Assessment Matters: Creating a Profile of the Class of 2026

In partnership with the Dean of Students, the Office of Research, Planning and Assessment (RPA) surveyed the Class of 2026 to gather data about incoming students’ family background, high school experience, social perspectives, and expectations for college. Students’ responses will help staff and faculty develop and implement impactful academic and co-curricular services that reflect students’ preferences. 

The incoming Meredith class was asked to complete two online evaluations during the week of orientation. The students completed the Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE) and Start Strong Survey. BCSS is a national survey administered by the Center for Postsecondary Research of the Indiana University School of Education. RPA developed the Start Strong Survey in 2020 to supplement the data gathered through BCSSE.

Students were asked about a variety of topics that considered in aggregate will allow RPA and the Dean of Students to create a demographic and attitudinal profile of the incoming class. 

To highlight some of the interesting data points gathered through this pair of complementary surveys, RPA has created a printable infographic. Please follow this link to view data from the fall 2022 first year surveys. 

If you have any questions about the infographic RPA has created for Career Planning or any other assessment-related matter, please contact Dianne Raubenheimer (raubenhe@meredith.edu) or Dilnavaz Mirza Sharma (sharmadi@meredith.edu) in the Office of Research, Planning and Assessment.