Student success in postsecondary education depends on academic preparation and on having the nonacademic knowledge, skills, and behaviors to successfully navigate the demands of postsecondary study. While nonacademic competencies are important for all students, rural and high-poverty populations face unique nonacademic challenges, such as access…

Although education has been a part of all cultures since the beginning of existence, it is constantly evolving. As educators seek to instill in their students the significance of lifelong learning, they also seek opportunities to learn and improve. Greater pressures and demands than ever before are being placed on educators. When Handley High…

In 2007-2008, all Austin Independent School District (AISD) high schools began implementing a student advisory program for all students. This report summarizes results of student and staff surveys on their perceptions of the programs at the end of the third year of implementation.

The standard approach to advisement in most departments at Rowan University is to assign students to faculty members. Some departments may have one person with release time to do all the advising. Properly examining the courses and programs in which undergraduate students are progressing is an appropriate topic of concern. One way to handle such…

Delineates three factors influencing the effectiveness of student placement programs: assessment data utilized, the academic system in which the student is placed, and the institution's commitment to evaluating the placement process. Reviews the procedures, statistical results, and findings of a Delhi College study of the English department…

A quasi-experimental design using four matched groups of 88 students each of entering college freshmen investigated the question of whether increasing exposure to different types of orientation programming would have any effect upon freshman academic performance and reaction to college. The types of orientation included: (1) traditional…

A study was conducted at Rochester Community College, in Minnesota, to compare pass rates in a college-level mathematics class for mathematically underprepared students who enrolled in developmental courses and those who did not. The study population consisted of 73 students enrolled in Math 103, while data were collected on the student's final…

In fall 1983, Napa Valley College fully implemented its Student Orientation, Assessment, Advisement, and Retention (SOAAR) program, which consisted of assessment of first-time students' math and reading skills, advisement about enrolling in regular or developmental courses based on scores, course advisement, and the provision of information on…

This document provides a compendium of evaluation research findings on first-year seminars at 50 institutions of higher education. Program reports are listed by type of institution: two-year institutions, small four-year institutions, mid-sized four-year institutions, and large four-year institutions. Each listing provides a brief description of…

In 1991, Bronx Community College, in New York, established the Freshman Year Initiative Program (FYIP), a comprehensive academic and counseling program designed to enhance academic achievement for a select group of first-semester students who require at least three remedial courses in English composition, reading, and/or mathematics. In order to…

A longitudinal study was conducted at Southwestern College (SWC) in Chula Vista, California, to assess the impact of the matriculation process on SWC students. Three groups of students were compared: students who started "Pre-Matriculation" (in 1985); students who started during the "Phase-In" (in 1987); and students who…

In fall 1986, Mt. San Antonio College (MSAC) initiated a 5-year longitudinal study of the effectiveness of its matriculation services, including assessment, orientation, counseling/advisement, and follow-up. Students participating in these services were compared to those degree-seeking students who did not participate. The study sample included…

Puente Projects are currently operating at 10 community colleges in California to increase retention, general education requirements completion, and transfer among Hispanic community college students. Puente integrates the skills of an English teacher, a Hispanic counselor, and Hispanic professionals acting as mentors to promote academic…

In spring 1985, a study was conducted to evaluate the basic skills program of San Joaquin Delta College (SJDC). The study focused on student demographics, skill growth, the effects of basic skills classes on performance in other classes, retention rates, self-confidence, assessment scores related to course selection/performance, and re-entry…

This follow-up study, part of the National Study of Student Support Services compared the status of 2,900 disadvantaged students receiving student support services (SSS) since entering college 3 years earlier and 2,900 nonparticipating comparable students. Services offered varied among institutions but were all intended to help students stay in…