Harrison College scores high in student satisfaction on national survey

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Jan 29, 2013, 03:15 ET

Annual NSSE survey ranks colleges and universities against their peer institutions

INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Harrison College (www.harrison.edu), an Indianapolis based institution of higher learning serving more than 5,000 students in Indiana, Ohio, North Carolina, and Online, announced today that results from the annual National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) indicate that the college is outperforming peer institutions in several key categories. Results revealed that students at Harrison College are especially pleased with the level of support that they receive from staff and faculty at the 110-year-old institution.

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NSSE is an annual survey which asks first-year college students and seniors to evaluate their college experience on a variety of learning activities. NSSE randomly surveyed a statistically significant sampling of students at Harrison College, and compared the results to other private colleges and universities in the Great Lakes Region, as well as all other colleges and universities who participated in the survey nationally.

Among the results from first-year Harrison College students (with comparisons to national data):

90% indicated they ask questions and contributed to class discussions (compared to 62% nationally);
67% discussed grades or assignments with an instructor (compared to 53% nationally);
64% felt the institution provides substantial support for students' social needs (compared to 52% nationally);
71% used an electronic medium to discuss or complete an assignment (compared to 57% nationally);
58% said the institution substantially helps students cope with non-academic matters (compared to 41% nationally).

Survey results of Harrison College's senior students revealed (with comparisons to national data):

95% felt the institution emphasizes studying and academic work (compared to 82% nationally);
65% discussed grades or assignments with an instructor (compared to 60% nationally);
95% positively rated their relationships with faculty members (compared to 80% nationally);
55% indicated the institution substantially helps students cope with non-academic matters (compared to 30% nationally);
70% said the institution provides substantial support for students' social needs (compared to 40% nationally).

Harrison College students also responded that they are challenged by the academic standards at the institution (with comparisons to national data):

73% worked harder than they expected to meet an instructors expectations (compared to 62% nationally);
34% wrote a paper or report of 20 pages or more (compared to 18% nationally);
92% of students reported coursework involved critical and analytical thinking (compared to 84% nationally);
85% reported their coursework emphasizes applying theories or concepts to practical problems or new situations (compared to 76% nationally).

For the second consecutive year, Harrison College ranked significantly higher than its peer institutions – as well as all institutions nationally – on a question that asked seniors, "If you could start over again, would you go to the same institution you are now attending?" Harrison College received a 3.45 score on the question (where 3=Probably Yes and 4=Definitely Yes), compared to the national average of 3.23. In total, 90% of Harrison College seniors responded that they would choose Harrison College if restarting their college careers.

"Harrison College has built its reputation over 110-years by providing a supportive learning environment," Dr. Dennis A. Trinkle, provost and chief academic officer, said. "Clearly, these results indicate that Harrison College students feel that the institution is committed to their success. And there's nothing more rewarding than to hear our seniors say that, if they could go back and restart their academic career anywhere in the country, they would still choose to pursue their education at Harrison College."

The national Survey of Student Engagement is administered by the Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research in Bloomington, Ind. Information about the survey is available online at nsse.iub.edu.

About Harrison College
Harrison College is a contemporary, career-focused institution of Higher Education serving more than 5,000 students throughout the United States and Internationally. Harrison College has 12 campuses in Indiana and Ohio, two culinary schools in Indiana and North Carolina, and also offers courses online at harrison.edu. The institution grants Associate's and Bachelor's degrees across five schools of study: Business, Health Sciences, Information Technology, Criminal Justice, and Veterinary Technology, as well as its culinary division, The Chef's Academy. Harrison College offers students a variety of learning environments including online, traditional classroom, or a combination of both. Harrison College is accredited by the Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) and is dedicated to excellence in higher learning. In addition, the college is currently a Candidate with The Higher Learning Commission and an affiliate of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA). Harrison College was founded in 1902 as Indiana Business College.