Frequently Asked Questions

How do I take the assessment? 

Navigate to the Towson University CliftonStrengths OS website and log in through Single Sign On with your TU username and password. The CliftonStrengths assessment is online and will take approximately 35-minutes (more time is available to accommodate all students). 

Will I be labeled, stereotyped, or "put in a box" based on my talent themes/strengths?

No. The CliftonStrengths assessment is a tool that can help individuals in their own self-discovery. The Top Five (5) Talents Themes are intended to help raise an individual's awareness about where they naturally excel or have the potential to excel. The intent behind the strengths-based approach is to help individuals learn and understand how to apply their own specific talents to the choices they make in their personal, academic, and career lives.

What is a talent? What is a strength? How do they differ?

According to Gallup, a talent is "a naturally recurring pattern of thought, feeling or behavior that can be productively applied;" and a strength is "the ability to consistently provide near-perfect performance in a specific activity."  The key to building a strength is to identify your dominant talents, then complement them by acquiring knowledge and skills pertinent to the activity.  

Why does CliftonStrengths reveal only my Top Five Themes?

Talents are the "raw materials" required for strengths development, and the more dominant the talents, the greater the opportunity for strength. The instrument measures the presence of talents - naturally recurring patterns of thought, feeling, or behavior that can be productively applied - in 34 areas, or "themes." However, to provide focus on your most dominant talents, only your top five themes are revealed.

How likely is it to have the same Top 5 Talent Themes as somebody else?

The chances of having the exact same Top Five (5) Talent Themes in the exact order as someone else is 1 in 33.39 million. The chances of having the same Top Five (5) Talent Themes as someone else (but in a different order) is approximately 1 in 340,000.

What careers and/or majors should students pursue based on their talents themes/strengths?

Top Five (5) Talent Themes won't dictate specific majors or careers that an individual should pursue. For example, having the talent theme of "Analytical" does not mean that a person should pursue a major in math or computer science. Instead, consider how the person can apply his/her talents to the majors and/or careers that are of the greatest interest to her/him or how the skills and knowledge gained through a specific major and/or career will provide opportunities to transform a person's talents into strengths.

Where can I get more information about CliftonStrengths?

You can read the CliftonStrengths book for free on the website. Towson.gallup.com also has many useful tools to help you develop your strengths. Sign in to your account, click Resources, and explore research such as the online CliftonStrengths book, instructional videos for each of your talent themes, and an Action Planning Guide. You can also attend a Discovering Your Stengths Tigers Lead workshop, held throughout the year! See upcoming workshops here.

I have already taken the CliftonStrengths assessment before. Can I use the results I have?

Yes, Towson University supplies one assessment for each student or staff member. Just log back in using your TU username and password at Towson.gallup.com! Your results and reports will be accessible for your entire time at TU.

After finishing taking the CliftonStrengths assessment, I received an error that said I had given too many neutral responses. What do I do?

You'll have to retake the CliftonStrengths assessment. Your account should be automatically reset so that you can take the assessment again. Log back in using the username and password that you used to create your account and you should be directed to retake CliftonStrengths.

Which report should I use from the CliftonStrengths website?

Start with your Signature Theme Report. This report will provide you with general overall descriptions of each of your talent themes.  After you are more familiar with these general descriptions and how your themes apply in your life, move on to the Strengths Insight and Action Planning Guide. This report provides descriptions of your themes in a way that also takes the unique combination of your Top Five (5) Talent Themes into account.  This report also provides some specific ideas for how you can take action steps that are based on your talents.

Is the assessment available in other languages?

The CliftonStrengths assessment is offered in 20 languages. When you create your account, there will be an option to choose a language for the assessment.

Can I retake the assessment? Can taking the CliftonStrengths assessment more than once affect my results?

Your student e-mail address allows you to take the assessment once.  Because talents are naturally enduring, it is unlikely that your talents will change significantly over the course of your Towson University experience. However, by shifting your focus and acquiring new skills and knowledge to capitalize on your greatest talents in different ways, you can develop new strengths.

How can I get my full list of 34 talent themes?

You are able to purchase your entire results on the Gallup store website.