Access to post-secondary education for first-generation college students (FGCS) has become even more important after COVID-19 brought to the forefront the most affected in the workforce: those who had a high school degree or less. College access programs play a vital role to move the needle in closing the educational achievement gap. These…

"Social Belonging" interventions for college students aim to reduce the impacts of negative stereotypes that may burden students in underrepresented groups and affect their persistence in college. This What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) report, part of the WWC's Supporting Postsecondary Success topic area, explores the effects of…

While college was once just for a few people, college access has increased. More students are attending college than ever before, but access does not correlate with degree persistence. Many prospective students cannot attend college due to the increasing cost of tuition. Affordability is a risk to all students, but it is especially difficult for…

Retention, persistence, and academic achievement for first-generation students have become increasingly prevalent with increasing access to higher education. Beyond access, the most discernible challenge relates to their identity as a first-generation college student and the lack of mentorship from their parents in navigating the college…

First-generation college students make up one-third of the undergraduate population of college students in the United States. It is essential to understand all aspects of a first-generation student, their desire to persist in college, and their experiences while in college. Once they are enrolled in college, first-generation students will need…

This quantitative study investigated factors influencing first-year student retention at a midsized regional comprehensive university. Using archival data from the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years, the research examined the retention rates of Standard Admit students and conditionally admitted Success First students. The study explored…

Monitoring Advising Analytics to Promote Success (MAAPS)is a multi-institutional project of the University Innovation Alliance (UIA) initially funded and supported by a US Department of Education First in the World Grant to Georgia State, the lead UIA member on this project. MAAPS is a large-scale randomized-controlled trial designed to validate…

The purpose of this study was to assess differences in four-year persistence and graduation rates between students who participated in a research-based academic first-year seminar (n = 385) and a matched quasi-control group who did not (n = 385). Although research has consistently identified positive outcomes for students who participate in these…

"Social Belonging" interventions for college students aim to reduce the impacts of negative stereotypes that may burden students in underrepresented groups and affect their persistence in college. There are different variations of "Social Belonging" interventions but they all have in common a goal of influencing students' sense…

The purpose of this descriptive study utilizing survey research was to understand student perceptions about how private institutions support the persistence of first-generation college students. First-generation college students refer to those students whose parents or guardians have earned a four-year bachelor's degree but may have some…

The United States faces challenges in retaining students of color (SoC), women, and nonbinary individuals in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). This study explores the impact of a residential bridge program on STEM persistence for these groups. Participants, who were all women or nonbinary individuals and were 56% SoC and 30%…

The purpose of this study is to investigate how a virtual mentored research program, the National Summer Undergraduate Research Project (NSURP), affects sense of belonging among underserved students in science fields. Examining the effects of virtual research programs can contribute to the body of research on ways to instill sense of belonging…

This quantitative, correlational study investigated the predictive relationship between servant leadership characteristics of Servant TRIO SSS advisors and first-generation students' college adjustment and semester persistence. A total of 310 first-generation students in TRIO SSS programs within the United States participated in the study.…

First-year seminars (FYS) are well-tested and trusted programs to facilitate students' transition to college. This study adds to the body of evidence about the value of seminars through analysis of a large multi-institution dataset and documentation of the positive association between participation in a first-year seminar and student engagement in…

First-generation college students' degree attainment is far below their continuing generation peers (Whitely et al., 2018). This study aims to offer institutions of higher education better insight into how to provide support to be more effective in retaining first-generation college students. This explanatory sequential mixed methods study…