NSSE was administered electronically in spring 2018 to first-year freshmen and seniors. Of 658 total respondents, 255 were first-year students and while 403 were seniors.

• When asked how satisfied they were with their educational experience, 89% of first-year and 87% of seniors rated their entire educational experience at UAB as “excellent” or “good.” The percentage of affirmative responses was higher at UAB compared to other institutions in UAB’s Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) comparison group.
• Forty-six percent of freshmen and 58% of senior respondents responded that their courses included a community-based service-learning project. Service-based learning courses connect UAB students to service-learning opportunities that enrich learning, promote community engagement, and develop the capacity for civic life.
• Eighty-five percent of seniors quantified their own perceived gains in “thinking critically and analytically” as “very much” or “quite a bit.”
• Seventy percent of seniors believe that their experience at UAB contributed to their ability to understand people of other economic, racial, ethic, political, and religious backgrounds. The percentage of affirmative responses for this question was higher at UAB compared to other institutions from NSSE participants in UAB’s SACSCOC and Doctoral Universities-Highest Research Activity (Carnegie Classification) in the Southeast Region (as defined by IPEDS) comparison groups.
• Eighty-seven percent of freshmen reported that their courses challenged them to do their best work.
• Eighty-eight percent of freshmen believed that UAB emphasizes using learning support services as an approach to improving student success. The affirmative responses to this question were higher for UAB compared to its peers in both SACSCOC and Doctoral Universities-Highest Research Activity in the Southeast.