First-generation college students face unique challenges in higher education compared to students whose parents are college graduates. These students tend to come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and face difficulty enrolling and persisting in higher education (Horn, 1998; Ishitani, 2003; Latino et al., 2018; Nunez & Cuccaro-Alamin, 1998;…

Though gains have been made in broadening participation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for underserved and historically marginalized groups, challenges remain with recruiting, retaining, and graduating Black women in STEM. This study offers a nuanced response to this underrepresentation and centers on participants'…

Technology, socio-economic disparities, and an increasingly diverse population base have changed the nature of American communities and thus the educational and occupational landscape. Access to higher education is functionally the gatekeeper for technical and professional careers. The gap between the number of students starting a four-year degree…

Though there has been a great deal of research on the transition into college, there has been relatively little research on the transition out of college. This is particularly true in relation to theatre arts majors. Though recent graduates face many challenges post-college, there has been minimal exploration done on how graduates experience…

The purpose of this mixed-methods study is to evaluate the impact of Morrison High School's ninth grade transition program, the Freshman Academy, on student outcomes. Based on the outcomes, decisions will be made to determine if the Freshman Academy is meeting students' needs or if the program elements need to be revisited to improve student…

The transition between high school and college is inconsistent and uncertain. Many marginalized students do not understand how to seek out assistance without guidance and mentorship. Although the number of marginalized college students enrolled in 4-year colleges in the United States is growing, many marginalized college students struggle to find…

Each year, almost one-fourth of all public high school students, and nearly one-third of all blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans, fail to graduate from public high school with their class. Course failures and high school dropout rates are nationally higher in the ninth grade than in any other high school grade level, and 19% fail to graduate.…

The number of students transferring from Myanmar to universities in Western society has increased rapidly in the past decade. Understanding the perceived readiness of these stakeholders may have substantial implications for student success as they make the transition. The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was twofold. First, to…

The purpose of this multiple case study was to examine the successes, challenges, and factors identified to mitigate or overcome the identified challenges, as experienced by program directors, faculty, and staff, in the development and implementation of transition and post-secondary education programs, for students identified with intellectual…

College Success, Freshman Seminar, College 101, or University 101--all of these courses have the common theme of providing students with the knowledge and skills necessary for them to be successful in navigating higher education. This might mean attaining a certificate or degree, or in some cases, transferring to a four-year institution. While…

According to the United States Department of Education, approximately 1.2 million students drop out of high school every year, and of those public high school students who enter college, nearly half require remedial courses, and fewer than half ever graduate college. There have been multiple research studies conducted on the importance of student…

Research consistently indicates that less affluent students across the country are often deprived of the necessary academic preparation and college guidance needed to successfully select, attend, and graduate from a postsecondary institution (Louie, 2017). Independent schools across America have historically served affluent, White students;…

Lecture methods in higher education continue to be the most often used form of lesson delivery, although they seem to be less effective in promoting adult students' learning and engagement. Many higher education instructors have incorporated inverted classroom (IC) methods to increase student engagement and learning. The purpose of this…

The purpose of this descriptive, qualitative case study design was to investigate whether a summer bridge program, developed for first-year, first-generation students, is effective in retaining students throughout the first year of college. The general problem for private and public institutions was that student college retention rates have…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to discover how state regional disability directors in the northwestern United States are creating successful transitional plans for students who have a learning disability and are the first in their families to attend postsecondary institutions. The targeted participants for the research study was…