Student Life Cycle Assessment
Pre-Enrollment
Admitted Student Questionnaire (ASQ)
The College Board's Admitted Student Questionnaire (ASQ) focuses on the perceptions, expectations, and college decisions of admitted students. UMass Amherst has periodically administered this survey since 1996.
Entry: The First Year
Entering Characteristics
The American Council on Education's Cooperative Institutional Research Program (ACE-CIRP) Freshman Survey focuses on the high school experiences and college expectations of first-year students prior to entering the University. This survey has been administered to all UMass Amherst first-year students for the past twenty-five years.
Early Advising System
OAPA uses a statistical model to estimate students' first semester college GPA. This information is used to assist advisors in linking students with appropriate courses and academic support in their first semester on campus.
Learning Communities
- Student Outcomes: The Impact of Varying Living-Learning Community Models.
Author: Martha L. A. Stassen, Director of Assessment, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Research in Higher Education, October 2003, Volume 44, Issue 5, p.581, 33pp
This study explores the effect of three distinct living-learning community models on a variety of student experience and academic performance outcomes. Central to the analysis is an investigation of whether there are differences in outcomes for learning communities with different missions and structures, all three of which fall into the "Linked Course" learning community design. Even in the least coordinated, most basic, learning community model, students show more positive outcomes (first semester GPA, retention, first-year experience) than non-learning community students. The fact that simple structures that facilitate student interaction around academic work (even without coordinated faculty involvement) have a positive effect for students of all preparation levels provides encouragement to campus leaders with limited resources who are working to develop methods for improving the undergraduate educational experience on their campuses.
- Living-Learning Communities: Do They Make a "Difference"?, November 2001
- The Patterson Pilot Program: Evaluation of the First Year (1996-97)
Progress
Advising
Diversity
In Spring 2000 UMass Amherst along with nine other public research universities began participating in a national longitudinal study exploring the relationship between students' experiences with diversity (inside and outside the classroom) and a variety of learning outcomes.
Cycles
The Cycles Survey, administered by SAREO since 1975, examines students' satisfaction with university services and the general quality of life on campus.
Outcomes
Retention
Senior Survey
Results
Alumni