NSSE is designed to capture the experiences of all bachelor's degree-seeking students classified as first-year students or graduating seniors, not only full-time students in the traditional 18- to 24-year-old age range.

• Traditional age students and adult learners
• Full-time and part-time students
• Commuters and on-campus residents
• Distance education and online students
• Students from all campuses and institutions sharing the same IPEDS number 

Excluded groups

• Students enrolled in professional programs such as pharmacy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, etc., that terminate as master's or doctoral degrees without earning a bachelor's degree along the way. 
• Students on branch campuses associated with a different IPEDS number.

First-Year Students (further defined): 

The required first-year student population is intentionally broader than the first-time, first-year student definition used on some campuses. Include all students classified as first-year students according to cumulative credit hours earned.

• All students must be (a) enrolled in the fall 2023 semester and (b) expected to be classified as first-year students in spring 2024 according to the Institution's official records.
• Included are any fall 2023 credit hours being attempted or earned, and (when possible) Advanced Placement (AP) credits while other college credits earned prior to completing high school are excluded from calculations.

Seniors (further defined)                                                                                                  

Senior students (i.e., those in the final year before degree) must be (a) enrolled during fall 2023 and (b) considered a probable graduate for spring or summer 2024. For most institutions, seniors will be within 6 to 8 courses of graduation (based on semesters) at the time the population file is created, but each institution will determine likely graduating seniors.