You might want to assess your students two to four times during their college careers. Practitioners in assessment suggest that you assess at entry level Entry-level assessment shows you where students are when they enter your program. You also have a way of showing that they didn't enter your program with the knowledge and abilities you provide. Midpoint assessment is formative in that it allows you to make changes in your program before students have completed it. It helps them to see that assessment is helping them because they get feedback before they are ready to graduate.
Many programs assess during the sophomore and the junior year.
Data have shown that many programs can find out why students leave their programs or institutions. Often, assessment aids in retention. These assessments are often done in capstone courses or senior projects. Reflective essays on significant learning or developing criteria for evaluating events or projects in their field Back to the Guidelines for Program Assessment .