Group 4: Precollege Student Support Workgroup
Work group members
 Names
 College affiliation
 Council affiliation
 Work title
Barriers To Student Success
 Lack of Academic Self Confidence and/or Lack of Motivation or Goal
It is often the doubt in one’s self that prevents a person from establishing a goal; after all, why
dream for something that is completely out of your reach. If C’s are all you ever achieved, why
try for that impossible A.

Lack of Experience or Knowledge of Higher Education and/or lack of Social Support from
Family or Friends
Although family support does not always equate to experience or knowledge of higher
education, it is often the case that when family or friends support the student they often have
or gain the information necessary to help the student navigate the college system.
 Lack of, or Perceived Lack of, Resources and/or Family or External Obligations
These two barriers are tied together due to the fact that in most cases students could meet
those family obligations, typically financial, by accessing any number of resources available
through the college or government programs; most simply don’t know what’s available or how
to negotiate the process for obtaining the resources.
 Academic/Performance History
The academic skill level difficulties are acknowledged and typically addressed; however, what
has shown to be just as, if not more, important are the study skills these poor performing
student lack.
 Lack of Engagement
Studies show this to be the #1 reason, be it directly or indirectly, that students drop out of
college. Students interviewed after leaving stated that they felt no connection with their
faculty, their peers, or the school as a whole.
Summary of Best Practices for Supporting Student Success
Accelerated Strategies- bridge programs during summer, combine remedial levels of classes
and credit retrieval programs, with opportunities for high school students to experience the
college environment and “see themselves” as college students.
Case Management/Navigator Model of Support – the role of a case manager, navigator or
retention specialist can significantly improve student retention rates by providing students with
just-in-time information regarding college policies and procedures and referrals to on- and offcampus resources. In some models, wrap-around support is available to specifically identified
populations of students, such as in a TRIO program. In other models, students who are
experiencing academic or personal distress may be referred to a retention specialist by faculty
or staff through a referral system such as Early Alert.
Integrated Developmental Education (contextualized learning) – students can complete precollege courses and earn college credit in their major/area of interest. Developmental courses
are presented in a format that focuses on acquiring specific competencies and can be applied in
related college courses with college credit. This requires that faculty connect disciplines and
coordinate assignments so that students are working on related topics, concepts, or tasks, thus
integrating remedial course work with credit bearing classes.
Learning Communities – there are many different versions of this concept, all of which focus on
engagement (connecting students with faculty, peers, student organizations, etc.) and
integration (tying these engagements with majors). Most learning community programs
incorporate an element of peer and faculty mentoring, tutoring, study skill development,
integrated developmental education, and in some cases cohorts. Schools that have
implemented learning communities have noted that students participating in the program
passed more courses, earned more credits, and reported feeling more integrated and engaged
in their education than their peers who did not participate. When designed with a holistic
approach in mind, learning community programs address each major barrier to student
success: lack of motivation and direction, an ignorance of higher education navigation, lack of
social support, perceived lack of resources, academic underpreparedness, and lack of
engagement.
Mentoring Programs – different versions of mentoring have been studied, with peer mentoring
being found to have the greatest impact on student success when done with a holistic
approach. Faculty mentoring was also seen as valuable and statistically significant when faculty
were fully vested in student’s well-being.
Supplemental Instruction- can be provided in a variety of forms and formats, including peer
tutoring linked to specific courses, discipline-specific tutoring centers, in-class teaching
assistants, and computer-enhanced homework programs.
Study Skills Courses – these courses are becoming more prevalent as studies show that
underprepared students/precollege students are deficient in more than just academic skills, but
also the basic study skills needed be successful in college level coursework. Study skills courses
often include modules on reading comprehension and retention, note-taking and organization,
test-taking skills, and time management, as well as orientations to student support services on
campus.
Transparent and Supported Financial Aid Process –the financial aid application process can be
a significant hurdle for precollege students. Terms and concepts included in the application can
be confusing. The required steps in the process, including the deadlines, can vary from college
to college. Strategies should include offering multiple strategies for clearly communicating
information about financial aid application processes and deadlines to students, families, and
high school guidance counselors. Additionally, providing guidance and assistance for students
who do not understand the process, have gotten “stuck” on a step in the process, or have
special circumstances that complicate the financial aid process would be helpful for students,
especially first generation college students.
Recommendations and Implementation Examples
Accelerated Strategies-
Examples of good programs??????????
Case Management/Navigator Model of Support –
Many of the TRIO and Achieving the Dream colleges have implemented various forms of case
management and wrap-around services for identified groups of at-risk students. For example,
Walla Walla Community College has developed an Early Alert system and provides immediate
responses and follow-up support services to students referred by staff and faculty.
Integrated Developmental Education (contextualized learning)
In the I-BEST model, basic skills students get the benefit of support from basic skills
instructors while earning credit toward a certificate or degree. I-Best programs have seen
higher persistence rates, more credits earned, and certificates achieved.
Highline Community College has implemented a number of I-Best programs, including programs
in business, health care, and education.
Learning Communities
Offered as “freshman” experiences, learning communities can prepare incoming college
students with the skills, expectations, and social network needed to prepare for and persist in
college. Offered as an integration of pre-college and college-level courses, learning
communities can provide relevancy and context for developmental skill building.
Olympic College offers a variety of Learning Communities and can provide information
regarding implementation strategies.
Mentoring Programs
The Washington Campus Compact Retention Project is a college-based mentoring program that utilizes
service-learning as a strategy to reduce the dropout rates of disadvantaged and non-traditional students
at the middle and high school level, improve the retention and academic advancement of college
students, and support college access and success efforts by creating a pipeline to higher education.
Examples of good programs??????????
Study Skills Courses –
Examples of good programs??????????
Supplemental InstructionMost colleges provide some form of supplemental instruction for students. Providing these
services without charging students additional user fees ensures access for all students
regardless of ability to pay. Unfortunately, in the current economic environment of state
budget cuts, these services are at risk.
Examples of good programs??????????
Transparent and Supported Financial Aid Process – develop and provide training regarding
costs of attending college and availability of financial aid, including need and merit-based
scholarships. Monitor and regularly communicate the student’s progress on the financial aid
application process .
Examples of good programs??????????
Conclusion
The task to reform and transform pre-college education is difficulty and daunting. Briefly
mentioned in this report and very relevant to reforming and transforming education, is the
policy disconnection between K-12 and post-secondary institutions. A 2010 joint report by the
National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education and the Southern Regional Education
Board (SREB), highlights the gap between college eligibility and college readiness. The “college
readiness gap” overwhelmingly impacts open access institutions.
Annotated Bibliography
College Persistence Among Single Mothers After Welfare Reform: An Exploratory Study Sandra A.
Austin, Kathryn A. Mcdermott. Journal of College Student Retention. Amityville:2003/2004. Vol. 5, Iss.
2, p. 93-113 (21 pp.) ProQuest document ID: 552091051
This article examines barriers to college persistence for low-income, single mothers at a public university
in the Northeast, and the strategies the women used in their efforts to overcome the barriers. Data for
the study were drawn from in-depth interviews with 14 current and former university students. The
women's strategies and resources for persistence included faith in the benefits of a college education,
building of social networks among students, faculty relationships, university services such as child care
and financial aid, strategic compliance with TANF requirements, choice of more flexible academic
programs, and support from family and community. The article concludes with the recommendations
for policies to enhance single parents' college persistence.
The Psychology Underlying Successful Retention Practices. John Bean and Shevawn Bogdan Eaton.
Journal of College Student Retention. Amityville:2001/2002. Vol. 3, Iss. 1, p. 73-89 (17 pp.) ProQuest
document 609488781
This article describes the psychological processes that lead to academic and social integration based on
a retention model proposed by the authors (Bean & Eaton, 2000). It also describes how successful
retention programs such as learning communities, freshman interest groups, tutoring, and orientation
rely on psychological processes. Four psychological theories form the basis for our recommendations:
attitude-behavior theory which provides the overall structure of the theoretical model, and coping
behavioral (approach-avoidance) theory, self-efficacy theory, and attribution (locus of control) theory
that lead to academic and social integration.
The Disappearing Student: Students Who Leave Before the Census Date Trudy H. Bers and Gwen
Nyden. Journal of College Student Retention. Amityville:2000/2001. Vol. 2, Iss. 3, p. 205-217 (13 pp.)
ProQuest document ID: 609488091
Community colleges are open enrollment institutions that frequently take pride in being convenient to
students, reducing impediments for application and registration, and understanding the multiple
demands and obligations that impinge on student’s lives. One fallout of this stance is that many
students may enroll in the college but leave before the official census date. Literature about retention
and persistence does not address this population of students. This exploratory study examines the
demographic and educational characteristics of disappearing students, explores their reasons for
dropping courses, looks at return in subsequent terms, and suggests a complex array of factors many
outside the institution s ability to affect shape students enrollment and retention decisions. Using
quantitative data from the institution s student information system, supplemented with qualitative data
from a modest number of telephone interviews to hear students reasons for disappearing in their own
words, researchers gained important insights about this population of students and ideas about what
the college could or could not do to affect retention.
Introduction to Special Issue: Using Theory and Research to Improve College Student Retention John
M. Braxton. Journal of College Student Retention. Amityville:2001/2002. Vol. 3, Iss. 1, p. 1-2 (2 pp.)
ProQuest document 609488751 ProQuest document ID: 609488751
The title Using Theory and Research to Improve College Student Retention for this special issue of the
Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory and Practice fully reflects the underlying theme
of the six articles included in this volume. The problem of college student retention demands the use of
theory and Culture and Student Persistence: Prospects and Puzzles. Sociological theoretical orientations
underlie two articles: Amaury Nora s The Depiction of Significant Others in Tinto s Rites of Passage ; A
Reconceptualization of the Influence of Family and Community in the Persistence Process and Fostering
Social Integration and Retention Through Institutional Practice by John M. Braxton and Shederick A.
McClendon. John Bean and Shevawn B. Eaton s article titled The Psychology Underlying Successful
Retention Practices employs psychological theoretical perspectives. In the final and concluding article of
this volume titled Powerful Institutional Levers to Reduce College Student Departure, John M. Braxton
and Meaghan E. Mundy compile the total of 46 recommendations proposed by the authors of the other
five articles. Braxton and Mundy classify these recommendations according to their consistency with
Tinto s (1993) three principles of effective retention. These 46 recommendations are also grouped
according to the institutional domain of practice appropriate to shoulder the responsibility for their
implementation. Taken together, the articles of this special issue of the Journal of College Student
Retention: Research, Theory and Practice offer a set of robust approaches to reducing institutional rates
of departure.
Although the recommendations proposed in this volume are targeted toward diminishing student
departure, their enactment also serves to improve the undergraduate experience of college students. At
base, these recommendations put an abiding concern for the welfare of students at the center of
institutional attention and action. Colleges and universities should make every effort to implement the
vast majority of these suggestions.
Introduction: Reworking the student departure puzzle. Braxton, J. M. (2000). In John M. Braxton (ed.),
Reworking the student departure puzzle (pp. 1-8). Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press. Braxton, J.
M., Sullivan, A. S. , & Johnson, R. M. (1997). Appraising Tinto s theory of college student departure. In J.
C. Smart (ed.), Higher education: Handbook of theory and research, Vol. 12 (pp. 107-164). New York:
Agathon Press. Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition
(2nd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Direct reprint requests to: John M. Braxton Professor of
Education Department of Leadership and Organizations Peabody College Box 514 Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN 37203 research to identify approaches to reducing college student departure rather than
trial-and-error, commonsensical approaches. College student departure poses a long-standing problem
to colleges and universities given the over-70-year history of research on this topic (Braxton, 2000). High
institutional rates of first-year departure negatively impact the enrollments, budgets, and public
perception of many colleges and universities. Tinto (1993) provides estimates of such rates of departure
for two-year colleges as nearly one out of every two students and almost three out of ten students in
four-year colleges and universities depart during their first year of college. Braxton, Sullivan, and
Johnson (1997) label this problem the departure puzzle. Attempts to work out the departure puzzle
require a multi-theoretical approach to not only understand this puzzle, but also to developing
institutional approaches to reducing institutional rates of student departure.
The articles of this volume advance recommendations for institutional action that emanate from theory
and research rooted in several different theoretical orientations: organizational, sociological, and
psychological. Two articles employ organizational theoretical constructs to propose recommendations
to address student departure. These two articles are Joseph B. Berger s Understanding the
Organizational Nature of Student Persistence: Empirically-Based Recommendations for Practice and
George D. Kuh.
Minority Student Retention: The Best of the Journal of College: Research, Theory, and Practice Alberto
F Cabrera, Sharon Fries-Britt. Review of Higher Education. Baltimore:Summer 2008. Vol. 31, Iss. 4, p.
508-510 (3 pp.) ProQuest document 1496481611
It features five articles that examine determinants of academic success and the retention of African
Americans in community colleges, engineering, and predominantly White institutions.
Strategies for Faculty-Student Engagement: How Community College Faculty Engage Latino Students
Brent D. Cejda, Richard E. Hoover. Journal of College Student Retention. Amityville: 2010/2011. Vol.
12, Iss. 2, p. 135-153 (19 pp.) : 15210251; ProQuest document ID: 2102369941
Student-faculty engagement has been identified as the best predictor of Latino student persistence
(Hurtado & Carter, 1997). This study explores the strategies that community college faculty employ to
engage Latino students. Findings indicate that knowledge, appreciation, and sensitivity to Hispanic
cultures and an understanding of the preferred learning styles of Latino students are important
considerations to establishing classroom environments that engage Latino students and, thus, facilitate
their retention and academic success.
College Keys Compact, Getting ready, getting in, and getting through college: expanding options for
low-income students. The College Board. 2007.
The Compact is based on months of research and analysis conducted by the College Board’s Task Force
on College Access for Students from Low-income Backgrounds. As the world around us changes,
becoming ever more complex, it requires higher levels of education and skill for all. Education is the
vital tool young Americans need to manage their lives. It is also the essential underpinning of our
national capacity to success in a newly globalized economic environment. Yet, recent estimates indicate
that nearly one-half of all college-qualified low- and moderate-income high school students do not
enroll in a four-year program of college study because of financial barriers. Students are discouraged
from applying to college and many, lacking mentoring or informed guidance, miss critical admissions and
financial aid deadlines. Research also indicates that, for low-income students, getting a degree can be at
least as difficult as getting in due to poor preparation, culture shock, and the lack of clear articulations
agreements between two- and four-year colleges.
The Compact appendices include a summary of extensive research identifying the barriers and
predictors of success, as well as examples of effective policies and practices.
Retention of Community College Students: Related Student and Institutional Characteristics Alfred J.
Craig, Cynthia V.L. Ward. Journal of College Student Retention. Amityville: 2007/2008. Vol. 9, Iss. 4, p.
505-517 (13 pp.) ProQuest document 1467918841
Public community colleges were established to improve access to higher education. However, access for
all often results in low student retention and in the loss of effort, time, and money for students and
institutions. This institutional specific retention study, which examined student factors, both
demographic and academic, and institutional factors, was completed at a public community college in
New England. Working from an existing database, the data on a cohort of first-time full-time students (N
= 1,729) were tracked through the period fall 1998 through fall 2003 and were analyzed using
descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, and logistic regression analysis. The findings resulted in a set
of recommended changes in institutional policies and practices aimed at improving student retention
and, thereby, greater success for the students and the institution
A Consortium Project To Improve Retention And The First Year Of College: Results And
Recommendations Marc Cutright. Journal of College Student Retention. Amityville:2005/2006. Vol. 7,
Iss. 3, p. 189-199 (11 pp.) ProQuest document 1023057741
This article examines the operation and perceived effectiveness of a short-term, nine-communitycollege consortium, a consortium dedicated to the improvement of student retention and first-year
education at each of the colleges in the consortium. The consortium was composed of Alabama
community colleges, essentially during calendar year 2002. Its formal title was the Alabama Community
College consortium on the First College Year. The effectiveness of the consortium is considered at the
conclusion of its one-year duration based on the final reports submitted by the consortium members,
and on the evaluation of an external consultant who gathered information from the participating
institutions on a confidential basis. Finally, the consortium's effectiveness is considered based on
interviews with campus coordinators one year after the consortium's conclusion. The article concludes
with recommendations for improved practices in such improvement-directed exercises.
African-American Retention within a Community College: Differences in Orientation Course
Enrollment Dustin C. Derby, Lemuel W. Watson. Journal of College Student Retention.
Amityville:2006/2007. Vol. 8, Iss. 3, p. 377-390 (14 pp.) ProQuest document 1174261021
Investigation of orientation programs and African-American student retention, particularly within the
community college sector, has long been neglected. This study specifically investigates the differences
between an orientation course and student retention measures, for African-American student retention.
Chi-square analysis revealed significant differences for orientation course enrollment, student retention,
and persistence.
Predictors of First-Year Student Retention in the Community College David S Fike, Renea Fike.
Community College Review. Raleigh:Oct 2008. Vol. 36, Iss. 2, p. 68-88 (21 pp.) ProQuest document
1569189141
This study analyzed predictors of fall-to-spring and fall-to-fall retention for 9,200 first-time-in-college
students who enrolled in a community college over a four-year period. Findings highlight the impact of
developmental education programs and internet-based courses on student persistence. Additional
predictors include financial aid, parents' education, the number of semester hours enrolled in and
dropped during the first fall semester, and participation in the Student Support Services program.
Executive Management Team Demography and Minority Student Retention: Does Executive Team
Diversity Influence the Retention of Minority Students? Mark Fincher, Stephen Katsinas, V. Barbara
Bush. Journal of College Student Retention. Amityville:2009/2010. Vol. 11, Iss. 4, p. 459-481 (23 pp.)
ProQuest document 2025275801
Many colleges and universities are expected to produce more graduates while responding to an
increasing level of racial and ethnic diversity among students. While the importance of diversity within
executive management leadership teams may be accepted among nonprofit higher education
institutions, the connection between diversity among the leadership in higher education and the
retention of minority students has not been empirically established. This study, focusing on Texas public
colleges and universities, finds that: 1) a diverse executive management team makes a positive
difference in minority student retention at community colleges and 4-year universities institutions; and
2) the impact of a diverse executive management team on retention is not limited to race and ethnicity,
but instead includes other demographic aspects.
Correlates of Retention for African-American Males in Community Colleges Linda Serra Hagedorn,
William Maxwell, and Preston Hampton. Journal of College Student Retention. Amityville:2001/2002.
Vol. 3, Iss. 3, p. 243-263 (21 pp.) ProQuest document 609489341
The retention rates of African-American men in community colleges are among the lowest of all ethnic
groups nationally. This study analyzes organizational data for three cohorts of men in a longitudinal
design for three semesters (N =202), and uses logistic regression to identify the factors that best predict
retention. The importance of high school grades, age, number of courses, a positive view of personal
skills, clear high goals, and the early identification of a college major appear to be salient for this group
and offer implications for practice.
Introduction to Part II: Community College Retention: New Views and Perspectives
Linda Serra Hagedorn. Journal of College Student Retention. Amityville: 2010/2011. Vol. 12, Iss. 2, p.
131-134 (4 pp.) ProQuest document ID 2102369951
The Importance Of Creating A "Sense Of Community" Breck A. Harris. Journal of College Student
Retention. Amityville:2006/2007. Vol. 8, Iss. 1, p. 83-105 (23 pp.) ProQuest document 1074272031
This article presents the results of a research project conducted with 39 adult students enrolled in a
management degree completion program. The research indicates that creation of a sense of community
among students in a "closed" cohort setting is a significant factor in helping adults reach their goal of
getting a college degree. The data suggest that degree completion programs using a closed-cohort
format, which are successful in creating perceptions of a genuine sense of community among adult
students, may increase student retention rates.
Student Characteristics Related To Persistence For First-Year Community College Students Tamela H.
Hawley, Tracy A. Harris. Journal of College Student Retention. Amityville: 2005/2006. Vol. 7, Iss. 1-2,
p. 117-142 (26 pp.) ProQuest document 932830441
This study analyzed student characteristics that impact persistence among first-year students attending
a large, metropolitan community college. The Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP)
Freshmen Survey was administered to first-time students during orientation. Factor analysis was used to
classify students' personality and behavioral characteristics and discriminant function analysis was used
to predict retention or attrition. The discriminant model accurately predicted retention in 78.8% of the
cases. Findings suggested that student characteristics impacting persistence can be classified into three
categories: barriers, motivations and aspirations, and expectations. Among the strongest predictors of
attrition were the number of developmental classes required, the intention to transfer to a four-year
institution, and the expectation that English as a second language could be a problem for college
students. Among the strongest predictors of persistence were being African American or Latino,
cumulative GPA, and the length of time students plan to spend at the college. Recommendations are
shared for how community college administration, faculty, and staff can work with students and the
community to raise student expectations, motivation, and preparation long before they become firstyear college students.
How A Cross-Cultural Learning Community Facilitates Student Retention And Contributes To Student
Learning Oksana Hlyva, John Schuh. Journal of College Student Retention. Amityville: 2003/2004. Vol.
5, Iss. 3, p. 325-343 (19 pp.) ProQuest document 792906861
This article presents the findings from a qualitative study that sought to learn about students'
perceptions of a Cross-Cultural Learning Community (CCLC) at a large Midwestern University. The article
focuses on three major areas that emerged as a result of focus groups: 1) students' reasons for joining
the CCLC, 2) the role of the CCLC in the students' transition to the university, and 3) CCLC participants'
cross-cultural learning experiences. After theoretical frameworks are discussed, the findings related to
the three major areas are presented. The article concludes with implications for further research.
Putting First-Generation Students First Dina M Horwedel. Diverse Issues in Higher Education.
Fairfax:Apr 17, 2008. Vol. 25, Iss. 5, p. 10-12 (3 pp.) ProQuest document 1562194161
The study adds that this should be balanced against the fact that 40 percent of the UNV 101 cohort
dropped out of the university after two years, concluding that the long-term retention benefit of the
course dissipates over time, and that other student experiences influence student retention. Dr. Charles
Alexander, associate vice provost for student diversity and director of the Academic Advancement
Program at UCLA, says the AAP program currently serves 6,000 underserved undergraduate students, 50
percent of whom are Hispanic.
Tenacious Persisters: Returning Adult Students in Higher Education Kevin Kinser, Jay Deitchman.
Journal of College Student Retention. Amityville:2007/2008. Vol. 9, Iss. 1, p. 75-94 (20 pp.) ProQuest
document ID: 1263851371
We identify "tenacious persisters" as returning students who have stopped out of college or who
delayed their entry into college for more than three years after high school. Using a mixed method
approach, we compare the experiences of tenacious persisters enrolled in a community college to
students who followed more standard persistence paths. Both groups have similar motivations for
attending college at this point in their lives, and similar expectations for achieving their goals. Tenacious
persisters, however, attribute much more significance to barriers and personal deficiencies in explaining
their past attendance patterns. We conclude that how students persist either as tenacious persisters or
standard persisters seems to make a difference in how they view their current attempt at college and
the obstacles they may have overcome to be there.
Student Retention in Higher Education: Some Conceptual and Programmatic Perspectives Marvel Lang.
Journal of College Student Retention. Amityville:2001/2002. Vol. 3, Iss. 3, p. 217-229 (13 pp.) ProQuest
document 609489391
Over the past two decades the attrition of students in higher education has raised grave concerns. These
concerns were raised initially over the higher rates of attrition of minority students in the early 1980s
following a decade of record rates of minority enrollment in higher education institutions during the
1970s. However, by the mid-1980s the rates of high attrition of African-American and Hispanic students
had grabbed the attention of the academic community across the country. When scholars and higher
education administrators began to take notice of the higher rates of attrition of minority students they
found out that student dropout and attrition in higher education institutions was a problem with all
students, not just students of color. This article summarizes and presents perspectives on the causes of
attrition and the problems of the retention of students in higher education. These ideas and
perspectives are based on what has been learned from research on student retention over the past two
decades. Also, programmatic strategies that have been implemented at institutions are summarized as
examples of student retention initiatives that have had significant impacts.
Institutional factors affecting student retention Linda K Lau. Education. Chula Vista: Fall 2003. Vol.
124, Iss. 1, p. 126-136 ProQuest document 438870551
Student retention has become a challenging problem for the academic community; therefore, effective
measures for student retention must be implemented in order to increase the retention of qualified
students at institutions of higher learning. This paper suggests that institutional administrators, faculty,
and students play a vital role in improving student retention. For instance, institutional administrators
can help students stay in school by providing them with the appropriate funding, academic support
services, and the availability of physical facilities, in addition to the effective management of
multiculturalism and diversity on campus. Faculty members can help to maintain a positive learning
environment for students by using multimedia technology and innovative instructional techniques such
as cooperative and collaborative learning in the classroom. Ultimately, the success of college retention
depends on the students themselves. Therefore, students must be motivated to participate actively in
their own learning process.
Focus on Student Retention: Promising Practices in Community Colleges Kay M McClenney, Evelyn N
Waiwaiole. Community College Journal. Washington:Jun/Jul 2005. Vol. 75, Iss. 6, p. 36-41 (6 pp.)
ProQuest document 857716541
With increased interest in learning college initiatives, growing awareness of the need to promote higher
levels of student success, and continuing emphasis on state accountability measures, many community
colleges are seeing the need for a comprehensive evaluation of their retention and student success
initiatives. Given continuing resource constraints, McClenney and Waiwaiole examine data about
student persistence and success and then discard ineffective practices and implement new strategies
that will produce better results.
Leaving the Community College: A Profile of Community College Starters Outside of the Classroom
Christopher M. Mullin. Journal of College Student Retention. Amityville: 2010/2011. Vol. 12, Iss. 2, p.
155-173 (19 pp.) ProQuest document 2102369971
A substantive amount of research has been conducted on how work influences persistence and
completion, for those who decide to leave we know little about where they go to work and how much
they earn. The purpose of this study was to explore the work behaviors of a cohort of students who
began their postsecondary experience at a community college for those who, within 6 years after high
school, leave the community college without a certificate or degree--"leavers"--are compared with their
peers who earned a certificate or degree. Utilizing a student unit-record dataset, "leavers" were more
likely to be African American or Latino with low levels of college readiness. For the first 5 years after
high school, "leavers" had higher median quarterly earnings than those who completed. Lastly, the
industry employing the largest number of "leavers" was full-service restaurants. Implications and
direction for future research are presented.
Psychosocial Factors Related To Retention And Early Departure Of Two-Year Community College
Students Anthony R Napoli, Paul M Wortman. Research in Higher Education. New York: Aug 1998. Vol.
39, Iss. 4, p. 419-455 ProQuest document 2189219771
The present study is based on the theoretical model of college retention developed by Tinto (1975,
1987, 1993) and subsequent validation efforts of others (Bers and Smith, 1991; Munro, 1981; Pascarella
and Chapman, 1983a, b; Pascarella and Terenzini, 1983, 1991). The first goal of the study was to assess
the validity of the model on a two-year community college sample. The second goal was to extend and
further refine the model by examining the mediational influences of a comprehensive set of
psychosocial measures (i.e., life events occurring during the first semester of college, social support, selfesteem, social competence, personal conscientiousness, psychological well-being, and satisfaction with
the academic, administrative, and social systems of college) on the constructs within Tinto's (1987,
1993) model. Results confirm the generalizability of the model to two-year community college
populations. In addition, the structural equations model revealed that the psychosocial measures have
both direct and indirect effects on college persistence.
Predicting Successful College Experiences: Evidence from a First Year Retention Program Kimberly
Noble, Nicole T. Flynn, James D. Lee, David Hilton. Journal of College Student Retention.
Amityville:2007/2008. Vol. 9, Iss. 1, p. 39- 60 (22 pp.) ProQuest document 1263851321
Research indicates that programs designed to target first year students increase their likelihood of
success during that year and their chances of completing an undergraduate education (Bureau &
Rromrey, 1994; Conner & Colton, 1999). Theoretically, such programs should help in part because they
foster integration into campus communities and help align personal goals with institutional goals. In an
effort to increase retention and achievement of first year students, the University of South Alabama
implemented a program for resident first year students called ESSENCE in the fall of 1998. The purpose
of this study is to measure the effects of that program on student success. Specifically we are interested
in assessing the effects of the program on GPAs and graduation rates. In multivariate analyses, we
compare GPAs and graduation rates for resident ESSENCE students, resident non-ESSENCE students, and
non-resident students controlling for other predictors of success. We find that ESSENCE improves GPAs
and the likelihood of graduating in five years relative to other experiences, even when controlling for
other factors.
Campus-Based Aid Programs as Determinants of Retention Among Hispanic Community College
Students Nora, Amaury. The Journal of Higher Education. Columbus: May 1990. Vol. 61, Iss. 3, p. 312
(20 pp.) ProQuest document ID: 1866057
A study that tested a structural equation model of retention for a Hispanic two-year college student
population to determine the direct, indirect and total effects of campus-based resources on minority
retention rates is discussed.
THE LAST WORD: Making Retention Work Parker, Carl E.. Black Issues in Higher Education. Reston:Feb
20, 1997. Vol. 13, Iss. 26, p. 120 ProQuest document 582398811
The most critical person in the retention effort is the college president or top administrator. Without the
commitment of the board of trustees and president, retention efforts will not be successful. Institutionwide commitment and involvement provides the greatest impact. Faculty, staff, student service
personnel, support services administrators and students must combine their interests and energy to
improve the institution's retentive power. Respondents to the study perceived the president, followed
by academic and student affairs administrators, faculty and the college board, as the key stakeholders
behind retention.
Having a retention steering or advisory committee is another integral aspect of promoting retention.
Fifty-four percent of the responding institutions indicated that they did not have a retention steering or
advisory committee. This reveals the low level of involvement and importance placed on retention
activities.
Retention rates can be improved -- and the cost, time and effort may be considerably less than
administrators fear. By implementing the critical factors that make retention work -- such as positive
faculty relations, community relations, leadership, the organization of services into a unit, orientations,
student support classes and services, recruitment planning, academic intervention services, campus
climate, and award ceremonies -- institutions of higher education can help retain minority students now.
Understanding Student Retention Through A Look At Student Goals, Intentions, And Behavior Tracy L.
Polinsky. Journal of College Student Retention. Amityville:2002/2003. Vol. 4, Iss. 4, p. 361-376 (16 pp.)
ProQuest document ID: 567522961
Historically, retention, persistence, and graduation rates have been used as indicators of a college's
success. While these measures may shed light on what is happening among an institution's students,
they are not always as meaningful as they appear. This community college believed that these
performance indicators were not accurately reflecting the success of its students. As an offshoot of the
college's Retention Committee, the Student Intention Survey was created and administered to the
college's credit students as a means to identify student goals, accomplishment of these goals, and how
they relate to retention. The results of this study helped explain student retention in terms of student
goals and intentions, and identified factors related to positive and negative attrition
The Role Of Social Support Network In College Persistence Among Freshman Students Michael P.
Skahill. Journal of College Student Retention. Amityville: 2002/2003. Vol. 4, Iss. 1, p. 39-52 (14 pp.)
ProQuest document 609489901
This study examined the role of social support networks in student persistence among residential and
commuter students at an urban technical arts college for a 12-week duration. Fifteen commuter
students and 25 residential students completed the study. The research methodology was social
network analysis. Findings indicate that commuter students are less likely to persist in their college
studies, students residing in student housing facilities experience significant and abrupt changes in social
network density. However, residential students who reported making greater numbers of new friends
with connections to the school also reported attaining personal and academic goals at a rate
significantly greater than other subjects. The article concludes with a discussion about the role and
importance of a socially connected academic community to learning and persistence.