Student Retention
College is an EXPERIENCE!
Who I am ????
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Howard University Graduate Student
Second Oldest of Four
Single Parent Household
Above Average High School Student
Active College Student
Aspirations
Making the Right Choice
from the Start!
 Great high school GPA
 Moderate ACT Test Scores
 Not many extracurricular activities
 College Summit
 Target HOPE
 A lot of ambition and an open mind
Preparing for College
 $$$$Financial Aid Planning$$$$
 What if there is no money to plan with??
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IMPORTANCE of FASFA
Working while being a student
Scholarships, Grants, and Loans Awareness
High School Organization with Collegiate alliance/support
 What happens after your first year?
 Continue the scholarship pursuit internal and external
 DO NOT forget about FASFA!!
 WORK, WORK, WORK!!!!!!
Freshman to Senior Year
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Freshman Year
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(17 hours each semester)
Major: Marketing
Student Government volunteer
DC Reads tutor (work-study)
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Senior Year
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(21 credit hours each semester)
Major: English, Minor: Elementary
Education
Howard University Student
Association Co-Director of External
Affairs
Campus liaison and facilitator for Kids
2 College
Rainbow PUSH Coalition Howard
University Chapter Community
Outreach Chair
Target HOPE Howard University
Chapter Vice President
Sigma Tau Delta International English
Honors Society Programs Director
Initiate to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority,
Incorporated
2 Jobs
Contributors to this
experience…
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First Year Experience
University Environment
Residence Life
Academics
Classrooms
Student Center/Activities
Customer Service/ Administration
interaction
First Year Experience
Positive
 Campus Pals
 Mentors
 Campus/ Community
Involvement
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Negative
 Academic Awareness
 No Advisement
 Trial and Error
Decisions
University Environment
 Positives
 Constant opportunity
 Ability to find your
personal niche
 Strong Legacy to
uphold
 School Spirit / Pride
 Negatives
 Those who are not
self-motivated may
lose their focus
CREATE A BALANCE of structure, innovative
opportunity, leadership, and academics
Residence Life
Positive
 Security (parent
away from home)
 Life Long Friends
(social growth)
 DO NOT need to be
in a dorm to enjoy
campus life 65% to
70% lives off campus
after their first year
Negative
 Adequate Housing
(forced to live off
campus…)
Academics
Positive
 Variety of programs, majors,
and post undergraduate
opportunities
 Internships Opportunities
 Work Study Opportunities
 Finding your element…
 24 hour Studying Opportunity
 24 hour Technology Access
 Providing Social Studying
Areas
 Books, Online: Journal,
Magazine, and Newspaper
Subscriptions,
Negative
 Lack of advisement
 "Good advising may be the
single most underestimated
characteristic of a successful
college experience."
 How do I know this academic
element exists???
 Expose this academic
amenities through the
classroom activities
 Encourage group
work/studying/tutoring
Student Center/ Activities
Positives
 160 campus
organizations
 If it’s not here then
start it!
 Campus Politics/
Leadership
 Community Service!!!
Negatives
 Majoring in
Extracurricular
activities (remember
your purpose)
 Facilities
Customer Service
&
Student/Administrator Relationship
Positive
 Executive
Administration
Accommodating and
open to the student
voice/needs/opinion
Negative
 Immediate staff and
faculty not very
accommodating
(financial aid,
registrar’s office,
residence life)
 May affect alumni
contribution
Every Student Should
Understand…
 Positive
 Negative
“Whatever the mind
can conceive and
believe, it can
achieve.”
“Be the change you
want to see in the
world.“
My Very Own
Legacy!
“Giving a student purpose is paving
a path to opportunity!”
Question
&
Answer