Although it has become increasing popular for first-time-in-college (FTIC) spring enrollment, there has been no empirical study on spring starters. Existing literature on delayed enrollment has not distinguished students by the semester in which they have matriculated. The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) does not collect…

In spring 2020, a worldwide pandemic caused many postsecondary institutions to pivot from face-to-face to online learning for the remainder of the semester. While some institutions reverted to face-to-face teaching in fall 2020, many institutions mainly remained online. As a result, the effect of students' disparate access to enabling technology…

First-year seminars (FYS) are courses "intended to enhance the academic and/or social integration of first-year students" (Barefoot, 1992, p. 49). In 2008, the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) introduced a list of 10 high-impact practices (HIPs) that had been tested and found to have significant positive…

Nation-building and giving back represent a cyclical relationship rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing. To give back in a postsecondary context means to acquire a college degree to help advance efforts of nation-building. Therefore, students' desire to give back is an Indigenous teaching that emphasizes relationality relationships, reciprocity,…

College is associated with positive outcomes in adulthood. However, many students with foster care backgrounds face challenges transitioning into college settings. Young adults with foster care backgrounds also experience mental health conditions and suicidal ideation at a higher rate than their same aged peers. This study examined the…

Research has indicated that, in comparison to their counterparts at predominantly White institutions (PWIs), Latinx students at Hispanic-Serving institutions (HSIs) tend to encounter less racism and, in turn, fewer challenges in shaping their ethnic identity development. Yet, evidence has also suggested that the disciplines, and by extension, the…

This research brief reports that students who have parents with little to no postsecondary education have an increasing presence in colleges and universities. Researchers recognize that these individuals face unique barriers in higher education programs that affect their ability to graduate. Given the wide concern about student retention,…

More than 1 in 3 undergraduate students transfers from one college or university to another, but many do not go on to graduate. Literature suggests that service-learning pedagogy supports both social and academic integration; therefore, we examined whether transfer students' participation in service-learning courses is related to sense of…

Educators, policymakers, and institutions have worked for decades to increase rates of college graduation, but about half of students who enter college drop out without completing a bachelor's degree. Although the rate of student attrition is higher in the United States than in any other industrialized nation, about 30% of U.S. students will drop…

Despite considerable debate about the effects of fraternities and sororities on college campuses, the extent to which these organizations promote or detract from student success is unclear. Therefore, we used propensity score analyses to examine the link between membership in a social fraternity or sorority and several student success outcomes.…

Noncognitive factors, such as academic self-efficacy, motivation, and sense of belonging, predict college students' academic performance and retention. It is unclear if varying profiles of academic mindset are differentially associated with student success. We examined first-year college students' academic mindsets (perceived academic…

For this study we identified factors exerting significant influence on homesickness and explored the impact of the homesick experience on students' academic performance and retention in the first year in college. The findings reveal 2 constructs underlying the homesickness scale: homesick separation and homesick distress. Demographic variables…

Student attrition is a problem in universities. A systems perspective describing both departure and retention is helpful in explaining the circumstances in which student retention is increased, particularly for students traditionally excluded from university participation. Risk factors for departure include poor preparation for college and…

The importance of "belonging" for college students has been well documented. Students' sense of belonging is closely related to their academic achievement, retention, engagement, satisfaction with student life, mental health, and overall well-being (Astin, 1993; Baumeister & Leary, 1995; Bowman, 2010; Hausmann, Schofield, &…

According to Tribal Critical Race Theory, Native American students have low retention rates due to the structural barriers and racism inherent in colleges and universities. Similarly, structural barriers and racism could put Native American students at risk for victimization and substance use, thus influencing their academic success. The purposes…