College Student Inventory (CSI)

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The College Student Inventory (CSI) is a self-assessment tool designed for first-year students to self-reflect on their personal, social, and academic adjustment to college. The online instrument is comprised of approximately 100 questions, and is organized under three main areas:

1. Academic Motivation
2. General Coping Skills
3. Receptivity to Support Services

Go to CSI login! Link will be established September, 2023.

The CSI serves to:
-Assess the individual academic and personal needs of students
-Recognize strengths and coping strategies
-Identify students who are at risk for academic and/or personal difficulties
-Provide information about student needs for the development of programs and services
-Understand the attitude and motivational patterns of new students
-Help academic advisors and COR instructors establish early and effective contact with students

Explore the links below to learn more about the CSI and how to utilize the results with your students.

Overview of the CSI (PDF)
Definitions of Measures in the CSI (PDF)
Sample CSI activities for classroom discussion and reflection (PDF)
Sample questions for student-advisor conference (PDF)

Additional CSI Information:

The CSI was chosen by SUNY Cortland to increase our outreach and support to students as they make their transition to college. The inventory also helps us to increase our awareness of the student experience. The scope of the areas that are covered by the inventory gives us the ability to identify students potentially at risk or at the very least, provides us with another opportunity to make a connection with students who might need extra encouragement.

Results from the inventory come in three reports:

1. Advisor Report – one page summary uploaded in Starfish around the middle of October, in time for academic advisors to review when working with their students on registration. 

2. Student Report – three to four page narrative that offers students interpretations about each scale.  The interpretations are written in non-technical language and are designed to give students encouragement and guidance. Students are able to print or save the reports immediately following the inventory.

3. Coordinator Report - one page summary similar to the Advisor Report but with added information called Summary Scores. These scores include dropout proneness, predicted academic difficulty, and educational stress. Because of susceptibility to misinterpretation, summary scores should NOT be discussed with students. These reports are only available to COR instructors and the CSI Coordinator.

There are a few key concepts to remember when discussing the results with your advisees/students: 

  • The CSI is only one of many self-reflections that the student will experience.
  • Results from the CSI are based on what the student was experiencing on the day of the inventory.
  • A high score in the “Receptivity to Support Services” does not mean the student should go to that particular support service. A high score means the student is open and receptive to potentially seeking assistance in those areas.
  • Students with high scores on dropout proneness should be considered as having a pattern of intellectual and motivational traits that is loosely associated with dropping out, but which may or may not lead to actual dropout in any given case (COR 101 Instructors receive this information).

    If you have questions about the CSI, please contact Advisement and Transition at 607-753-4726.