Level of Academic Challenge Items

Challenging intellectual and creative work is central to student learning and collegiate quality. Colleges and universities promote high levels of student achievement by emphasizing the importance of academic effort and setting high expectations for student performance.

• Preparing for class (studying, reading, writing, rehearsing, etc. related to academic program)
• Number of assigned textbooks, books, or book-length packs of course readings
• Number of written papers or reports
• Coursework emphasizing analysis of the basic elements of an idea, experience or theory
• Coursework emphasizing synthesis and organizing of ideas, information, or experiences into new, more complex interpretations
• Coursework emphasizing the making of judgments about the value of information, arguments, or methods
• Coursework emphasizing application of theories or concepts to practical problems or in new situations
• Working harder than you thought you could to meet an instructor's standards or expectations
• Campus environment emphasizing time studying and on academic work