Although the enrollment of minority freshmen in engineering has increased substantially during the last two decades, attrition has remained intractable. This document analyzes comparative data on the performance of institutions in retaining minority students through graduation. The objective of this effort was to identify characteristics of the…

This paper evaluates the performance of engineering institutions in graduating minority freshmen. The four indices identified include: (1) the total number and proportion of minority graduates; (2) the proportion of full-time minority freshmen who earned a bachelor's degree in engineering; (3) the retention rate of minorities relative to the…

This issue examines the problems and issues that affect students in the first year of college and reviews current institutional efforts to enhance the learning and retention of first-year students. It also offers a set of suggestions for trustees who seek greater understanding and more active engagement in campus decisions related to the first…

This collection of essays examines the role of marketing in the recruitment and retention of community college students. First, Philip Kotler and Leslie A. Goldgehn define the marketing process and assess its potential benefits. Richard C. Richardson, Jr., and Donald S. Doucette question the effectiveness of marketing in the community college.…

Research and programs concerning college student retention are considered. Based on research studies, reasons why students depart prior to graduation are examined. The literature about corrective actions that can be taken and University of Tennessee data about student retention are discussed. A recent study at the University of Tennessee,…

This report summarizes research on retention and dropouts. Although there has been a recent resurgence of retention programs aimed at students who encounter subject-area difficulties, many studies have questioned the value of retention, especially if it is not accompanied by programs of remediation and individualized learning. However, researchers…

A descriptive study was done of a microcomputer-based modeling approach to retention analysis used at the University of Hartford (Connecticut) which relied on an information system which integrates multi-year admissions, financial aid, and academic data with surveys of college student adjustment, involvement, and reasons for leaving. Analyses were…

The 1993 book, "Between a Rock and a Hard Place: The At-Risk Student in the Open-Door College," provided a status report on community college responses to at-risk students, or students who possess academic, social, and economic problems that challenge their success in college. In addition to providing a brief history of at-risk programs and…

Although it is being taken in greater numbers and by increasingly younger people, the General Education Development (GED) test is viewed skeptically by the military, college admission officials, and some employers. The public perception of the GED tends to give it second-class status compared to a high school diploma. However, studies of GED…

This edition of Research Brief examined the impact of five specific academic support programs at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis on college student performance and persistence: ARCHE, a tracking and monitoring system for at-risk students; Student MAP was developed to assist students who place in the lowest level reading…

Alternative instructional delivery options such as self-paced and flexible enrollment courses are designed to increase enrollment, promote retention, and encourage student success without lowering academic standards. The Fast Track Associate's Degree Program, developed by a team of faculty, staff, and administrators at Richland Community College,…

This issue, the second of a two-part series on gender equity, presents strategies that nontraditional programs around the country have found to be helpful in combating the problems of educational and occupational segregation by sex. Described in detail is the Outreach Equity Non-Traditional Program located at the Florida Advanced Technology Center…

This research summary examines the policies and issues that affect the school dropout problem among youth with disabilities. It clarifies the dropout problem, examines government and school policies that affect school holding power, and recommends responses. Information is based on a current dropout prevention research project, findings from five…

A study was conducted to determine if participation in a pre-first grade transactional program would be more effective than grade repetition in enhancing first grade readiness. The transition program emphasized the acquisition of academic and behavioral skills necessary for a successful first grade experience. Students in the program were trained…

This document includes: (1) a special report by the Office of the Chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education on the system's equity plan, "Excellence and Equity: A Plan for Building Community in Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education"; (2) an opinion piece titled, "The Problem of Black Students…