Student Needs
Student Affairs regularly assesses student needs and monitors how they change over time. Examples of recent needs assessment projects are described below. For more information about these assessment projects and others, contact Student Affairs Assessment & Planning.
Entering Student Survey (annually)
The Freshman Survey is conducted by Institutional Research each year and the data is shared with Student Affairs. This survey explores students' experiences their senior year in high school and their expectations for college.
Off-Campus Life (bi-annually)
Locally developed, the Off-Campus Living Survey explores the needs of Northwestern students living off-campus in the City of Evanston. The data have been used in the development of the Off-Campus Life website and electronic newsletter, in addition to several other initiatives.
Healthy Minds (every 3 years)
The Healthy Minds Study (HMS) is an annual web-based survey study examining mental health, service utilization, and related issues among undergraduate and graduate students. It will be used at Northwestern about every three years.
Undergraduates from Low Income Family Backgrounds and the Northwestern Experience
A series of focus groups were conducted in Spring 2013 that sought to understand the experience of undergraduates who come from low income family backgrounds. The results were instrumental in developing the Office of Student Enrichment Services. A smaller-scale update of this study was conducted in the winter of 2017.