From 31–46% of seniors in STEM fields had conducted research with faculty, compared to 10–18% of students in professional fields other than engineering (business, education, and health or social service professions) and those in the arts, humanities, or social sciences (26–29%) (Figure 4). Across disciplines, many students participated in culminating senior experiences (45%), internships or field experiences (49%), and service-learning (61%), but notable differences appear by major field. For instance, students in some STEM fields were less likely to have particpated in service-learning than their peers (42–46%). The plot that follows illustrates HIP participation among seniors, with the largest and smallest percentages in each HIP highlighted.

Ensuring all students’ involvement in HIPs remains important for educators and college leaders. Roughly three in five White students had done at least two HIPs in the course of their college careers, as had multiracial, foreign or nonresident, and Asian students, on average. Just over half (54% to 55%) of American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students had done at least two HIPs. While not stark, these gaps raise questions about whether inequities in HIP access exist for minoritized students, and how such inequities can be driven down.

High-impact practices (HIPs) are a topic with a strong following among NSSE participating institutions. Colleges and universities have used their HIP data and results to:

• Showcase students’ participation in HIPs
• Make the case to granting agencies and donors about the importance of HIPs
• Explore evidence of HIP participation and quality in accreditation and quality improvement projects
• Feature HIP data in institutional dashboards
• Share HIP results from NSSE and FSSE to stimulate discussions
• Build evidence of HIP demand and to advocate for enhanced practice

High-impact practices can be transformative experiences for students who can take advantage of them. Ensuring access throughout the undergraduate experience for all students must remain a priority for educators and college leaders.

Notes: Data presented here reflect all eligible U.S. respondents in the 2015-2020 NSSE administrations, representing approximately 1,875,000 students at 1,268 colleges and universities. Percentages used in longitudinal analyses are weighted by sex, enrollment status, and institution size. Participating students are those who responded “Done or in progress” for all HIPs except service-learning, where students reported at least “Some” of their courses included a community-based project. Sex, enrollment status, and race/ethnicity are institution-reported variables. The mix of institutions participating in NSSE varies from year to year, but represents the diversity of U.S. colleges and universities.