From fall 2021 to summer 2022, the College Completion Network conducted virtual focus groups with administrators at 47 2-year and broad-access 4-year colleges with the goal of better understanding the advising policies, practices, and programs (hereafter referred to as "strategies") that colleges use to support student success.…

The College Completion Network conducted a systematic review of the research on advising strategies that support college completion. Several key findings can inform policy and practice: Holistic and comprehensive interventions that combine multiple components to meet student needs improve student outcomes. These types of interventions provide…

Think College Reports present descriptive data in narrative and tabular form to provide timely information to researchers, practitioners, and policymakers for review and use. This report provides program- and student-level data reported by TPSIDs (Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities) during the…

Think College Reports present descriptive data in narrative or tabular form to provide timely information to researchers, practitioners, and policymakers for review and use. This report provides an overview of descriptive program and student-level data provided by Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities…

MDRC launched Opening Doors in 2003 to study the effects of community college programs designed to help students persist in school and earn a credential. This report presents early results from the Opening Doors program at Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio, which operated from 2004 through 2006. The two-semester program served students whose…

A portion of the results of a national academic advising survey are reported. Advising data on 754 programs are analyzed to determine the performance of seven advising models on eight program goals and their perceived effectiveness on 11 program variables. The data also create a context for deeper consideration of the relationship between an…

An advising program in the James Madison University (Virginia) psychology department recruits and trains students to provide basic information about majors, careers, field opportunities, and graduate schools to their peers. The work of the 20 volunteers, who serve 900 students, is coordinated by a faculty member. Each peer advisor serves on a…

Evaluation of a faculty advising program at a large, public, urban commuter university had student pairs of entering first-year students and transfers matched, with one of each pair participating in the program. Results were compromised by low participation but suggest that students feeling comfortable and respected during advising sessions were…

Findings and recommendations presented in this study of the role and nature of doctoral disserations are based on deliberations of a task force of graduate school deans and 48 reports submitted by selected universities. Findings are offered in the areas of: distinguishing characteristics of dissertation research and dissertations; originality,…

Applies three factors of expectancy theory (estimations of the likelihood of success, likelihood that a behavior will result in certain outcomes, and positive or negative value placed on each outcome) to faculty academic advising. Identifies educational environments and activities conducive to use of the theory to enhance faculty motivation for…

Evaluation of the academic advising system at a complex university found that most students were advised, felt general advising needs were met, and were satisfied with help received. Few felt faculty were their primary advisors, many sought help from other sources, and most spent 15 minutes or less per semester with primary advisors. (Author/MSE)

Background information on University of Denver's computerized degree check and advising system, the Academic Progress Report (APR), is presented. The APR program, which was implemented for undergraduates in fall 1976, is discussed in terms of the need for the program, its development, implementation, problems, and future directions. The system…

A telephone registration system for first year students implemented at Alma College (Michigan), involves having freshmen confer with advisors during orientation week, then having the registrar's office contact the advisors. Despite limitations, the low-tech solution works well at extremely low cost. (MSE)

A study of 535 students in probation or suspension status at the University of Toledo's University College, 77 percent of whom were adults, revealed patterns of enrollment, transfer, attendance, course load, and course completion. The results are presented and a special intervention program created after the study is described briefly. (MSE)

A study compared student use of and satisfaction with the central advising office and departmental advising in a college of engineering by surveying 57 central office walk-in advisees and, by mail, 103 other advisees. No significant differences were found in advisor availability and concern, but more students used departmental faculty advisors.…