External Surveys
Teachers College participates in a number of external surveys for a variety of purposes. While some are federally mandated, others are an opportunity to share who TC is with the public. The Office of Institutional Research helps to provide, organize, and coordinate aggregate data in response to these surveys. Below are some of the major surveys in which the College participates.
The CGS/GRE Survey of Graduate Enrollment and Degrees is jointly sponsored by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Board. Conducted annually since 1986, the survey is designed to provide information about applications for admission to graduate school, graduate student enrollment, and graduate degrees and certificates conferred. The CGS/GRE Survey is described as “the single national source of data on graduate enrollment and applications across all fields of graduate study.” The survey results are widely used by graduate schools, the GCS, and the GRE program to better understand current trends and plan for the future. The results of each year’s survey, along with longitudinal data, are published in the Graduate Enrollment and Degrees report.
For more information, please see: Graduate Enrollment and Degrees Report (GRE) from CGS/GRE.
Since 2004, the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has conducted a multi-year empirical examination of international graduate application, admission, and enrollment trends. This analysis responds to member institutions’ concerns about continuing changes in the enrollment of students from abroad seeking master’s and doctoral degrees from U.S. colleges and universities.
For more information, please see: International Graduate Admissions Survey from CGS/GRE.
The Integrated Post-secondary Education Data System (IPEDS) is the primary governmental source of information on US colleges, universities, and technical and vocational institutions. "The completion of all IPEDS surveys, in a timely and accurate manner, is mandatory for all institutions that participate in or are applicants for participation in any Federal financial assistance program authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, as amended." Each academic year there are three distinct collection periods (Fall, Winter and Spring) and data collected include institutional characteristics, completion and graduation rates, outcomes measures, and information about financial aid, admissions, finance, human resources, and academic libraries.
For more information, please see: Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS).
The survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering is sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). They describe the survey as: “an annual census of all U.S. academic institutions granting research-based master’s degrees or doctorates in science, engineering, and selected health fields as of fall of the survey year. The survey, sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, collects the total number of graduate students, postdoctoral appointees, and doctorate-level non-faculty researchers by demographic and other characteristics, such as source of financial support. Results are used to assess shifts in graduate enrollment and postdoc appointments and trends in financial support.”
For more information, please see: Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering from NSF/NIH.
Peterson's Annual Survey of Graduate and Professional Institutions is a voluntary survey completed by colleges and graduate schools to create institutional profiles that are made available to the public and prospective students through Peterson’s publications.
For more information, please see: Annual Survey of Graduate and Professional Institutions from Peterson.
Title II is a federally-mandated government survey with direct implications on funding. Title II collects data on teacher preparation and teacher preparation programs to assure compliance with sections 205 through 208 of the Higher Education Act, reauthorized as amended in August of 2008. Data collected for this survey include pass rates for teacher certification exams, and key requirements, characteristics, and statistics speaking to the College’s traditional and teacher education programs.
For more information, please see: Title II Reports.
Although participation in US News Ranking of Graduate Schools is voluntary, the results of this publication have arguably the greatest impact on the public perception of the College than any other.
Each year, US News collects a variety of data about the institution that is then used to generate a ranking of Graduate Schools of Education that is released each spring. The responses are also used by prospective students who are searching for graduate schools on the US News website. The data collected include information on enrollment, admissions, graduates, finance, GPA and GRE scores, research expenditures, test pass rates, faculty, and faculty awards.
For more information, please see: U.S. News & World Report.