Students enter colleges and universities with the expectation that they will attain the degree to which they aspire and graduate. Colleges and universities admit students they expect to be successful using research based academic predictors of success. Students who seek a degree from community colleges similarly enter with the expectation that…

Background. Attrition rates from nursing courses and programs are reported to range from 3 to 55 percent with 20 to 80 percent due to involuntary attrition (academic failure). While trying to address the nursing shortage, nursing programs increased enrollment, but did not produce enough graduates since involuntary attrition also increased. While…

Previous research has demonstrated that various reading intervention strategies have shown improvement over time. In a rural south central Pennsylvania school district, 25% of the third grade students are not proficient in reading, leading to possible disadvantages throughout life. This study investigated whether the theory of automaticity…

There are many factors which might cause a student to drop out of a course of study; some of these are preventable. This paper describes the piloting of a survey tool designed to identify students at risk of not completing. Attendance was found to be the strongest predictor of module completion; low or declining scores on the survey were also…

Each year, nearly 400,000 minority students enroll as freshmen in a four-year college, hoping to realize all of the opportunities that earning a bachelor's degree affords. Many arrive on campus having overcome underfunded high schools, an intimidating college-admissions process, and daunting financial circumstances. Yet despite their persistence…

There is a strong, positive and well-documented correlation between education and health outcomes. There is much less evidence on the extent to which this correlation reflects the causal effect of education on health--the parameter of interest for policy. In this paper we attempt to overcome the difficulties associated with estimating the causal…

While research has been conducted concerning the effects of school-based mentoring on at-risk students, limited work has focused on the volunteer mentors. This study examined the motivations of adult volunteers and the benefits of their participation in a six-month, school-based mentoring program. A total of 31 volunteers completed adapted…

LASSI responses were combined with SAT and GPA information from 342 first year college students to examine relationships between study habits, motivation, gender and achievement. Gender pervasively influenced the results. Despite lower SAT scores, females attained higher first year college GPAs. LASSI [Learning and Study Skills Inventory]…

The current study examined the efficacy of Fast ForWord, a computer-based intervention designed to improve the auditory processing skills associated with language development and the subsequent acquisition of reading skills. The study used a randomized pre-test and post-test control design to examine the impact of Fast ForWord on the phonological…

This experimental study was designed to validate a short-term supplemental reading intervention for at-risk first-grade children. Although substantial research on long-term supplemental reading interventions exists, less is known about short-term interventions. Thirty first-grade children were randomly assigned to intervention or control…

Using a sample of 692 freshmen at a southeastern university, this study examined caloric restriction among students prior to planned alcohol consumption. Participants were surveyed for self-reported alcohol consumption, binge drinking, and caloric intake habits prior to drinking episodes. Results indicated that 99 of 695 (14%) of first year…

This paper summarizes a study that was conducted on data from children who received a one-on-one intervention called Reading Recovery[R] during the first half of their first-grade year in school. The purpose was to investigate the relationship between accelerated progress children made during and after receiving a Reading Recovery intervention,…

Prior research findings have been mixed as to whether attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is related to illicit drug use independent of conduct problems (CP). With the current study, the authors add to this literature by investigating the association between trajectories of ADHD symptoms across childhood and adolescence and onset of…

Elementary and secondary students can be impacted by a number of risk factors, all of which can have a negative influence on their academic success. To that end, the identification of risk factors is an important first step in closing achievement gaps. For example, clear evidence of an achievement gap can be found in Indiana's high school…

The purpose of this study was to explore the informal mentoring relationships of 15 male, Hispanic (Dominican American), first-generation college students, to determine how their mentoring experiences influenced their academic progress, standing, and retention. In-depth, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 undergraduates…