus environment provides the support you need to help you succeed academically.
• Campus environment helps you cope with your non-academic responsibilities (work, family, etc.).
• Campus environment provides the support you need to thrive socially.
• Quality of relationships with other students, faculty members, and administrative personnel and offices.

Characteristics of level of academic challenge include:

• Time spent preparing for class (studying, reading, writing, rehearsing, and other activities related to your academic program).
• Worked harder than you thought you could to meet an instructor’s standards or expectations.
• Coursework emphasizes: Analyzing the basic elements of an idea, experience, or theory.
• Coursework emphasizes: Synthesizing and organizing ideas, information, or experiences.
• Coursework emphasizes: Making of judgments about the value of information, arguments, or methods.
• Coursework emphasizes: Applying theories or concepts to practical problems or in new situations.

Characteristics of an enriching educational experience include:

• Talking with students of different religious beliefs, political opinions, or values.
• Talking with students of a different race or ethnicity.
• An institutional climate that encourages contact among students from different economic, social, and racial or ethnic backgrounds.
• Participating in:
• Internships or field experiences
• Community service or volunteer work
• Foreign language coursework
• Study abroad
• Independent study or self-assigned major
• Culminating senior experience
• Co-curricular activities
• Learning communities

Characteristics of strong student-faculty interaction include:

• Discussed grades or assignments with an instructor.
• Talked about career plans with a faculty member or advisor.
• Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with faculty members outside of class.
• Worked with faculty members on activities other than coursework (committees, orientation, student-life activities, etc.).
• Received prompt written or oral feedback from faculty on your academic performance.
• Worked with a faculty member on a research project.

Characteristics of active and collaborative learning include:

• Asked questions in class or contributed to class discussions.
• Made a class presentation.
• Worked with other students on projects during class.
• Worked with classmates outside of class to prepare class assignments.
• Tutored or taught other students.
• Participated in a community-based project as part of a regular course.
• Discussed ideas from your readings or classes with others outside of class (students, family members, co-workers, etc.).

About the Charts

Instances in which Ohio Wesleyan’s scores are significantly higher than those for the Carnegie Class and overall NSSE participant schools are indicated as follows:

* OWU’s score differs significantly from the comparison group at the p < .05 level.

** OWU’s score differs significantly from the comparison group at the p < .01 level.

*** OWU’s score differs significantly from the comparison group at the p < .001 level. Learn more about the National Survey of Student Engagement at www.nsse.iub.edu.