So when the figures for the 2008 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) were recently released, Monmouth had one of the higher levels of interest among the 774 participating institutions.

Designed to measure "how undergraduates spend their time and what they gain from attending college," the survey queried thousands of first-year and senior students at institutions in the United States and Canada. The survey is divided into five benchmark categories, which include: level of academic challenge; active and collaborative learning; student-faculty interaction; enriching educational experiences; and supportive campus environment.

More than 300 randomly selected Monmouth students were surveyed, and they came to strong agreement on several points, including the college’s "substantial" emphasis on studying and spending time on academic work.

"We are also pleased with the percentage of students who are reporting high rates of satisfaction with their overall experience at the college," said Jacquelyn Condon, MC’s vice president for student life. "In particular, students report significant opportunities for participating in community service or other volunteer work."

Another area of consensus was the amount of students who have participated in some type of meaningful internship or off-campus experience by their senior year. Nearly all the students surveyed reported that they had talked with advisers or faculty members about their career plans.

"In comparison to three different groups – our peers at private Great Lakes Colleges, other undergraduate liberal arts colleges and the NSSE sample – our students reported higher levels of active and collaborative learning, faculty-student interaction and enriching educational experiences," said Jane Jakoubek, MC’s vice president for academic affairs.

In order to assist prospective college students and to refocus the national conversation about what constitutes quality in the college experience, NSSE created "A Pocket Guide to Choosing a College: Are You Asking the Right Questions on a College Campus Visit?" The guide lists questions similar to those that appear on the survey and is intended to get prospective students and their parents to start thinking more about these types of questions during the college decision making process.