Asbury University considers its mission a success only as our students succeed, and thus all efforts in Institutional Effectiveness focus ultimately on identifying best practices in equipping students for a lifetime of learning, service, and leadership. We monitor student achievement in four key areas:
Goals for achievement and summary data of accomplishment are highlighted below.
Retention and Graduation
As a member of both the Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AICKU), tracking student retention and program completion affords Asbury the opportunity to benchmark against private institutions that are of similar mission (in the case of CCCU) and represent independent institutions within the Commonwealth of Kentucky (in the case of AICKU).
For traditional undergraduates, we have established a target goal of 80% retention from the freshman to sophomore year. This target of 80% was identified as it represents exceeding both the CCCU mean (72.1%) and the AIKCU mean (69.4%). Surpassing this identified target represents achieving the top quartile of the CCCU. The freshman cohort entering in the Fall of 2022 recognized a sophomore retention rate of 84%, outpacing the identified institutional target.
Cohort Retention by Semester, Traditional Undergraduates
| 2017 Cohort | 2018 Cohort | 2019 Cohort | 2020 Cohort | 2021 Cohort | 2022 Cohort | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| as Second Semester Freshmen | 92.8% | 93.8% | 88.4% | 94.5% | 92.5% | 92.3% |
| as Sophomores | 81.1% | 84.6% | 80.7% | 84.6% | 83.1% | 84.0% |
| as Juniors | 73.0% | 74.2% | 73.9% | 71.9% | 78.0% |
Asbury also benchmarks with both the CCCU and AICKU to determine an appropriate and rigorous six year graduation target rate of 65%. As with sophomore retention rates, Asbury seeks to outpace the mean of the CCCU (mean of 56%) and AIKCU (mean of 49%). Achieving this identified target of 65% would also achieve performance within the top quartile of CCCU schools. The cohort entering Asbury University in the Fall of 2016 realized a six year graduation rate of 70%, surpassing the established target and institutional five year trend data.
Cohort Graduation Rate, Traditional Undergraduates
| 2013 Cohort | 2014 Cohort | 2015 Cohort | 2016 Cohort | 2017 Cohort | 2018 Cohort | 2019 Cohort | |
| 4 year graduation rate | 56.8% | 52.5% | 56.0% | 59.5% | 56.9% | 57.1% | 55.4% |
| 6 year graduation rate | 68.3% | 63.0% | 65.0% | 69.3% | 65.4% |
The Foundations general education program is constructed around five student learning outcomes. This liberal arts core is routinely evaluated by a balanced assessment system that incorporates two primary measures, the General Education Proficiency Assessment (GEPA, developed in-house), and the ETS Proficiency Profile (EPP). Student cohorts are tracked longitudinally using the GEPA and EPP from the time they enter as freshmen until they graduate as seniors.
Asbury has set its EPP benchmark rigorously, expecting annual means to meet or surpass the national 75th percentile. Scores indicate that when compared with these national norms, our students outperform the majority of their peers in critical thinking, reading, writing, math, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
EPP Results, 2018-23
| Freshmen (2018-22) | Seniors (2019-23) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asbury Mean | National Percentile | Asbury Mean | National Percentile | |
| Critical Thinking | 109.85 | 56 | 114.37 | 91 |
| Reading | 115.51 | 64 | 119.53 | 85 |
| Writing | 113.18 | 79 | 115.47 | 85 |
| Math | 113.09 | 86 | 116.21 | 91 |
| Humanities | 113.58 | 40 | 118.95 | 93 |
| Social Sciences | 111.15 | 51 | 115.34 | 86 |
| Natural Sciences | 113.8 | 57 | 116.45 | 82 |
| Total Score | 438.74 | 81 | 453.26 | 90 |
As GEPA is an internal instrument, achievement is primarily measured in gains from freshman to senior year, with an extra benchmark for senior scores at a mean of 50%. Annual scores indicate that all student learning outcomes evidenced appropriate value added.
GEPA Mean Scores of Freshmen and Seniors, Associated Gains 2018-23
| Freshmen Average 2020-23 | Senior Average 2020-23 | Value Added | |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLO 1: Christian Faith & Culture | 49.4 | 63.2 | 13.8% |
| SLO 2: Human Thought & Creative Expression | 50.4 | 58.4 | 7.9% |
| SLO 3: Society & Global Responsibility | 42.2 | 52.6 | 10.4% |
| SLO 4: Quantitative & Critical Literacy | 69.5 | 71.3 | 1.8% |
| SLO 5: Natural World & Environment | 52.0 | 62.3 | 10.2% |
| Overall | 50.7 | 59.0 | 8.3% |
Many individual academic programs also administer major field tests as a key component to their annual program assessment. Asbury administers the following nationally-normed exams: Biology, Chemistry, English, Music, Political Science, and Sociology (ETS Major Field Tests); Psychology (ACAT Exam); MBA (Peregrine); and PRAXIS (Education). Academic units pursue a benchmark of annually surpassing national/state means, and when compared, the institution performs favorably.
MFT Results 2019-24
| 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | 163 | Above | 153 | Equal | 150 | Equal | 151 | Equal | 156 | Equal |
| Chemistry | 152 | Above | 144 | Equal | 147 | Above | 139 | Below | 149 | Below |
| English | * | * | 170 | Above | 172 | Above | * | * | * | * |
| Music | 151 | Equal | 148 | Equal | 151 | Above | 157 | Above | * | * |
| Political Science | 154 | Equal | 159 | Above | 166 | Above | 162 | Above | 168 | Above |
| Sociology | 162 | Above | 162 | Above | 153 | Above | 146 | Above | 154 | Above |
ACAT Results, 2021-24
| 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 77 | Above | 79 | Above | 97 | Above |
Peregrine Results, 2017-18
| 2017 (Cohort 1) | 2018 (Cohort 2) | |
|---|---|---|
| Asbury MBA Mean | 52.1% | 45.9% |
| National Mean, all MBA Programs | 57.7% | 57.7% |
PRAXIS Results for Online and Traditional Undergraduate Program Completers, 2017-23
| 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | |
| Kentucky State Pass Rate | 96% | 94% | 96% | 99% | 98% | 95% |
| Asbury Pass Rate | 95% | 94% | 92% | 97% | 100% | 88% |
Asbury employs two main assessments, the internally developed Cornerstone Assessment Survey (CAS) and the Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI), to measure how students are growing in their faith and its impact on their personal habits and behaviors.
The CAS captures students’ level of commitment to each of the four cornerstones outlined in the the Cornerstone Project, with a fifth category of spiritual growth entitled Christian Formation. The Cornerstone Project was launched in 2009 as an Asbury Quality Enhancement Plan in conjunction with SACSCOC decennial reaffirmation. Benchmarking is set at an annual overall score (mean of means) of 3.25 on a 4-point scale.
Cornerstone Assessment Survey Results, 2018-2024
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Overall | 3.22 | 3.27 | 3.20 | 3.19 | 3.19 | 3.12 | 3.30 |
| Cornerstone 1: Scripture | 3.16 | 3.17 | 3.08 | 3.12 | 3.17 | 3.01 | 3.28 |
| Cornerstone 2: Holiness | 2.95 | 3.00 | 2.96 | 2.97 | 2.85 | 2.95 | 2.90 |
| Cornerstone 3: Stewardship | 3.26 | 3.32 | 3.25 | 3.18 | 3.21 | 3.12 | 3.34 |
| Cornerstone 4: Mission | 3.51 | 3.57 | 3.49 | 3.48 | 3.45 | 3.42 | 3.58 |
| Christian Formation | 3.18 | 3.22 | 3.17 | 3.17 | 3.17 | 3.10 | 3.28 |
Likewise, Asbury University submits items relating to spiritual growth and practice and missional alignment to the SSI for external data points. These items are also assessed as part of the Cooperative Assessment Program of the CCCU, thus providing data for interpretation and analysis in these formative areas. Benchmarks are set at meeting or exceeding the CCCU mean. The SSI scores are on a 7-point scale.
Campus Items on SSI Results 2014-2024
| 2014 | 2016 | 2018 | 2020 | 2022 | 2024 AU Avg | 2024 CCCU Mean | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Campus item 1: Being on this campus is contributing to my spiritual growth. | 5.86 | 5.87 | 5.83 | 5.65 | 5.46 | 6.11 | 5.88 |
| Campus item 2: My understanding of God is being strengthened by classroom and/or campus experiences. | 5.93 | 5.96 | 5.9 | 5.84 | 5.67 | 6.12 | 5.86 |
| Campus item 3: Faculty, administrators, and/or staff are helpful to me in processing issues related to my faith. | 5.89 | 5.91 | 5.78 | 5.84 | 5.43 | 5.90 | 5.75 |
| Campus item 5: This campus provides adequate opportunities for involvement in ministry. | 5.95 | 6.00 | 6.08 | 5.77 | 5.81 | 6.15 | 6 |
| Campus item 6: Given where I am spiritually right now, this campus is a good fit for me. | 5.96 | 5.99 | 5.89 | 5.75 | 5.44 | 5.98 | 5.96 |
Asbury’s Alumni Survey asks graduates to provide their employment details and to weigh in on how well the institution has prepared them for their next steps in life. The Office of IE has set a benchmark of 80% of respondents in agreement with survey items.
One such item is job or graduate school placement within six months of graduation. For the 2023 traditional undergraduate cohort, 97% of respondents report being employed, in graduate/professional school, pursuing additional undergraduate studies, serving in the military, or completing post-graduate internships or year of service/volunteerism. Of these respondents, 94.9% report being employed full time, attending graduate school, or pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors.
Our mission includes seeking to prepare students “for lifelong learning, leadership, and service to the professions, society, the family, and the Church,” so tracking the activity of our alumni is key. The 2023 Alumni Survey (given to those who graduated between 2006 and 2022) indicates that 100% of respondents who applied to graduate school were accepted. 96.3% of respondents reported agreement with the statement, “I find my occupation fulfilling.” Among young alumni, 85.7% of respondents reported their Asbury experiences have left them “Extremely Well Prepared,” “Very Well Prepared,” or “Moderately Well Prepared” for life beyond the university.
The Office of Institutional Effectiveness houses data at the departmental (academic and administrative) and institutional level. To request additional data, please contact us at assessment@asbury.edu.