Challenges Facing College Students in Success & Retention

Presentation by Kathy Bies-JaedeSeptember, 2009

College Students As Academic Performers College Students As Biological Beings College Students As Developmental Post-

Adolescents or Other Sub-Population Group College Students As Emotional Beings College Students As Social Beings Needing

Community College Students As Cultural Beings College Students As Generational Beings in

History

FRAMING THE CONTEXT: WHO ARE THE COLLEGE STUDENTS?

Questions:Why is attrition for 1st year college students

growing?

What are the risk-factors that contribute to attrition?

What can be done about it?

FRAMING THE ISSUE: ATTRITION AND RETENTION

COLLEGE STUDENTS AS ACADEMIC PERFORMERS Academically underprepared; Weak Entrance

Scores--HS GPA under 2.5; low Accuplacer scores: math, reading, and writing; ACT scores below 18

Poor time management & goal setting skills Poor academic skills and grades; poor study skills

and strategies with daily study time less than 2 hours per day

Multiple responsibilities outside of school; complex life balance

No direct contact with teachers or in class participation

Too Heavy Course load--5 classes or more per semester in effort to finish sooner

CHALLENGES TO SUCCESS/RETENTION RISK FACTORS BY CONTEXT

COLLEGE STUDENTS AS TRADITIONAL POST-ADOLESCENTS IN TRANSITION OR OTHER… Transition from high school (or other), to college

difficult Lack of developmental maturity; personal

responsibility issues; poor self- management skills and impulse control;

Identity confusion or conflict; lack of investment in new identity; poor relationships

Boredom or disinterest with course choices or choice of college; poor attendance; low motivation

No clear career direction or major; confused about future;

Low self efficacy and agency; poorly developed autonomy and self differentiation; poor sense of empowerment, competence, and ownership of own life; over controlling parents (Helicopter parents), living at home or visiting home more than once per month; unhealthy attachment

CHALLENGES TO SUCCESS/RETENTION RISK FACTORS BY CONTEXT

COLLEGE STUDENTS AS EMOTIONAL BEINGS

Poor emotional resiliency and mental health; emotional “disabilities” or other handicaps; depression, trauma; PTSD; pervasive mental illness

Major transitional stress and poor coping skills; separation anxiety; lack of supportive relationships

Dysfunctional family dynamics issues; family non-supportive of college; conflict; diffuse or rigid interpersonal boundaries

Unrealistic expectations; perfectionism; fear of failure

Low self esteem/feelings of self worth; external locus of control; feelings of alienation; lack of feeling connected or mattering to others; despair; hopelessness

CHALLENGES TO SUCCESS/RETENTION RISK FACTORS BY CONTEXT

COLLEGE STUDENTS AS SOCIAL BEINGS NEEDING COMMUNITY

Living with non-students and not involved with college community; not emotionally involved with new friends

Roommate stress and poor communication skills; avoids seeking support from teachers or peers; emotional withdrawal

Poor attendance at special social events (sports, clubs, etc.), on campus

Outside campus commitments and responsibilities; married; dependents; spends more than 15 hours weekly at work or sports

Socializes and parties more than 15 hours a week Lack of racially, culturally, or other similar social

group to connect with.

CHALLENGES TO SUCCESS/RETENTION RISK FACTORS BY CONTEXT

COLLEGE STUDENTS AS CULTURAL BEINGS

Member of student sub-population group such as 1st generation at college; returning older students, recent immigrant, racial minority group, foreign student, etc.

Lack of comfort with diversity; discrimination and racism

Sexual identity non heterosexual Native Language non-English Low socio-economic class; recipient of Pell

grant Small town origins to large city university or

visa versa

CHALLENGES TO SUCCESS/RETENTION RISK FACTORS BY CONTEXT

COLLEGE STUDENTS AS BIOLOGICAL BEINGS

Frequent sickness; H1N1 virus; unprotected sex-std’s; Poor physical health and nutrition in general; gets less

than 8 hours of sleep per night frequently; alcohol and drug abuse; eating disorder

Poorly treated for any disability with either infrequent or no medication

COLLEGE STUDENTS AS GENERATIONAL BEINGS IN HISTORY

Economic stress--financial aid not sufficient; rising tuition; declining federal investment in public education plus economic recession; decrease in tenured faculty to adjunct

World conflicts; military Lack of financial management skills; loan debt Current generation extremely large; competition;

globalization

CHALLENGES TO SUCCESS/RETENTION RISK FACTORS BY CONTEXT

STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION

DETERMINING INDIVIDUAL CHALLENGES & RISK FACTORS: PRE-EMPTIVE ASSESSMENT

CSI—college student inventory; determine student risk groups; track & treat accordingly

Skip Downing’s “On Course” assessmentsLearning styles questionnaires; brain processing; visual/auditory/ verbal/tactile/kinesthetic; blooms taxonomy; analytic/systematic/random/concrete

Holland or Strong career interest inventoryPersonality characteristics: Meyer’s Briggs/Kiersey temperament sorter

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT: PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE

Individual Interventions Intrusive Integrated Developmental Advising—intake/personal histories;* case management/tracking; student need centered; increased frequency; exploration of student strengths & weaknesses; navigating complexity for students/serving as main contact person & helping student feel cared for

Use technology to increased communication and publicity of activities, deadlines, academic progress reports, special orientation programs, personal interest groups, internship & employment opportunities

Peer MentoringAcademic Skills Tutoring; Goal Setting; Academic PlanReferrals

STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION

Communal Interventions• Pre-College Summer Bridge Programs• Senior to Sophomore programs• Workshops and community building through

residence halls or commuter centers; networking with staff• Small personal growth groups by themes• Small first year experience groups; Learning

Communities • First Year Seminars & Developmental Education

Techniques: Introduction to College Life Classes* involving activities such as: College Success Strategies, Interviewing Activity of Parents, Professors, Peers, Roommates; Case Studies, Role plays, Scavenger Hunts, Journaling, Strengths & Weaknesses Inventory, Values Exploration’ Mission Statements, Service Learning, Mandatory Involvement in Campus Organizations and Clubs

STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION

REFERENCES

On Request

Failure Attrition

Suspension

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Transition: Moving in Transition: Moving On

Switch Schools

SuccessRetention

Graduation

Probation Low GPA

Intervention Programs

Link

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Protective Factors

Risk Factors

New Student

High GPA

STUDENT ATTRITION--RETENTION VISUALIZATION

Goal: Increase retention/graduation by improving prevention and intervention methods

Transition: Moving Through

Prevention Programs,

(e.g.,Intrusive Advising)

TODAY’S DATE: ADVISOR:PHONE:

STUDENT NAME/NICKNAME: MINORITY STATUS/GENDER: ACCUPLACER SCORES/H.S. GPA: HOMETOWN: FAMILY MEMBERS AND SUPPORT: LIVING SITUATION NOW/HOW

OFTEN VISIT HOME: BODY POSTURE: HOBBIES/FUN: HOURS SPENT AT

WORK/SOCIALIZING/SPORTS: SLEEP: MAJOR: FINANCIAL AID: LAST SEMESTER COURSES AND

STORY/ATTENDANCE:

SAMPLE PROBATION STUDENT SCREENING FORM

COURSES THIS SEMESTER: TYPE OF REFERRAL NEEDED: 1 hr. 30m group ISSUES OF CONCERN: Student’s health or disabilities

Family issues or family healthTransition issues (homesick, Out of State Student, Transfer Student, etc)Relationship issues (excessive fighting or break-up)Extra curricular student activitiesAlcohol/drugs or partyingDepression or anxiety issuesTime management issues

Study Habits or SkillsFinancial issuesLack of adequate academic/professional direction

 STUDENT TIMES AVAILABLE:/G.P.A.: