The numbers that really matter - survey measures how engaged college students are, and Eckerd produces compelling scores.

Since 2000, The National Survey for Student Engagement (NSSE) has established itself as an invaluable tool for schools to measure the extent to which their educational practices are linked to the intellectual and developmental results that parents and students expect from higher education. Based on student responses, NSSE provides an inside perspective on the actual effectiveness of an institutions overall learning environment. As such, NSSE serves as a vital complement to institutional ranking systems focused on more impersonal indicators, such as faculty size, name recognition and total wealth.

Eckerd College has performed consistently well in NSSE over the years. The 2011 report continues this record with Eckerd senior students ranking higher than those at Carnegie Peer schools on all benchmarks. Eckerd continues its tradition of performing exceptionally well in the provision of learning experiences that synthesize classroom instruction with hands-on, real-world applications whether these applications come in the form of study abroad, service learning or similar community-based learning.

98% of responding seniors noted that they performed community service or volunteer work during their tenure at Eckerd. 67% of seniors reported having studied abroad as part of their Eckerd experience.

Eckerd's liberal arts education emphasizes knowledge across a wide spectrum, critical analysis of information, and the ability to communicate clearly and effectively. It is no surprise then that 91% of seniors reported that Eckerd contributed to their ability to think critically and 89% of seniors indicated that their coursework emphasized synthesizing and organizing ideas, information, or experiences into new, more complex interpretations and relationships.

Click here to see how Eckerd ranks