Ways to define the outcomes of college experiences are discussed, along with the use of assessment information to improve curricula, instruction, and management. The analysis is based on the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems/Kellogg Student Outcomes Project. It is proposed that institutions achieve educational excellence by demonstrating changes in educational outcomes consistent with institutional objectives, student educational goals, and the expressed needs of society and specific constituencies. An important distinction is made between the measurement of changes and the values placed on these changes by different groups (students, the college, and special interest groups). After clarifying some different notions about educational excellence, key themes in the literature on college outcomes are reviewed. A classification of outcomes with four dimensions is covered: knowledge, skills, attitudes/values, and relationships with society. Successful assessment programs at Alverno College, Northeast Missouri State University, and the University of Tennessee are briefly considered. Some common objections to self-assessment, including faculty resistance, costs, and lack of administrative incentive, are also identified. Finally, important themes common to successful efforts and examples from institutional practice are discussed. (SW)