For years, several established players have been the go-to sources for lists of the nation’s best colleges. But is there a better way to tell which schools are really the best?

Many are familiar with the big names when it comes to producing lists of America’s top institutions of higher learning. Forbes, Kiplinger and U.S. News & World Report may quickly come to mind.

But there’s a relatively new kid on the block – one that uses measures that may more accurately reveal which schools provide a superior academic experience.

The National Survey of Student Engagement asks students questions that focus distinctly on whether they are learning, as measured by their exposure to effective educational practices.

The study measures five areas of quality:

• Level of academic challenge
• Active and collaborative learning
• Student-faculty interaction
• Enriching educational experiences, and
• Supportive campus environment.

There are some limitations to the NSSE study, which was introduced 10 years ago. Chief among them is the fact that the survey results for many of the participating schools (last year there were 617) remain private.

Still, the survey’s focus on student engagement makes it a useful tool for looking beyond SAT scores and other more traditional measures when evaluating colleges and universities.

Has NSSE found a better way to measure the quality of undergraduate education? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Tags: college rankings, NSSE