Adult students comprise a significant percentage of community college enrollments. However, these students have consistently completed college programs at lower rates than traditional-aged students. Community college structures, including student advisement, often align primarily with the needs of traditional-aged students. This has resulted in a…

This article highlights a two-year institution's efforts to deliver personalized guidance and direction to students, providing essential support resources in hope of facilitating meaningful connections that will lead to increased enrollment, persistence, retention, and three-year graduation rates. The project includes efforts by student services…

In 2016, State University (a pseudonym) implemented a proactive advising approach known as Monitoring Advising Analytics to Promote Success (MAAPS). The initiative was designed to improve academic achievement and retention measures for first-generation students and students from limited-income backgrounds. Using a qualitative methodological…

The purpose of this mixed-methods research study was to determine the impact of mandatory developmental academic advising on the persistence, successful course completion, and grade point average of pre-nursing students at a large-sized urban community college within the North Carolina Community College System. With data obtained through student…

Investing in community colleges is a central part of the Biden administration's education agenda, with the goal of strengthening America's middle class and opening the benefits of education to all Americans. CCRC has conducted 25 years of research on how community colleges can more effectively educate students and set them up to successfully…

Transfer from one institution to another is increasingly common for students during the course of their higher education careers. The number of students moving from community colleges to four-year universities continues to rise. Transfer students report experiences of alienation, isolation, and other personal and academic challenges. To address…

Academic advising is one of the key functions in higher education. While there has been a development of advising practices in the past decade, the assessment of academic advising practices is far from satisfactory. In this article, we review major academic advising approaches and key characteristics of quality assessment practices. Based on the…

Advising programs serve as a conduit between the university, and the students' educational, personal and career goals. There are many different advising models in post-secondary institutions. The intrusive advising program is based on the assumption that closer communication and stronger personal relationships between advisor and student make…

This article outlines an approach to class advising which draws on research-based techniques to elicit feedback and discussion from students. The purpose of using this method is to enhance communication, increase student engagement, and improve the relationship between the faculty and the class of students.

This study examines if and how holistic, person-centered academic advising, based on an integrative framework of educational psychology (Bronfenbrenner), sociology (Weber), and counseling (Rogers) theories, can be fostered, implemented, and assessed at a research university. The study design uses the coding of qualitative data and its translation…

Academic advising must be accountable for its resources and program effectiveness. The Annual Plan approach of Brigham Young University gives advisers an opportunity to assess and reflect on advising's strengths and weaknesses and to design feasibility goals and objectives to improve the program. (MLW)

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…

In viewing retention as a process beginning at application and concluding at graduation, a Pennsylvania community college developed a comprehensive program addressing intake for new students. Enrollment, testing, academic advisement and scheduling were completed in one day, and students' families were involved. Student surveys showed considerable…

Compared a faculty team approach in advising small groups of students to traditional individual counseling. Students (N=238) were divided into experimental or control groups. Results showed the team/group approach significantly reduced advising time with no loss in student satisfaction or knowledge of procedures and policies. (Author/JAC)

Draws from a national survey of academic advising at 2-year colleges to describe organizational models of advising in use among 159 responding institutions. Discusses coordination and reporting lines, institutional policy statements, advisor training, program and advisor evaluation, recognition/rewards for advising, program goals, and program…