I conducted a narrative literature review on first-year seminars to provide practitioners and researchers with a current, comprehensive review of the research investigating the effectiveness of this widely used, high-impact practice so that they could use this information to improve the course at their institution. I searched for peer-reviewed…

This 4-year longitudinal study identified the impact of a multifaceted mentoring and tutoring program on the retention and graduation rates of a diverse body of undergraduate college students enrolled in high-risk science courses. Findings revealed that the program was successful in increasing the retention and graduation rates of students who…

This study addresses an underexplored aspect of diversity at four-year research universities: the impact of international students on their domestic peers. I explore the peer effects of international students, assessing how their presence influences domestic students' academic outcomes. Using the classroom setting as a natural experimental…

The purpose of this study is to measure the appropriateness of the existing admissions requirements as related to the likelihood of graduation. We employ a five-year sample of students admitted into the graduate program and selected a cutoff date to allow sufficient time for most of each cohort to complete their studies. Following the general…

Universities continue to see equity gaps in retention and graduation rates for Latinx students. To enhance Latinx student success, a team of Latinx faculty at a HSI developed innovative programming for educators centered on creating culturally sustaining educational spaces for Latinx students. Creando Conciencia is an ESCALA Educational Services,…

Education leaders need valid metrics to predict students' long-term success. We use a unique data set with cognitive skills, self-regulation, behavior, course performance, and test scores for eighth-grade students from a Northeast school district. We link these data to students' high school outcomes, college enrollment, persistence, and on-time…

In 2015, the City University of New York (CUNY) launched a new program--Accelerate, Complete, and Engage (ACE)--aimed at improving college graduation rates. A randomized-control evaluation of the program found a nearly 12 percentage point increase in graduation five years after college entry. Using this impact estimate and national data on…

While most community college students enroll part-time, there is little evidence on how to effectively improve college attainment of part-time students. This mixed methods study, situated in Texas, addresses this research gap by developing a more complete understanding of the part-time student population, their challenges and needs, as well as the…

The purpose of this study was to determine the antecedent conditions that contribute to completion of postsecondary education (PSE) for students with disabilities, taking into account institutional experiences associated with the development of social integration. A prospective longitudinal design was used to analyze data from the National…

This report provides the Nebraska Legislature with comparative statistics to monitor and evaluate progress toward achieving three key priorities for Nebraska's postsecondary education system: (1) Increase the number of students who enter postsecondary education in Nebraska; (2) Increase the percentage of students who persist and successfully…

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were large gaps in Maine's high school graduation rates, high school dropout rates, college persistence, and college completion across socio economic status, racial and ethnic groups, English learner status, and disability status. The pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated existing inequities and challenges,…

Over sixty years following Brown vs. Board of Education, racial and socioeconomic segregation and lack of equal access to educational opportunities persist. Across the country, voluntary desegregation busing programs aim to ameliorate these imbalances and disparities. A longstanding Massachusetts program, METCO, buses K-12 students of color from…