Student Achievement

Hardin-Simmons University sets goals for student achievement consistent with the mission of the university: “The mission of Hardin-Simmons University is to be a community dedicated to providing excellence in education enlightened by Christian faith and values.” The university’s statement of purpose includes a commitment to academic excellence while affirming the relevance and importance of the Christian faith.

Hardin-Simmons University evaluates success with respect to student achievement using a variety of metrics that include (1) retention of first-time freshman, (2) graduation rates, (3) state licensure pass-rates, (4) certifications in selected programs, (5) satisfactory academic progress of financial aid recipients, and (6) course completion rates.

  1. Retention of First-Time Freshman

Essential to improving graduation rates, an important measure of student achievement is retention. The university cannot graduate students it does not retain. The threshold of acceptability for fall-to-fall retention, chosen because the university wants to be improving over time, is Hardin-Simmons University’s own ten-year average, which is 66.8%. Its goal is 70%, the average retention reported by the eight peer institutions the university is using as its benchmark: Dallas Baptist University, East Texas Baptist University, Houston Christian University, LeTourneau University, Lubbock Christian University, Oklahoma Baptist University, Texas Lutheran University, and University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

HSU’s Peer Institutions are eight private, not-for-profit institutions in Texas and Oklahoma (the two states from which HSU draws most of its students) with a Christian mission and an enrollment between 1,000 and 4,999 (an IPEDS enrollment category).

Retention Figures for First-Time Freshman – Fall to Spring
Academic Year Headcount

in Fall

Headcount

in Spring

# Lost Persistence Rate
2012-2013 393 332 61 84.5%
2013-2014 413 361 52 87.4%
2014-2015 339 296 43 87.3%
2015-2016 411 373 38 90.8%
2016-2017 392 349 43 89.0%
2017-2018 454 396 58 87.2%
2018-2019 480 407 73 84.8%
2019-2020 479 429 50 89.6%
2020-2021 450 360 90 80.0%
2021-2022 388 322 66 83.0%
2022-2023 349 280 69 80.2%
Retention Figures for First-Time Freshman – Fall to Fall
Academic Year Headcount

in Fall

Headcount

Next Fall

# Lost Retention Rate
2012-2013 393 247 146 62.8%
2013-2014 413 263 150 63.7%
2014-2015 339 230 109 67.8%
2015-2016 411 293 118 71.3%
2016-2017 392 293 99 74.7%
2017-2018 454 307 147 67.6%
2018-2019 480 320 160 66.7%
2019-2020 479 311 168 64.9%
2020-2021 450 282 168 62.7%
2021-2022 388 248 140 63.9%
2022-2023 349 228 121 65.3%

 

  1. Graduation Rates

The 6-year graduation rate is Hardin-Simmons University’s key student completion indicator. The university’s 10-year average of 52% is higher than the ten-year average of its peers, which is 49%. It is the ten-year average of its peers that the university considers to be its minimum threshold of acceptability. (The 10-year average of 6-year graduation rates among its peer institutions range from a low of 38% to a high of 58%.) The university has been above the 49% threshold since the 2012 cohort and is trending higher. The university’s recently revised goal of 58% is 0.1% above the 6-year graduation rate of the 2016 cohort, the last cohort for which a 6-year graduation rate is available.

Graduation Rates
Cohort Year Retention Fall to Fall Four-Year Graduation Rate Six-Year Graduation Rate
2012 62.8% 35.9% 47.8%
2013 63.7% 38.3% 50.8%
2014 67.8% 43.1% 55.5%
2015 71.3% 40.4% 51.6%
2016 74.7% 46.9% 57.9%
2017 67.6% 38.8%
2018 66.7% 36.7%
2019 64.9%
2020 62.7%
2021 63.9%
2022 65.3%

 

  1. State Licensure Pass Rates

State licensure examination pass rates and certifications are another means of evaluating student achievement. The University collects data on several programs that require licensure, including (a) the Doctor of Physical Therapy, (b) Master of Physician Assistant Studies, (c) the B.S.N. Degree in Nursing, and (d) the B.B.A. in Accounting.

a. Doctor of Physical Therapy

Threshold of acceptability: A passage rate at or above the national average. The university mission of providing excellence in education requires above-average passage rates.

Goal: A passage rate for each cohort at or above the average passage rate over the previous 5-years, to demonstrate consistent improvement.

#

Admitted

#

Graduated

Passed Licensure

on 1st Attempt

Ultimately Passed Licensure
Class of 2017 28 27 25/27 = 93% 27/27 = 100%
Class of 2018 28 26 25/26 = 96% 26/26 = 100%
Class of 2019 28 28 26/28 = 93% 28/28 = 100%
Class of 2020 28 27 27/27 = 100% 27/27 = 100%
Class of 2021 40 39 35/39 = 90% 38/39 = 97%
Class of 2022 40 36 35/36 = 97% 36/36 = 100%
AVERAGE 192 182 94.5% 99.5%
National Avg. 91.06% 98.21%

 

b. Master of Physician Assistant Studies

Threshold of acceptability: A passage rate at or above the national average. The university mission of providing excellence in education requires above-average passage rates.

Goal: A passage rate for each cohort at or above the average passage rate over the previous 5-years, to demonstrate consistent improvement.

Number of Students HSU First Time Taker Pass Rate National First Time Taker Pass Rate
Class of 2019 29 100% 93%
Class of 2020 31 100% 95%
Class of 2021 28 96% 93%
Class of 2022 28 100% 92%
Five Year First-Time Taker Average Pass Rate: HSU PA Program  

99%

Five Year First-Time Taker Average Pass Rate: National  

95%

 

c. B.S.N. in Nursing 

Threshold of acceptability: A passage rate at or above the national average. The university mission of providing excellence in education requires above-average passage rates.

Goal: A passage rate for each cohort at or above the average passage rate over the previous 5-years, to demonstrate consistent improvement.

Nursing Pass Rates
Year Board of Nursing

Approval Status

NCLEX-RN®

Exam Pass Rate

Number of First-Time Candidates

(Passed/Total)

2016 Full with Warning 77.1% 27/35
2017 January: Conditional

October: Full

92.0%  

23/25

 

2018 Full 93.6% 29/31
2019 Full 90.9% 10/11
2020 Full 100% 17/17
Average Pass Rate 90.7%
5-yr Nat’l Avg. 85.1%

 

d. B.B.A. in Accounting

Threshold of acceptability: A passage rate at or above the average of its peer institutions in Texas. The university mission of providing excellence in education requires above-average passage rates.

Goal: A passage rate for each cohort at or above the average passage rate over the previous 5-years, to demonstrate consistent improvement.

Texas CPA Exam: Percentage of Sections Passed 

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 5-yr avg
Hardin-Simmons University 36.4% 56.0% 55.0% 53.9% 14.3%† 43.1%
Peer Institutions in Texas* 40.2% 39.3% 48.5% 43.8% 45.2% 43.4%
*DBU, ETBU, HBU (now HCU), UMHB, LeT, LCU, TLU

†Graduates of HSU took only 7 sections of the exam in 2022, and chance may have skewed results.

  1. Certifications in Selected Programs

State certifications are another means of evaluating student achievement. Teacher certifications are especially helpful, since they cover not just the field of Education, but a number of other disciplines in which teacher certifications are sought.

Threshold of acceptability: A passage rate at or above the “Accreditation Status” requirements set by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Currently, those are 85% for the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibility exam (the last item in each of the tables below) and 75% for the content exams.

Goal: 100%, a goal often achieved. With 2 exceptions, pass rates have varied from 100% by no more than a single student in any of the tests over the last 5 years.

2018

Certification Description Tests Taken Tests Passed Pass Rate
Core Subjects EC-6 1 1 100%
Science 4-8 1 1 100%
Theatre EC-12 1 1 100%
Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC-12 4 4 100%

2019

Certification Description Tests Taken Tests Passed Pass Rate
Core Subjects EC-6 7 7 100%
English Language Arts and Reading 7-12 5 5 100%
History 7-12 1 1 100%
Life Science 7-12 2 1 50%
Mathematics 7-12 2 2 100%
Music EC-12 2 2 100%
Physical Education EC-12 2 2 100%
Reading Specialist 1 1 100%
Science 4-8 1 1 100%
Theatre EC-12 2 2 100%
Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC-12 24 24 100%

2020

Certification Description Tests Taken Tests Passed Pass Rate
Art EC-12 2 2 100%
Core Subjects EC-6 15 14 93.3%
English Language Arts and Reading 7-12 1 1 100%
History 7-12 2 2 100%
Mathematics 7-12 1 1 100%
Music EC-12 1 1 100%
Physical Education EC-12 2 2 100%
Reading Specialist 2 2 100%
School Counselor 2 2 100%
Science 4-8 1 0 0%
Social Studies 7-12 2 2 100%
Superintendent 1 1 100%
Theatre EC-12 2 2 100%
Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC-12 34 30 88.2%

2021

Certification Description Tests Taken Tests Passed Pass Rate
Core Subjects EC-6 8 7 87.5%
English Language Arts and Reading 7-12 1 1 100%
English as a Second Language (ESL) Supplemental 6 6 100%
History 7-12 1 1 100%
LOTE: Spanish 1 0 0%
Mathematics 4-8 3 3 100%
Mathematics 7-12 1 1 100%
Music EC-12 3 3 100%
Reading Specialist 1 1 100%
School Counselor 2 2 100%
Science of Teaching Reading 4 4 100%
Social Studies 7-12 2 1 50%
Superintendent 2 2 100%
Theatre EC-12 4 4 100%
Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC-12 25 24 96%

2022

Certification Description Tests Taken Tests Passed Pass Rate
Art EC-12 1 1 100%
Core Subjects EC-6 12 12 100%
English Language Arts and Reading 7-12 5 5 100%
English as a Second Language (ESL) Supplemental 10 10 100%
History 7-12 2 1 50%
Life Science 7-12 4 2 50%
Mathematics 4-8 2 2 100%
Mathematics 7-12 1 1 100%
Music EC-12 1 1 100%
Physical Education EC-12 1 1 100%
Reading Specialist 1 1 100%
Science of Teaching Reading 14 14 100%
Social Studies 7-12 1 1 100%
Special Education Supplemental 3 3 100%
Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities EC-12 29 29 100%

 

  1. Satisfactory Academic Progress of Financial Aid Recipients

Hardin-Simmons University participates in the Title IV federal student aid programs and was approved for Recertification for Eligibility to participate in the Title IV programs on July 10, 2019. Approval was based on confirmation of Hardin-Simmons University’s academic and administrative capability, as required by 34 CFR 600 Subpart A and 34 CFR 668.16 of the Title IV regulations. As a Title IV participant, Hardin-Simmons University considers a student’s quantitative and qualitative progress when evaluating student success.

In compliance with the Title IV federal programs, the Hardin-Simmons University Office of Financial Aid monitors the academic progress of student financial aid recipients (Satisfactory Academic Progress; see table below). The 2019 Recertification of Eligibility and recent audits confirm that we are administering this Title IV requirement correctly.

Hardin-Simmons University’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy for Title IV aid, described in the university catalogs, includes quantitative (course completion) and qualitative (cumulative grade point average) requirements as noted in the table below:

Satisfactory Academic Progress*
Credits Attempted GPA Completion Percentage
UG 6-32 1.60 75%
UG 33-48 1.80 75%
UG 49+ 2.0 75%
GR/DR 2.0 67%

*Explanation: An undergraduate (UG) student with 6-32 attempted credits will need at least a 1.6 GPA and 75% completion rate to be eligible.  UG with 33-48 hours, 1.8 GPA and 75% completion.  UG with 49 and more will need a 2.0 GPA and 75% completion.  Graduate and Doctoral students need a minimum 2.0 GPA and 67% completion to remain eligible.

Each institution establishes their own SAP policy within the guidelines outlined in 34 CFR 668.34.  Institutions may have a graduated standard or fixed standard for evaluating grade point average or pace, or both.

Students are expected to complete their degree pursuits within a maximum timeframe, including transfer hours earned as well as institutional attempted hours. Students may not receive financial assistance beyond 150% of degree program requirements.

The Hardin-Simmons University Office of Financial Aid checks SAP immediately after grades are posted for each payment period (Summer, Fall, and Spring). Students in violation of the above referenced standards are notified by email of the deficiency and the student’s SAP status is coded into the student information system to prevent awarding and disbursement of Title IV funds.  Students can appeal the violation if they have mitigating circumstances as described in 34 CFR 668.34 that contributed to their academic performance.

It is important also to note that financial aid funds are not disbursed until a student’s actual enrollment status in Title IV eligible courses (full-time, three-quarter-time, half-time, less-than-half-time) is confirmed at the end of the add/drop period.  Financial aid funds are also returned as described in 34 CFR 668.22 if a student withdraws from all classes prior to completing 60% of the payment period (semester).

  1. Course Completion Rates

The university uses the dashboards of EAB’s Academic Performance Solutions (APS) to monitor course completion rates, DFW rates, and other metrics for every course delivered in every term. The dashboards are available to academic deans, program directors, and any interested faculty.

Threshold of acceptability: A completion rate of 75% or higher as required by financial aid for satisfactory academic progress.

Goal: A completion rate of 85% or higher to minimize retention and time-to-degree issues without creating any incentives to sacrifice rigor.

Courses often taken to meet general education requirements have had the following completion rates over the last five years.

Fine Arts
2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
ART1300 Intro to the Visual Arts 94.3% 90.2% 93.5% 96.6% 98.9%
MUHL1301 Music Appreciation 91.7% 100.0% 93.1% 89.7% 96.8%
THEA1333 Introduction to Theatre 100.0% 92.3% 100.0% 85.0% 81.8%
Christian Studies
2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
BIBL1301 Old Testament Survey 92.4% 93.3% 93.0% 89.2% 86.7%
BIBL1302 New Testament Survey 88.1% 91.9% 87.3% 94.5% 89.1%
RELI2345 Religious & Philosophical Life 93.1% 96.9% 96.8% 98.1% 93.5%
Life Sciences
2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
BIOL1301 Modern Concepts in Biology 88.2% 91.7% 96.9% 89.5% 85.0%
BIOL1401 Life Science 92.9% 89.5% 100.0% 95.0% 80.0%
ENVS1311 Intro to Environmental Science 100.0% 97.4% 94.7% 93.0% 90.5%
Physical Sciences
2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
CHEM1401 Essentials of Chemistry I 98.4% 98.5% 100.0% 95.1% 97.1%
GEOL1303 Physical Geology 98.9% 100.0% 97.0% 100.0% 100.0%
GEOL2303 Natural Hazards 96.2% 95.5% 95.7% 97.6% 100.0%
Oral & Written Communication
2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
BSAD1301 Business Writing 78.9% 100.0% 96.0% 81.0% 90.5%
ENGL1301 Freshmen Writing I 92.8% 95.8% 93.6% 90.5% 87.6%
ENGL3303 Writing as Discovery 95.2% 98.4% 96.0% 94.6%
COMM1301 Speech Communication 91.2% 91.0% 91.4% 86.0% 78.2%
Humanities
2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
ENGL2300 Sophomore Literature 92.1% 91.3% 93.6% 87.1% 91.9%
HIST1300 Making US History 94.3% 93.6% 92.8% 83.3% 90.8%
PHIL2350 Introduction to Philosophy 100.0% 87.5% 90.9% 100.0% 72.7%
Social Sciences
2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
ECON1330 Intro to Economics 99.0% 94.5% 91.1% 82.8% 92.5%
POLS1302 American Government 96.8% 93.1% 96.7% 87.8% 94.4%
PSYC1301 Intro to Psychology 92.2% 94.9% 88.6% 95.7% 87.7%
SOCI1301 Intro to Sociology 93.1% 96.9% 93.2% 92.9% 98.5%
Mathematics
2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22
MATH1301 Aspects of Modern Math 93.5% 81.4% 79.5% 92.5% 96.4%
MATH1310 College Algebra 76.0% 71.5% 77.3% 80.6% 89.3%