Instructions for Creating and Uploading a Custom Comparison Group for the
2008 IPEDS Data Feedback Report and 2008 Executive Peer Tool
Background:
Again this year you may choose your own custom comparison group to be used for the 2008 IPEDS Data Feedback Report and 2008 Executive Peer Tool (ExPT)
- The report will be mailed to Chief Administrators of postsecondary institutions in October 2008
- NOTE: Any new group you upload this spring will NOT be used with the 2007 IPEDS Data Feedback Report OR in the 2007 Executive Peer Tool that is currently available at http://nces.ed.gov/ipedspas/
Steps for creating and uploading a custom comparison group:
- Create your group, using EITHER the Executive Peer Tool (easy) OR the IPEDS Peer Analysis System (more flexible)
- Upload your group to the IPEDS Data Collection System
The IPEDS web-based data collection system will be open to accept comparison group uploads through June 30, 2008
- If you want to change your customized group, you can either edit your current comparison group or upload a new file.
- After June 30, no changes may be made to your uploaded group
If you uploaded a group last year it will be in the data collection system this year
- To make changes, or delete your group, see the instructions at the end of this document.
- You do NOT need to delete an existing group in order to upload a new one
Only the IPEDS keyholder can upload a custom comparison group for your institution
What happens if you don't change your comparison group?
- Nothing. This is OPTIONAL.
- If you decide not to change your comparison group for the 2008 report, the system will generate a group for you, similar to the group that was generated last year
Your custom comparison group can contain whichever institutions you want, as long as it contains no more than 99 institutions.
If you have any problems with this procedure, please send an email to Samuel F. Barbett
- Include institution name or UnitID, your name and phone #, and a brief description of the problem
- Assistance is available through June 30
Create a comparison group using the Executive Peer Tool (ExPT)
- Go to http://nces.ed.gov/ipedspas/
- Click Executive Peer Tool
- In Step 1, enter your institution's name as Focus Institution. Click Next step
- In Step 2, select a method of peer selection:
- Option 1: Add peers by name
- Use this option to add any institutions to your comparison group
- In Step 2b, type in the names of the institutions that you want. Click Next step.
- NOTE: If you want more than 20 institutions in your group, click Add more peers by name and type in more names
- Option 2: Add peers by criteria (Select your peer list)
- Use this option to select up to 100 schools based on criteria that you specify
- NOTE: If more than 100 institutions fit the criteria you've specified, only the first 100 alphabetically will be in your group
- Criteria include: geographic region, state or outlying area, degree-granting status, type of institution, instructional program, Carnegie classification, enrollment size, Title IV participating status, Tribal College or University, Historically Black College or University
- In Step 2b, choose your criteria, and click Next step
- Option 3: Automatically generate your comparison group
- Use this option to have the ExPT select your comparison group automatically
- A comparison group will be automatically generated based on an algorithm that includes level, control, Carnegie classification, and enrollment, among other variables
- This group is the same comparison group used in your 2007 IPEDS Data Feedback Report (unless you had a custom comparison group last year)
- You may want to use the automatic comparison group as a starting point, and then add to or delete from the list
- Also in Step 2, save your group
- Once you're satisfied with your group, and before you upload it, you must save it to your hard drive
- Click the Save peer list button at the bottom of the screen
- Choose Download Comparison Group to your PC.
- On the next screen, the default filename entered for you on the screen will be in the correct format (CGxxxxxx.uid)
- Click Save
- Do NOT change the name or file extension of this file because the system will not recognize it as a comparison group if you do
- You MUST upload your custom comparison group to the data collection system in order for it to be used in your 2008 Data Feedback Report.
Create a comparison group using IPEDS Peer Analysis System (PAS)
- Go to http://nces.ed.gov/ipedspas/
- Choose Institution Level under Peer Analysis System
- Use your institution's IPEDS UnitID as both the Username and password to log in
- Click Use my Institution
- To create a comparison group of institutions within the IPEDS Peer Analysis System, there are three options:
- Option 1: Add by name
- Use this option to add any institutions to your comparison group
- Type in the names and/or UnitIDs of the institutions that you want and click Select
- NOTE: Once you've typed in 6 names, additional boxes will appear
- Option 2: Add by variable
- Use this option to create a group based on variables from any IPEDS component, derived variables, and calculated variables
- Examples of variables include state, institutional control, programs offered, tuition and fees revenues per FTE, graduation rates, etc.
- Option 3: Auto peer group
- Use this option to have the PAS automatically generate a comparison group based on an algorithm that includes institutional control, Carnegie Classification, and region, among other variables (see User Manual for details)
- You may want to use the automatic comparison group as a starting point, and then add to or delete from the list
- NOTE: The automatic peer group generated through the IPEDS PAS is not the same as the automatic IPEDS Data Feedback Report group, although there will be some overlap
- Once the comparison list of schools is generated,
- You may subtract from your group by unchecking boxes, or add to your group by using the buttons at the bottom of the screen
- Once you're satisfied with your group, and before you upload it, you must save it to your hard drive
- Click the Save Comparison Group link at the top of the screen
- Under the Power User section, enter the filename in the format CGxxxxxx.uid (where xxxxxx = UnitID)
- Click continue and your file will be saved on your computer in the location you specify
- While saving the file, delete the extra characters PAS added to the file name when it was saved
- Do NOT delete the .uid file extension
- You MUST upload your custom comparison group to the data collection system in order for it to be used in your 2008 Data Feedback Report.
Upload Custom Comparison Group to Data Collection System
- You MUST upload your custom comparison group to the data collection system in order for it to be used in your 2008 Data Feedback Report.
- Go to http://surveys.nces.ed.gov/ipeds/
- Log into the data collection system using your current UserID and password
- Select Tools from the menu bar located at the top of the screen
- Select Comparison Group Edit/Upload
- Click Browse, and find your CGxxxxxx.uid file where you saved it on your hard drive
- Click Upload
- If the upload is NOT successful, an error message will be generated, explaining the error
- If the upload is successful, the following message will appear:
- Comparison Group Upload completed successfully
- You will also see a list of uploaded comparison group UnitIDs
Edit or Delete Last Year's Custom Comparison Group in Data Collection System
- Go to http://surveys.nces.ed.gov/ipeds/
- Log into the data collection system using your current UserID and password
- Select Tools from the menu bar located at the top of the screen
- Select Comparison Group Edit/Upload
- Click View/Edit Existing Comparison Group
- You can delete any or all of the institutions on the list.
- You can add instiutions by entering the UnitID.
- Click Save
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