Benchmark categories

• Level of academic challenge
• Active & collaborative learning
• Student interactions with faculty members
• Enriching educational experiences
• Supportive campus environment

NSSE items in each benchmark cluster (The questions are asked with reference to the past year's experience.)

• Level of academic challenge
• Amount of time spent preparing for class (studying, reading, writing, rehearsing, and other activities related to your academic program).
• Number of assigned textbooks, books, or book-length packs of course readings.
• Number of written papers or reports
• of 20 pages or more.
• between 5 and 19 pages.
• of fewer than 5 pages.
• To what extent has your coursework emphasized
• analyzing the basic elements of an idea, experience, or theory such as examining a particular case or situation in depth and considering its components?
• synthesizing and organizing ideas, information, or experiences into new, more complex interpretations and relationships?
• making judgments about the value of information, arguments, or methods such as examining how others gathered and interpreted data and assessing the soundness of their conclusions?
• applying theories or concepts to practical problems or in new situations?
• About how often have you worked harder than you thought you could to meet an instructor's standards or expectations?
• To what extent does your institution emphasize spending significant amounts of time studying and on academic work?

• Active & collaborative learning: About how often have you
• asked questions in class or contributed to class discussions?
• made a class presentation?
• worked with other students on projects during class?
• worked with other students on projects outside of class to prepare class assignments?
• tutored or taught other students (paid or voluntary)?
• participated in a community-based project as a part of a regular course?
• discussed ideas from your readings or classes with others outside of class (students, family members, coworkers, etc.)?

• Student interactions with faculty members
• About how often have you
• discussed grades or assignments with an instructor?
• talked about career plans with a faculty member or advisor?
• discussed ideas from your reading 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 feedback from faculty on your academic performance (written or oral)?
• Have you or do you plan to work on a research project with a faculty member outside of course or program requirements?

• Enriching educational experiences
• About how many hours do you spend in a typical 7-day week
• participating in co-curricular activities (organizations, campus publications, student government, social fraternity or sorority, intercollegiate or intramural sports, etc.)?
• community service or volunteer work?
• Have you done or do you plan to do
• a practicum, internship, field experience, co-op experience, or clinical assignment?
• foreign language coursework?
• an independent study or self-designed major?
• a culminating senior experience (comprehensive exam, capstone course, thesis project, etc.)?
• Have you or do you plan to study abroad?
• About how often have you
• had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity than your own?
• used an electronic medium (list-serv, chat group, Internet, etc.) to discuss or complete an assignment?
• To what extent does your institution encourage contact among students from different economic, social, and racial or ethnic backgrounds?