Program descriptions, articles, an annotated bibliography, and a survey report on programs and services for students who are underprepared for college work as freshmen are presented. The survey report considers program design and delivery strategies at about 300 colleges, and the program descriptions concern: advising, basic skills instruction and…

The efficiency and effectiveness of using a group approach to advising by a team of faculty advisors were evaluated in 1980-81 at the General College, University of Minnesota. Group/team advising was compared to individualized, one-to-one advising of first-semester freshmen in terms of student satisfaction with advising, student understanding of…

Proper student recruitment and retention programs can bring about sustained institutional holding power and subsequently greater financial solvency. In establishing such a program, the following premises should be accepted: (1) retention begins with recruitment of prospective graduates; (2) a high quality educational advisement program leads to…

Georgia State's minority retention program provides academic and social support for black freshmen by referral to appropriate campus personnel or resources for assistance with academic, financial, personal, social, and career planning problems. It uses peer counseling, faculty mentors, nonacademic staff participation, and social events to…

Changes in six measures of achievement-related motivation and confidence were tested in a longitudinal study of 138 women and 96 men during their first year at a midwestern university. Findings suggest that, for these measures, assimilation into the campus environment had a positive effect on men but not on women. (Author/BS)

MDRC's Opening Doors Demonstration is measuring the effects of various combinations of curricular reforms, enhanced academic advising, and increased financial aid intended to increase the persistence and improve the academic achievement of students at six community colleges across the United States. To determine the impact of the Opening Doors…

This student interest survey was conducted in Spring 2003 by Glendale Community College North (GCCN), Arizona. The purpose of the survey was to determine student preference for courses, course times and frequencies, and for other college student services they might need and want. In addition, an attempt was made to uncover any enrollment obstacles…

This Digest discusses computer assisted advisory practices currently in use in community colleges, outlining the types of data collected and how they are used, including the use of tracking to plan interventions for at-risk students. Enhanced computer technology has improved the effectiveness of academic advising by enabling more thorough and…

This qualitative study examined the experiences and impressions of first-time freshmen at Boise State University (BSU) in Idaho. Twenty-five freshmen completed weekly open-ended interviews, kept journals, and participated in an end-of-term group meeting during the fall term of 1996. The results indicated that most students found getting…

This study used Sedlacek's (1993) noncognitive variables of student success as a framework for describing student-athletes at a university. Sedlacek's variables include positive self-concept, realistic self-appraisal, ability to understand and deal with racism, emphasis of long-term over short-term needs, having a strong support person, successful…

The completion rate and median time to degree of three doctoral cohorts at the University of Manitoba were analyzed by gender and by field of study and the results were compared to studies elsewhere. To evaluate factors affecting students' progress, a mail questionnaire was sent in the fall of 1993 to all students (N=105) first admitted to the…

Within the community college setting, counselors in counseling centers have historically provided academic advising, career guidance, and personal counseling. Today, however, the profile of the typical community college student is very different from that of the student of 40 years ago, when counseling centers originated. Today's community college…

This institutional effectiveness (IE) report for Trident Technical College (TTC), South Carolina, describes majors and concentrations, academic advisement, and transfer. The 2001-2002 academic year marked the tenth year of Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) for the college. GAS is a systematic means of developing an individual yardstick for assessing…

A survey of 219 Ohio State University students before and after freshman year investigated the relationship between retention and changes in freshman perspectives on social and academic issues. Results indicate faculty contact may play a significant role in student attitudes but may not affect retention. Retention may be only indirectly related to…

Society, the university, faculty, and student are four key players in the doctoral dissertation process, which is analyzed by examining institutional practices, dissertation obstacles, and management systems. A five-step dissertation system helps students negotiate the complex process: (1) preparation for research; (2) a research course sequence;…