High Impact Practices and Student Success Initiatives

At Iowa State, our number one strategic priority is to ensure that students receive an exceptional education. To ensure we achieve that goal, the University sponsors a number of initiatives to help students successfully transition to campus life, engage in their education, and ultimately increase persistence, retention and graduation rates.

High Impact Practices

Engagement of students in high impact practices (HIPs) is a valued component of the Iowa State University experience. The Iowa State strategic plan has a goal that all graduates will be engaged in at least two High Impact Practices prior to graduation. As highlighted in the 2023 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) High Impact Practices Report (PDF), Iowa State University first-year students and seniors participate in high impact practices at a significantly higher rate than Carnegie Research Intensive Universities. Data from 2023 shows that nearly 71% of Iowa State's undergraduate students participated in two or more high impact practices during their undergraduate experience. Examples of high impact practices at Iowa State include:

Students at a table outside