The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) asks first- and senior-year students dozens of specific questions about how they spend their time in and out of the classroom. In 2017, 130,291 students at 72 Canadian schools took part in the American-based survey, for an average response rate of 37 per cent. Maclean’s contacted universities and asked them to share their results.
NSSE is designed to measure student engagement and best educational practices, delivering valuable feedback for university administrators. American and Canadian schools are measured on engagement indicators, such as effective teaching and supportive environment, and high-impact practices such as service learning and study abroad. The higher a school’s scores, the better the chance, according to NSSE, that its undergrads are getting the most out of their university experience.
In addition, NSSE includes two general satisfaction questions, asking students to evaluate their entire education experience and whether they would go to the same school they are currently attending if they could start over.
Engagement indicator results from the 2017 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
NSSE presents 10 engagement indicators organized across 4 major themes: academic challenge; learning with peers; experience with faculty; and campus environment. Each indicator reflects students’ responses to a set of questions relating to these themes.
The following charts show results from the 2017 survey for the 10 NSSE engagement indicators. We have listed the universities in descending order of achievement, according to their senior-year scores. Each chart also gives the NSSE average, which is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys.
Scores are on a scale of 60.
Higher-Order Learning
This engagement indicator assesses how often coursework emphasizes such skills as applying facts, analyzing ideas in depth, evaluating points of view, and forming new ideas from various pieces of information.
| First-year | Senior-year | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Quest | 48.4 | 50.2 | |
| Saint Paul (Ottawa) | 41.5 | 43.1 | |
| Ambrose | 38.7 | 41.0 | |
| St. Thomas | 37.2 | 40.8 | |
| Trinity Western | 36.8 | 40.6 | |
| NSSE 2016 & 2017 average | 37.6 | 39.7 | |
| ACAD | 37.7 | 39.3 | |
| Briercrest | 33.8 | 39.3 | |
| OCAD U | 36.0 | 39.1 | |
| King's (Edmonton) | 38.0 | 39.0 | |
| Mount Royal | 38.1 | 39.0 | |
| York | 36.9 | 39.0 | |
| UOIT | 36.3 | 38.9 | |
| MacEwan | 35.5 | 38.7 | |
| Mount Allison | 34.8 | 38.7 | |
| Nipissing | 37.0 | 38.7 | |
| Cape Breton | 37.3 | 38.5 | |
| Sheridan | 37.8 | 38.5 | |
| Trent | 37.0 | 38.4 | |
| Carleton | 36.1 | 38.3 | |
| Tyndale | 36.3 | 38.2 | |
| McMaster | 36.9 | 37.9 | |
| Thompson Rivers | 36.1 | 37.9 | |
| Brock | 34.7 | 37.8 | |
| Laurentian | 36.6 | 37.7 | |
| Queen's | 37.9 | 37.7 | |
| Guelph | 36.0 | 37.6 | |
| Wilfrid Laurier | 36.2 | 37.4 | |
| Moncton | 33.3 | 37.3 | |
| Toronto | 38.0 | 37.3 | |
| Calgary | 35.9 | 37.2 | |
| Lethbridge | 34.4 | 37.2 | |
| Simon Fraser | 34.5 | 37.1 | |
| Ryerson | 35.4 | 37.0 | |
| Windsor | 36.4 | 37.0 | |
| Saskatchewan | 35.2 | 36.9 | |
| UBC (Vancouver) | 37.5 | 36.8 | |
| St. Francis Xavier | 33.3 | 36.8 | |
| Sherbrooke | 35.5 | 36.8 | |
| UBC (Okanagan) | 35.2 | 36.7 | |
| Manitoba | 34.3 | 36.7 | |
| Acadia | 33.0 | 36.6 | |
| Concordia (Montreal) | 35.6 | 36.6 | |
| UPEI | 35.0 | 36.6 | |
| Saint Mary's | 33.6 | 36.4 | |
| Victoria | 33.3 | 36.4 | |
| Western | 37.4 | 36.4 | |
| Alberta | 36.1 | 36.3 | |
| Memorial | 33.1 | 36.3 | |
| Dalhousie | 36.3 | 36.1 | |
| Mount Saint Vincent | 35.2 | 36.1 | |
| UNB (Fredericton) | 35.9 | 36.1 | |
| Lakehead | 34.3 | 35.9 | |
| Ottawa | 33.6 | 35.9 | |
| Brescia (Western) | 36.4 | 35.5 | |
| McGill | 33.8 | 35.5 | |
| Waterloo | 36.5 | 35.4 | |
| Winnipeg | 33.0 | 35.1 | |
| Laval | 33.9 | 35.0 | |
| UQAM | 35.0 | 34.9 | |
| Brandon | 32.0 | 33.1 | |
| *NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys. |
Reflective and Integrative Learning
This engagement indicator looks at how students make connections between their studies, their own experiences, and the wider world by asking students how often they connect their learning to social issues, challenge their own beliefs and consider other people’s views. Also measured is how often students combine ideas from different courses.
| First-year | Senior-year | |
|---|---|---|
| Quest | 44.3 | 50.5 |
| Saint Paul (Ottawa) | 40.3 | 42.8 |
| St. Thomas | 37.1 | 42.0 |
| Trinity Western | 35.2 | 41.2 |
| Ambrose | 37.3 | 40.7 |
| King's (Edmonton) | 35.3 | 40.6 |
| Tyndale | 39.1 | 40.2 |
| Briercrest | 33.9 | 40.1 |
| OCAD U | 36.2 | 39.4 |
| MacEwan | 33.2 | 39.3 |
| Mount Royal | 35.9 | 39.3 |
| Thompson Rivers | 35.0 | 39.3 |
| Mount Allison | 34.8 | 38.6 |
| Nipissing | 34.8 | 38.6 |
| Trent | 36.1 | 38.6 |
| Lethbridge | 32.4 | 38.0 |
| ACAD | 37.1 | 37.9 |
| York | 33.9 | 37.9 |
| Wilfrid Laurier | 34.4 | 37.8 |
| NSSE 2016 & 2017 average | 34.7 | 37.8 |
| Brescia (Western) | 35.1 | 37.6 |
| Cape Breton | 35.8 | 37.6 |
| St. Francis Xavier | 31.9 | 37.6 |
| Acadia | 32.4 | 37.5 |
| Mount Saint Vincent | 35.2 | 37.5 |
| Guelph | 33.1 | 37.3 |
| Victoria | 32.5 | 37.3 |
| Saint Mary's | 33.1 | 37.0 |
| Brock | 33.5 | 36.9 |
| McMaster | 33.6 | 36.9 |
| Laurentian | 33.2 | 36.8 |
| Winnipeg | 33.1 | 36.8 |
| Carleton | 33.0 | 36.7 |
| UPEI | 32.8 | 36.7 |
| Queen's | 34.4 | 36.6 |
| Western | 33.3 | 36.5 |
| Calgary | 32.0 | 36.4 |
| Ryerson | 34.1 | 36.4 |
| UBC (Okanagan) | 32.5 | 36.2 |
| Lakehead | 33.9 | 36.2 |
| Sheridan | 34.4 | 36.2 |
| Moncton | 31.1 | 35.8 |
| Ottawa | 32.9 | 35.8 |
| Alberta | 32.7 | 35.7 |
| UOIT | 32.0 | 35.7 |
| Toronto | 33.8 | 35.7 |
| Brandon | 30.9 | 35.6 |
| UQAM | 34.3 | 35.6 |
| Saskatchewan | 32.4 | 35.5 |
| Windsor | 33.5 | 35.5 |
| Memorial | 30.2 | 35.4 |
| Dalhousie | 33.7 | 35.3 |
| Simon Fraser | 32.2 | 35.3 |
| Concordia (Montreal) | 33.2 | 35.2 |
| Manitoba | 31.4 | 35.0 |
| McGill | 32.5 | 35.0 |
| Sherbrooke | 32.8 | 35.0 |
| UBC (Vancouver) | 33.4 | 34.9 |
| Laval | 32.5 | 34.7 |
| UNB (Fredericton) | 31.5 | 33.8 |
| Waterloo | 31.5 | 32.2 |
| *NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys. |
Learning Strategies
This engagement indicator recognizes that students experience improved learning and retain more if they actively engage in their course work through such things as identifying key information from reading assignments, reviewing notes after class and summarizing information from class and course materials.
| First-year | Senior-year | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Quest | 40.9 | 44.6 | |
| Cape Breton | 38.5 | 39.8 | |
| NSSE 2016 & 2017 average | 37.7 | 38.2 | |
| Saint Paul (Ottawa) | 38.0 | 37.7 | |
| Thompson Rivers | 37.3 | 37.0 | |
| St. Thomas | 36.3 | 36.7 | |
| Alberta | 37.1 | 36.2 | |
| York | 34.8 | 36.2 | |
| Concordia (Montreal) | 35.3 | 36.1 | |
| Manitoba | 36.5 | 35.9 | |
| Nipissing | 35.7 | 35.8 | |
| St. Francis Xavier | 34.8 | 35.8 | |
| Laurentian | 37.4 | 35.7 | |
| Lethbridge | 34.5 | 35.6 | |
| Brescia (Western) | 38.0 | 35.5 | |
| MacEwan | 35.4 | 35.5 | |
| Ambrose | 34.3 | 35.4 | |
| Mount Royal | 37.2 | 35.4 | |
| Simon Fraser | 35.3 | 35.4 | |
| Ottawa | 35.7 | 35.3 | |
| UBC (Okanagan) | 34.6 | 35.1 | |
| Western | 36.6 | 35.1 | |
| UOIT | 35.3 | 35.0 | |
| King's (Edmonton) | 36.2 | 34.9 | |
| Laval | 36.7 | 34.9 | |
| OCAD U | 32.9 | 34.9 | |
| Saint Mary's | 35.4 | 34.9 | |
| Windsor | 36.9 | 34.9 | |
| Victoria | 34.5 | 34.7 | |
| Calgary | 35.8 | 34.6 | |
| Trent | 33.9 | 34.6 | |
| Toronto | 35.0 | 34.5 | |
| Dalhousie | 36.3 | 34.4 | |
| UBC (Vancouver) | 34.9 | 34.3 | |
| Mount Allison | 35.3 | 34.3 | |
| Brock | 33.9 | 34.2 | |
| Wilfrid Laurier | 33.6 | 34.2 | |
| McGill | 36.1 | 34.1 | |
| Memorial | 34.3 | 34.0 | |
| Mount Saint Vincent | 35.2 | 33.9 | |
| Acadia | 34.2 | 33.7 | |
| McMaster | 34.8 | 33.7 | |
| UPEI | 35.3 | 33.7 | |
| UNB (Fredericton) | 34.8 | 33.6 | |
| Sherbrooke | 35.9 | 33.5 | |
| Carleton | 34.0 | 33.2 | |
| Moncton | 36.5 | 33.2 | |
| Saskatchewan | 35.3 | 33.2 | |
| Sheridan | 34.0 | 33.2 | |
| Trinity Western | 34.8 | 33.2 | |
| Guelph | 33.6 | 33.0 | |
| Ryerson | 33.9 | 33.0 | |
| Winnipeg | 33.8 | 32.9 | |
| ACAD | 34.0 | 32.8 | |
| Brandon | 33.9 | 32.7 | |
| Lakehead | 33.1 | 32.6 | |
| Queen's | 33.4 | 32.5 | |
| Waterloo | 34.2 | 32.3 | |
| Tyndale | 34.3 | 32.0 | |
| UQAM | 33.5 | 31.9 | |
| Briercrest | 29.8 | 30.7 | |
| *NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys. |
Quantitative Reasoning
This engagement indicator assesses how often students use numerical information, such as numbers, graphs and statistics, to reach conclusions, examine real-word issues, and evaluate what others have concluded from numerical information.
| First-year | Senior-year | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Quest | 34.3 | 37.8 | |
| Dalhousie | 25.1 | 30.8 | |
| Carleton | 24.9 | 29.7 | |
| Guelph | 24.8 | 29.5 | |
| NSSE 2016 & 2017 average | 26.9 | 29.4 | |
| UOIT | 26.4 | 29.3 | |
| McMaster | 26.3 | 29.2 | |
| Saint Mary's | 25.0 | 29.1 | |
| Waterloo | 27.1 | 29.0 | |
| Queen's | 27.2 | 28.9 | |
| UBC (Okanagan) | 25.2 | 28.6 | |
| Western | 25.9 | 28.3 | |
| UNB (Fredericton) | 24.5 | 28.1 | |
| Trent | 23.5 | 27.9 | |
| McGill | 24.1 | 27.7 | |
| UBC (Vancouver) | 26.1 | 27.6 | |
| Calgary | 26.1 | 27.5 | |
| St. Francis Xavier | 22.4 | 27.5 | |
| Cape Breton | 26.0 | 27.4 | |
| Mount Royal | 24.4 | 27.2 | |
| Simon Fraser | 22.6 | 27.2 | |
| Acadia | 25.2 | 27.1 | |
| Brock | 24.5 | 27.1 | |
| Ottawa | 23.6 | 27.0 | |
| Ryerson | 23.3 | 27.0 | |
| Toronto | 25.1 | 27.0 | |
| Alberta | 25.0 | 26.9 | |
| Laurentian | 23.7 | 26.9 | |
| Mount Allison | 25.4 | 26.9 | |
| Saskatchewan | 23.8 | 26.5 | |
| MacEwan | 22.7 | 26.4 | |
| Wilfrid Laurier | 26.2 | 26.1 | |
| Thompson Rivers | 24.5 | 26.0 | |
| UPEI | 23.3 | 25.9 | |
| Memorial | 20.7 | 25.8 | |
| Victoria | 22.8 | 25.7 | |
| King's (Edmonton) | 24.1 | 25.6 | |
| Windsor | 25.3 | 25.6 | |
| Manitoba | 21.5 | 25.5 | |
| Nipissing | 23.7 | 25.4 | |
| York | 24.1 | 25.4 | |
| Lethbridge | 23.3 | 25.3 | |
| Lakehead | 24.5 | 24.9 | |
| Moncton | 22.4 | 24.9 | |
| Mount Saint Vincent | 22.7 | 24.8 | |
| Sherbrooke | 20.4 | 24.6 | |
| Concordia (Montreal) | 22.9 | 24.5 | |
| Brescia (Western) | 22.9 | 23.5 | |
| Laval | 21.1 | 23.1 | |
| St. Thomas | 20.7 | 23.0 | |
| Trinity Western | 23.6 | 22.7 | |
| Sheridan | 21.0 | 22.6 | |
| Brandon | 18.8 | 22.5 | |
| Ambrose | 20.0 | 22.3 | |
| UQAM | 19.8 | 22.3 | |
| Saint Paul (Ottawa) | 21.6 | 21.9 | |
| OCAD U | 17.4 | 20.5 | |
| Winnipeg | 19.7 | 19.9 | |
| ACAD | 14.1 | 19.4 | |
| Tyndale | 17.9 | 15.5 | |
| Briercrest | 15.1 | 15.2 | |
| *NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys. |
Collaborative Learning
This engagement indicator gauges how often students work with other students on course projects or to prepare for exams, as well as how often students explain course material to other students or ask other students for help.
| First-year | Senior-year | |
|---|---|---|
| Quest | 42.4 | 48.2 |
| Sherbrooke | 36.8 | 37.2 |
| Moncton | 35.0 | 36.6 |
| Sheridan | 37.1 | 36.6 |
| Queen's | 38.8 | 36.4 |
| Guelph | 36.1 | 36.3 |
| Lakehead | 34.6 | 36.2 |
| Calgary | 35.5 | 36.0 |
| UNB (Fredericton) | 34.6 | 36.0 |
| St. Francis Xavier | 33.3 | 36.0 |
| McMaster | 36.1 | 35.9 |
| Thompson Rivers | 30.7 | 35.6 |
| Trinity Western | 30.5 | 35.6 |
| UBC (Okanagan) | 35.1 | 35.4 |
| Cape Breton | 31.1 | 35.3 |
| UOIT | 35.4 | 35.3 |
| Mount Royal | 33.6 | 35.1 |
| Ryerson | 34.9 | 35.1 |
| Brock | 33.7 | 34.8 |
| Dalhousie | 32.9 | 34.8 |
| McGill | 33.0 | 34.5 |
| Acadia | 34.8 | 34.4 |
| Laval | 34.0 | 34.3 |
| Nipissing | 31.8 | 34.1 |
| UQAM | 32.1 | 34.0 |
| Western | 35.6 | 33.9 |
| Mount Allison | 33.2 | 33.7 |
| Waterloo | 36.2 | 33.6 |
| King's (Edmonton) | 33.5 | 33.5 |
| Wilfrid Laurier | 35.4 | 33.5 |
| Windsor | 34.6 | 33.5 |
| UBC (Vancouver) | 35.2 | 33.4 |
| Carleton | 31.7 | 33.0 |
| Ottawa | 32.7 | 32.9 |
| Alberta | 33.3 | 32.6 |
| Saint Paul (Ottawa) | 33.8 | 32.4 |
| NSSE 2016 & 2017 average | 32.3 | 32.4 |
| Ambrose | 35.1 | 32.3 |
| Lethbridge | 32.0 | 32.3 |
| Simon Fraser | 31.8 | 32.3 |
| Mount Saint Vincent | 29.8 | 32.2 |
| Victoria | 33.4 | 32.2 |
| Brescia (Western) | 33.6 | 31.9 |
| UPEI | 31.9 | 31.9 |
| St. Thomas | 28.2 | 31.6 |
| Trent | 33.0 | 31.6 |
| Saskatchewan | 31.3 | 31.5 |
| ACAD | 28.9 | 31.2 |
| MacEwan | 26.4 | 31.1 |
| Memorial | 28.7 | 31.1 |
| Briercrest | 31.7 | 30.9 |
| Laurentian | 32.2 | 30.9 |
| Toronto | 31.5 | 30.9 |
| Concordia (Montreal) | 29.8 | 30.3 |
| York | 29.8 | 30.3 |
| OCAD U | 29.5 | 29.6 |
| Saint Mary's | 30.8 | 29.6 |
| Brandon | 25.4 | 29.2 |
| Manitoba | 26.4 | 28.1 |
| Winnipeg | 24.0 | 28.0 |
| Tyndale | 29.8 | 25.7 |
| *NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys. |
Discussions with Diverse Others
This engagement indicator gauges opportunities for students to interact with and learn from people with different backgrounds and experiences, including people of different ethnicity, with different religions, economic backgrounds and political beliefs.
| First-year | Senior-year | |
|---|---|---|
| Saint Paul (Ottawa) | 43.6 | 43.9 |
| Ryerson | 40.9 | 42.8 |
| McMaster | 40.8 | 42.7 |
| York | 38.7 | 42.6 |
| Mount Royal | 39.9 | 41.7 |
| UOIT | 39.8 | 41.7 |
| Calgary | 40.5 | 41.6 |
| OCAD U | 39.0 | 41.3 |
| Carleton | 40.1 | 41.2 |
| Brescia (Western) | 38.3 | 41.0 |
| Toronto | 39.5 | 41.0 |
| McGill | 41.4 | 40.9 |
| Ottawa | 39.4 | 40.5 |
| Wilfrid Laurier | 40.2 | 40.4 |
| UBC (Okanagan) | 38.7 | 40.3 |
| MacEwan | 35.9 | 40.3 |
| NSSE 2016 & 2017 average | 39.4 | 40.3 |
| Concordia (Montreal) | 40.4 | 40.2 |
| Western | 40.8 | 40.2 |
| UBC (Vancouver) | 41.8 | 40.1 |
| Simon Fraser | 38.0 | 40.0 |
| ACAD | 40.7 | 39.9 |
| Trent | 38.6 | 39.7 |
| Alberta | 40.0 | 39.5 |
| Waterloo | 40.2 | 39.4 |
| Sheridan | 39.8 | 39.2 |
| Windsor | 39.5 | 38.9 |
| Queen's | 40.0 | 38.8 |
| St. Thomas | 37.1 | 38.7 |
| Brock | 39.0 | 38.5 |
| Guelph | 39.5 | 38.5 |
| Lethbridge | 36.4 | 38.5 |
| Saint Mary's | 36.7 | 38.4 |
| Ambrose | 36.9 | 38.2 |
| Cape Breton | 34.6 | 38.2 |
| Thompson Rivers | 35.1 | 37.9 |
| Brandon | 30.7 | 37.7 |
| Dalhousie | 36.4 | 37.6 |
| Saskatchewan | 35.8 | 37.3 |
| Acadia | 36.0 | 36.9 |
| Lakehead | 37.3 | 36.9 |
| Winnipeg | 35.5 | 36.9 |
| Manitoba | 33.8 | 36.8 |
| UQAM | 34.6 | 36.8 |
| Quest | 43.2 | 36.7 |
| Laurentian | 35.1 | 36.5 |
| Trinity Western | 35.1 | 36.4 |
| King's (Edmonton) | 38.1 | 36.3 |
| Mount Saint Vincent | 34.2 | 36.3 |
| UNB (Fredericton) | 35.3 | 36.0 |
| Tyndale | 37.4 | 36.0 |
| Victoria | 37.0 | 35.7 |
| Mount Allison | 37.0 | 35.6 |
| Nipissing | 33.9 | 35.5 |
| St. Francis Xavier | 35.8 | 35.5 |
| UPEI | 34.4 | 35.2 |
| Memorial | 32.9 | 32.4 |
| Moncton | 30.4 | 32.3 |
| Laval | 30.1 | 31.7 |
| Sherbrooke | 31.5 | 31.7 |
| Briercrest | 28.2 | 29.8 |
| *NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys. |
Student-Faculty Interaction
This engagement indicator assesses such things as how often students discuss topics with a faculty member outside class, work with faculty on activities other than coursework, or discuss their academic performance and career plans with faculty.
| First-year | Senior-year | |
|---|---|---|
| Quest | 22.6 | 32.7 |
| Cape Breton | 16.9 | 27.9 |
| King's (Edmonton) | 17.9 | 27.1 |
| Trinity Western | 17.2 | 26.0 |
| Ambrose | 19.0 | 25.3 |
| Sheridan | 19.1 | 25.0 |
| Acadia | 15.1 | 24.7 |
| Mount Allison | 15.7 | 24.2 |
| St. Francis Xavier | 14.9 | 24.2 |
| St. Thomas | 13.3 | 23.8 |
| Thompson Rivers | 16.1 | 23.8 |
| ACAD | 15.8 | 23.6 |
| Tyndale | 19.4 | 23.6 |
| NSSE 2016 & 2017 average | 19.3 | 22.9 |
| Briercrest | 15.9 | 22.7 |
| Mount Royal | 15.2 | 22.1 |
| Windsor | 16.1 | 22.1 |
| UBC (Okanagan) | 13.3 | 22.0 |
| Nipissing | 14.8 | 21.6 |
| Trent | 13.8 | 21.6 |
| OCAD U | 13.3 | 21.0 |
| Wilfrid Laurier | 15.4 | 20.9 |
| Brescia (Western) | 14.8 | 20.8 |
| Moncton | 13.5 | 20.8 |
| UPEI | 15.5 | 20.7 |
| Saint Mary's | 13.0 | 20.7 |
| UOIT | 14.3 | 20.2 |
| Brock | 14.2 | 20.1 |
| Western | 15.1 | 20.1 |
| Calgary | 15.3 | 20.0 |
| Dalhousie | 15.3 | 19.9 |
| MacEwan | 10.7 | 19.9 |
| Brandon | 14.3 | 19.8 |
| Lethbridge | 13.6 | 19.8 |
| McMaster | 14.8 | 19.8 |
| Mount Saint Vincent | 16.1 | 19.7 |
| Guelph | 10.8 | 19.6 |
| Carleton | 12.5 | 19.2 |
| Saint Paul (Ottawa) | 13.6 | 19.2 |
| Memorial | 12.9 | 19.1 |
| UNB (Fredericton) | 15.2 | 18.9 |
| Lakehead | 13.4 | 18.7 |
| York | 13.8 | 18.7 |
| Simon Fraser | 12.2 | 18.3 |
| Queen's | 13.1 | 18.2 |
| Alberta | 13.4 | 18.1 |
| Saskatchewan | 12.5 | 18.1 |
| Toronto | 13.7 | 18.0 |
| Ryerson | 12.8 | 17.9 |
| Victoria | 10.9 | 17.7 |
| Laurentian | 14.2 | 17.4 |
| Winnipeg | 11.7 | 17.3 |
| Concordia (Montreal) | 12.3 | 17.2 |
| Manitoba | 11.6 | 17.1 |
| McGill | 11.5 | 17.1 |
| Waterloo | 15.9 | 17.0 |
| UBC (Vancouver) | 13.4 | 16.7 |
| Ottawa | 11.6 | 16.4 |
| Sherbrooke | 10.6 | 16.4 |
| Laval | 8.7 | 12.7 |
| UQAM | 9.4 | 12.6 |
| *NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys. |
Effective Teaching Practices
This engagement indicator assesses how well instructors teach in an organized way, clearly explain course requirements, use examples or illustrations to explain difficult points, and provide prompt and detailed feedback on tests and assignments.
| First-year | Senior-year | |
|---|---|---|
| Quest | 45.1 | 48.7 |
| Saint Paul (Ottawa) | 35.0 | 42.3 |
| Cape Breton | 37.4 | 41.9 |
| Tyndale | 39.3 | 41.5 |
| Ambrose | 38.5 | 40.2 |
| ACAD | 40.1 | 40.0 |
| Thompson Rivers | 37.7 | 40.0 |
| Briercrest | 37.8 | 39.7 |
| Trinity Western | 38.4 | 39.7 |
| Mount Allison | 34.9 | 39.6 |
| St. Francis Xavier | 36.0 | 39.6 |
| King's (Edmonton) | 41.0 | 39.5 |
| St. Thomas | 38.2 | 39.5 |
| NSSE 2016 & 2017 average | 38.0 | 39.0 |
| MacEwan | 36.2 | 38.1 |
| Mount Royal | 38.3 | 38.1 |
| Nipissing | 36.5 | 38.1 |
| UNB (Fredericton) | 35.9 | 37.9 |
| Brescia (Western) | 36.4 | 37.8 |
| Sheridan | 41.4 | 37.8 |
| Acadia | 34.3 | 37.5 |
| Saint Mary's | 35.0 | 37.1 |
| Trent | 35.7 | 37.1 |
| Carleton | 35.8 | 36.9 |
| Lethbridge | 35.3 | 36.9 |
| UPEI | 35.6 | 36.8 |
| Wilfrid Laurier | 34.8 | 36.7 |
| UBC (Okanagan) | 33.5 | 36.6 |
| Guelph | 31.9 | 36.0 |
| Saskatchewan | 34.7 | 36.0 |
| OCAD U | 35.2 | 35.9 |
| Simon Fraser | 32.9 | 35.9 |
| Alberta | 35.9 | 35.8 |
| Moncton | 36.4 | 35.8 |
| Concordia (Montreal) | 34.1 | 35.7 |
| Manitoba | 34.5 | 35.6 |
| UOIT | 34.4 | 35.6 |
| Memorial | 35.1 | 35.3 |
| Western | 33.5 | 35.3 |
| Mount Saint Vincent | 35.8 | 35.2 |
| York | 33.6 | 35.2 |
| UBC (Vancouver) | 34.8 | 34.9 |
| Brock | 33.3 | 34.8 |
| Calgary | 34.3 | 34.8 |
| McMaster | 32.9 | 34.8 |
| Windsor | 34.9 | 34.5 |
| Toronto | 34.1 | 34.3 |
| Sherbrooke | 35.6 | 34.2 |
| Dalhousie | 35.0 | 34.1 |
| Laval | 34.7 | 34.0 |
| Queen's | 32.6 | 34.0 |
| Victoria | 33.2 | 34.0 |
| Waterloo | 34.7 | 34.0 |
| UQAM | 34.5 | 33.9 |
| Brandon | 38.0 | 33.8 |
| Laurentian | 34.6 | 33.5 |
| Ottawa | 33.3 | 33.4 |
| McGill | 33.5 | 32.8 |
| Winnipeg | 35.8 | 32.7 |
| Ryerson | 31.8 | 32.4 |
| Lakehead | 33.2 | 32.2 |
| *NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys. |
Quality of Interactions
This engagement indicator assesses if students have positive, supportive relationships with other students, faculty, academic advisors, student services staff and administrative staff.
| First-year | Senior-year | |
|---|---|---|
| Quest | 46.5 | 50.1 |
| Ambrose | 44.9 | 45.8 |
| Tyndale | 47.8 | 45.6 |
| St. Francis Xavier | 43.5 | 44.9 |
| King's (Edmonton) | 41.8 | 44.8 |
| Sherbrooke | 43.9 | 44.7 |
| Trinity Western | 43.0 | 43.5 |
| Briercrest | 43.9 | 43.4 |
| Mount Royal | 41.7 | 43.4 |
| Brescia (Western) | 42.5 | 43.3 |
| Saint Paul (Ottawa) | 45.9 | 43.2 |
| Guelph | 38.9 | 42.8 |
| Moncton | 40.4 | 42.7 |
| Trent | 40.7 | 42.6 |
| Laval | 40.8 | 42.4 |
| Nipissing | 41.1 | 42.3 |
| Acadia | 40.9 | 42.1 |
| Wilfrid Laurier | 42.1 | 41.8 |
| NSSE 2016 & 2017 average | 41.3 | 41.8 |
| Lethbridge | 40.4 | 41.6 |
| St. Thomas | 40.5 | 41.6 |
| UQAM | 40.3 | 41.0 |
| Cape Breton | 43.8 | 40.7 |
| Queen's | 40.8 | 40.3 |
| MacEwan | 38.0 | 40.2 |
| Mount Allison | 40.5 | 40.2 |
| Saint Mary's | 38.2 | 40.2 |
| UOIT | 40.4 | 40.1 |
| Saskatchewan | 38.3 | 40.0 |
| Mount Saint Vincent | 40.1 | 39.9 |
| UNB (Fredericton) | 39.9 | 39.9 |
| McMaster | 40.7 | 39.8 |
| Sheridan | 41.2 | 39.6 |
| Thompson Rivers | 40.1 | 39.6 |
| UBC (Okanagan) | 40.1 | 39.5 |
| UPEI | 38.0 | 39.5 |
| Dalhousie | 40.0 | 39.4 |
| Carleton | 38.0 | 39.2 |
| Brock | 39.2 | 39.0 |
| Calgary | 39.7 | 39.0 |
| Alberta | 40.3 | 38.8 |
| ACAD | 39.8 | 38.8 |
| Brandon | 39.3 | 38.8 |
| Victoria | 39.5 | 38.7 |
| Western | 38.2 | 38.5 |
| Simon Fraser | 35.9 | 37.9 |
| UBC (Vancouver) | 38.2 | 37.8 |
| Laurentian | 39.9 | 37.8 |
| Winnipeg | 36.1 | 37.5 |
| Waterloo | 38.1 | 37.3 |
| Lakehead | 37.7 | 37.1 |
| Manitoba | 35.2 | 37.0 |
| Concordia (Montreal) | 35.3 | 36.9 |
| Ryerson | 36.9 | 36.8 |
| Memorial | 38.8 | 36.7 |
| McGill | 37.8 | 36.6 |
| Windsor | 36.5 | 36.3 |
| Toronto | 36.9 | 36.2 |
| York | 34.4 | 36.0 |
| OCAD U | 36.9 | 35.8 |
| Ottawa | 35.9 | 35.1 |
| *NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys. |
Supportive Environment
This engagement indicator assesses how well universities provide support for academic and non-academic endeavours, ranging from tutoring services and writing centres to recreation, health care and counselling. Also measured are opportunities for students to be involved socially at campus events and activities and to interact with students from different backgrounds.
| First-year | Senior-year | |
|---|---|---|
| Quest | 40.6 | 42.1 |
| Trinity Western | 32.9 | 36.1 |
| Tyndale | 37.2 | 36.0 |
| Briercrest | 32.7 | 34.2 |
| King's (Edmonton) | 34.7 | 34.0 |
| St. Francis Xavier | 35.2 | 34.0 |
| St. Thomas | 34.9 | 33.8 |
| Cape Breton | 31.9 | 32.0 |
| Trent | 32.8 | 31.9 |
| Brescia (Western) | 35.0 | 31.7 |
| NSSE 2016 & 2017 average | 35.3 | 31.7 |
| Mount Royal | 34.0 | 31.4 |
| Mount Allison | 33.4 | 31.2 |
| Ambrose | 35.0 | 31.1 |
| Queen's | 35.0 | 31.1 |
| Acadia | 32.7 | 30.9 |
| Wilfrid Laurier | 35.1 | 30.9 |
| Guelph | 31.4 | 30.3 |
| ACAD | 32.6 | 30.2 |
| Sherbrooke | 30.8 | 30.2 |
| Saint Mary's | 30.6 | 30.0 |
| Thompson Rivers | 29.8 | 29.6 |
| Moncton | 31.4 | 29.5 |
| McMaster | 31.4 | 29.0 |
| Carleton | 30.9 | 28.8 |
| Mount Saint Vincent | 31.6 | 28.8 |
| Nipissing | 30.4 | 28.7 |
| Western | 32.6 | 28.6 |
| Brock | 30.8 | 28.5 |
| Laval | 30.8 | 28.4 |
| Concordia (Montreal) | 29.8 | 28.2 |
| Ryerson | 31.4 | 28.2 |
| Saint Paul (Ottawa) | 29.6 | 27.7 |
| UPEI | 29.5 | 27.6 |
| Brandon | 30.5 | 27.2 |
| UBC (Vancouver) | 31.7 | 27.2 |
| Calgary | 31.2 | 27.2 |
| Saskatchewan | 30.5 | 27.2 |
| UNB (Fredericton) | 30.3 | 27.1 |
| Alberta | 31.4 | 27.0 |
| MacEwan | 28.5 | 27.0 |
| Windsor | 31.9 | 26.9 |
| UOIT | 32.4 | 26.8 |
| UBC (Okanagan) | 31.0 | 26.7 |
| UQAM | 29.7 | 26.7 |
| York | 30.1 | 26.7 |
| Lethbridge | 31.0 | 26.2 |
| Dalhousie | 30.6 | 26.1 |
| Sheridan | 30.1 | 25.9 |
| Manitoba | 28.2 | 25.8 |
| Victoria | 28.2 | 25.6 |
| Memorial | 29.9 | 25.4 |
| Lakehead | 29.8 | 25.3 |
| McGill | 32.2 | 25.0 |
| Ottawa | 29.3 | 24.9 |
| Simon Fraser | 27.2 | 24.9 |
| Toronto | 30.1 | 24.9 |
| Winnipeg | 27.5 | 24.9 |
| Waterloo | 29.8 | 24.3 |
| Laurentian | 28.0 | 22.9 |
| OCAD U | 28.9 | 22.9 |
| *NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys. |
How Satisfied are Students?
Below are two NSSE questions that are the broadest and most representative of the student experience. Responses are ordered according to the percentage of students who chose the highest level of satisfaction, e.g., “Excellent.” Each chart also gives the NSSE average, which is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys.
How would you evaluate your entire educational experience at this institution?
First-year students
| Excellent (%) | Good (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Quest | 61 | 33 |
| Tyndale | 61 | 28 |
| Ambrose | 49 | 44 |
| Trinity Western | 48 | 42 |
| Queen's | 44 | 44 |
| Sherbrooke | 41 | 48 |
| Mount Royal | 40 | 50 |
| Saint Paul (Ottawa) | 40 | 54 |
| St. Francis Xavier | 39 | 43 |
| Wilfrid Laurier | 39 | 47 |
| Trent | 38 | 45 |
| Briercrest | 37 | 49 |
| Brescia (Western) | 36 | 50 |
| NSSE 2016 & 2017 average | 36 | 49 |
| King's (Edmonton) | 35 | 53 |
| McMaster | 35 | 49 |
| St. Thomas | 35 | 51 |
| Sheridan | 35 | 50 |
| Mount Allison | 34 | 48 |
| Cape Breton | 33 | 53 |
| Alberta | 32 | 52 |
| McGill | 32 | 51 |
| Nipissing | 32 | 51 |
| ACAD | 31 | 56 |
| Western | 31 | 53 |
| Guelph | 30 | 52 |
| MacEwan | 30 | 55 |
| Mount Saint Vincent | 30 | 54 |
| Acadia | 29 | 56 |
| UBC (Okanagan) | 29 | 58 |
| Dalhousie | 29 | 54 |
| Moncton | 29 | 55 |
| Waterloo | 29 | 51 |
| Carleton | 28 | 55 |
| Brock | 27 | 54 |
| Laval | 27 | 60 |
| Montréal | 27 | 57 |
| UOIT | 26 | 56 |
| Thompson Rivers | 26 | 56 |
| UBC (Vancouver) | 25 | 54 |
| Lethbridge | 25 | 58 |
| UNB (Fredericton) | 25 | 57 |
| Brandon | 24 | 58 |
| UQAM | 24 | 62 |
| Laurentian | 23 | 58 |
| Memorial | 23 | 53 |
| Ryerson | 23 | 54 |
| Saskatchewan | 23 | 56 |
| Toronto | 23 | 50 |
| Calgary | 22 | 56 |
| UPEI | 22 | 62 |
| Saint Mary's | 22 | 57 |
| Victoria | 22 | 57 |
| Windsor | 22 | 57 |
| Winnipeg | 22 | 57 |
| Concordia (Montreal) | 21 | 57 |
| Lakehead | 21 | 52 |
| Ottawa | 20 | 59 |
| OCAD U | 19 | 53 |
| York | 16 | 54 |
| Manitoba | 15 | 56 |
| Simon Fraser | 15 | 53 |
| *NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys. |
Senior-year students
| Excellent (%) | Good (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Quest | 78 | 20 |
| Trinity Western | 69 | 25 |
| Ambrose | 62 | 35 |
| Tyndale | 58 | 30 |
| King's (Edmonton) | 54 | 39 |
| Briercrest | 53 | 36 |
| Saint Paul (Ottawa) | 53 | 42 |
| Mount Royal | 51 | 40 |
| St. Francis Xavier | 51 | 40 |
| St. Thomas | 51 | 41 |
| Mount Allison | 48 | 43 |
| Acadia | 47 | 41 |
| Guelph | 46 | 42 |
| Sherbrooke | 46 | 46 |
| Queen's | 44 | 41 |
| Trent | 44 | 46 |
| Wilfrid Laurier | 44 | 43 |
| MacEwan | 43 | 46 |
| NSSE 2016 & 2017 average | 41 | 44 |
| Brescia (Western) | 40 | 51 |
| Cape Breton | 36 | 49 |
| McMaster | 36 | 47 |
| Mount Saint Vincent | 35 | 44 |
| Thompson Rivers | 35 | 50 |
| Western | 34 | 48 |
| Saint Mary's | 33 | 48 |
| UBC (Okanagan) | 32 | 51 |
| Nipissing | 32 | 52 |
| Alberta | 31 | 51 |
| Lethbridge | 31 | 54 |
| Waterloo | 31 | 52 |
| Brock | 29 | 54 |
| Carleton | 29 | 51 |
| UNB (Fredericton) | 29 | 52 |
| Victoria | 29 | 52 |
| Winnipeg | 29 | 53 |
| UBC (Vancouver) | 28 | 54 |
| McGill | 28 | 52 |
| Memorial | 28 | 54 |
| ACAD | 27 | 57 |
| Concordia (Montreal) | 27 | 53 |
| Dalhousie | 27 | 49 |
| Laval | 27 | 57 |
| Brandon | 26 | 47 |
| Sheridan | 26 | 57 |
| Montréal | 25 | 56 |
| UPEI | 25 | 58 |
| Saskatchewan | 25 | 58 |
| UOIT | 24 | 51 |
| Toronto | 24 | 49 |
| Calgary | 21 | 54 |
| Moncton | 21 | 51 |
| Ryerson | 21 | 51 |
| Laurentian | 20 | 52 |
| Simon Fraser | 20 | 56 |
| UQAM | 19 | 62 |
| York | 19 | 54 |
| Windsor | 18 | 53 |
| Lakehead | 17 | 50 |
| Ottawa | 17 | 57 |
| Manitoba | 16 | 56 |
| OCAD U | 15 | 53 |
If you could start over, would you go to the institution you are now attending?
First-year students
| Definitely Yes (%) | Probably Yes (%) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyndale | 71 | 28 | ||||
| Saint Paul (Ottawa) | 66 | 25 | ||||
| Sherbrooke | 64 | 29 | ||||
| Ambrose | 59 | 31 | ||||
| Quest | 59 | 35 | ||||
| Laval | 55 | 37 | ||||
| St. Francis Xavier | 55 | 30 | ||||
| Queen's | 53 | 35 | ||||
| Briercrest | 52 | 33 | ||||
| Montréal | 52 | 38 | ||||
| UQAM | 52 | 39 | ||||
| Sheridan | 51 | 41 | ||||
| Trinity Western | 50 | 40 | ||||
| Mount Royal | 48 | 43 | ||||
| Wilfrid Laurier | 48 | 41 | ||||
| McGill | 47 | 42 | ||||
| Trent | 46 | 39 | ||||
| Acadia | 45 | 40 | ||||
| Guelph | 45 | 42 | ||||
| McMaster | 45 | 42 | ||||
| St. Thomas | 44 | 43 | ||||
| Brescia (Western) | 43 | 45 | ||||
| MacEwan | 43 | 47 | ||||
| ACAD | 42 | 44 | ||||
| Moncton | 42 | 46 | ||||
| Nipissing | 42 | 41 | ||||
| NSSE 2016 & 2017 average | 42 | 42 | ||||
| Alberta | 41 | 49 | ||||
| Mount Allison | 41 | 41 | ||||
| Waterloo | 41 | 45 | ||||
| Western | 41 | 46 | ||||
| Mount Saint Vincent | 40 | 42 | ||||
| OCAD U | 40 | 45 | ||||
| UBC (Vancouver) | 39 | 49 | ||||
| Cape Breton | 39 | 51 | ||||
| Dalhousie | 39 | 46 | ||||
| King's (Edmonton) | 39 | 47 | ||||
| UNB (Fredericton) | 39 | 48 | ||||
| Winnipeg | 39 | 47 | ||||
| Carleton | 38 | 48 | ||||
| Laurentian | 38 | 47 | ||||
| UBC (Okanagan) | 37 | 49 | ||||
| Concordia (Montreal) | 37 | 49 | ||||
| Ryerson | 37 | 46 | ||||
| Saskatchewan | 37 | 51 | ||||
| Brandon | 36 | 52 | ||||
| Memorial | 36 | 49 | ||||
| Brock | 35 | 50 | ||||
| UOIT | 34 | 49 | ||||
| Lethbridge | 33 | 52 | ||||
| Toronto | 33 | 48 | ||||
| Ottawa | 31 | 51 | ||||
| UPEI | 31 | 50 | ||||
| Saint Mary's | 31 | 51 | ||||
| Victoria | 31 | 54 | ||||
| Calgary | 30 | 53 | ||||
| Lakehead | 30 | 46 | ||||
| Thompson Rivers | 29 | 52 | ||||
| Windsor | 28 | 52 | ||||
| Manitoba | 25 | 57 | ||||
| York | 25 | 52 | ||||
| Simon Fraser | 24 | 56 | ||||
| *NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys. |
Senior-year students
| Definitely Yes (%) | Probably Yes (%) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherbrooke | 64 | 30 | ||||
| Tyndale | 62 | 23 | ||||
| Quest | 61 | 28 | ||||
| Trinity Western | 61 | 31 | ||||
| Ambrose | 58 | 37 | ||||
| Saint Paul (Ottawa) | 57 | 35 | ||||
| St. Francis Xavier | 56 | 33 | ||||
| St. Thomas | 56 | 34 | ||||
| Briercrest | 55 | 31 | ||||
| Mount Royal | 54 | 36 | ||||
| MacEwan | 53 | 38 | ||||
| Guelph | 52 | 35 | ||||
| Brescia (Western) | 49 | 40 | ||||
| Wilfrid Laurier | 49 | 38 | ||||
| Acadia | 48 | 36 | ||||
| Laval | 48 | 39 | ||||
| Queen's | 48 | 36 | ||||
| Trent | 47 | 39 | ||||
| King's (Edmonton) | 45 | 40 | ||||
| Montréal | 44 | 39 | ||||
| Mount Allison | 44 | 41 | ||||
| Winnipeg | 44 | 42 | ||||
| NSSE 2016 & 2017 average | 44 | 39 | ||||
| UQAM | 42 | 44 | ||||
| McMaster | 41 | 42 | ||||
| Mount Saint Vincent | 41 | 39 | ||||
| Cape Breton | 39 | 42 | ||||
| Concordia (Montreal) | 39 | 45 | ||||
| Memorial | 39 | 43 | ||||
| Sheridan | 39 | 43 | ||||
| McGill | 38 | 44 | ||||
| Nipissing | 38 | 45 | ||||
| Western | 38 | 41 | ||||
| UBC (Vancouver) | 37 | 48 | ||||
| Waterloo | 37 | 46 | ||||
| Saint Mary's | 36 | 44 | ||||
| Brock | 35 | 42 | ||||
| Victoria | 35 | 47 | ||||
| Alberta | 34 | 49 | ||||
| UBC (Okanagan) | 34 | 45 | ||||
| Lethbridge | 34 | 49 | ||||
| UNB (Fredericton) | 34 | 47 | ||||
| Saskatchewan | 33 | 48 | ||||
| Thompson Rivers | 33 | 48 | ||||
| Carleton | 32 | 48 | ||||
| Brandon | 31 | 44 | ||||
| Ryerson | 31 | 44 | ||||
| Toronto | 31 | 42 | ||||
| Dalhousie | 28 | 46 | ||||
| Moncton | 28 | 46 | ||||
| UPEI | 28 | 49 | ||||
| UOIT | 27 | 45 | ||||
| OCAD U | 26 | 39 | ||||
| Laurentian | 25 | 45 | ||||
| Manitoba | 25 | 51 | ||||
| Simon Fraser | 24 | 52 | ||||
| York | 24 | 48 | ||||
| ACAD | 23 | 57 | ||||
| Calgary | 23 | 48 | ||||
| Lakehead | 23 | 45 | ||||
| Windsor | 23 | 48 | ||||
| Ottawa | 22 | 49 | ||||
| *NSSE average is the average score for all Canadian and U.S. universities and colleges that participated in the 2016 and 2017 surveys. |
Results for Guelph are for the main University of Guelph campus and Guelph-Humber.
The University of Northern British Columbia and the University of Regina did not conduct NSSE in 2017.
Ten universities that conducted NSSE in 2017 did not provide Maclean’s with results.
