Office of Assessment & Institutional Effectiveness
Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA)
Purpose of the Assessment: The Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) is conducted for The University of Texas at Tyler by the Council for Aid to Education (CAE). Students’ written responses to the tasks are evaluated to assess the abilities to think critically, reason analytically, solve problems and communicate clearly and cogently.
Students Who Should Participate: First time Freshman students participate during the fall semester and Seniors graduating in May and August are invited to participate each spring semester.
Benefits of Participation: The CLA allows UT Tyler to benchmark and compare the progress our students have made relative to the progress of students at other colleges and universities. The results of the study will contribute to ways in which faculty and administrators can lead improvements in teaching and learning.
Incentives for Participation: CLA completers receive a Barnes & Noble Gift Certificate upon verification of test completion.
Students complete:
- One or more testing instruments that require written responses (such as short answers or essays).
- A questionnaire about your experience completing these testing instruments and about your experiences in college.
- A Consent Form to permit the use of your college admissions test scores (SAT and/or ACT), placement exam scores, and GPA by The University of Texas at Tyler and the CAE for purposes of understanding your skill development.
Length of the Test: The assessment is designed to be completed in approximately 90 minutes. The total time spent will vary by task type and by each individual student. Transfer students take a Scholastic Level Exam at the conclusion of the CLA that requires less than 15 minutes.
The University of Texas at Tyler
Office of Assessment & Institutional Effectiveness
3900 University Boulevard
Tyler, Texas 75799
Phone 903.565.5955