Challenges Facing College Students in Success & Retention

1. Challenges Facing College Students inSuccess & Retention Presentation by Kathy Bies-Jaede September, 2009

2. FRAMING THE CONTEXT: WHO ARE THE COLLEGE STUDENTS? • College Students As Academic Performers • College Students As Biological Beings • College Students As Developmental Post-Adolescents or Other Sub-Population Group • College Students As Emotional Beings • College Students As Social Beings Needing Community • College Students As Cultural Beings • College Students As Generational Beings in History

3. FRAMING THE ISSUE: ATTRITION AND RETENTION Questions: Why is attrition for 1st year college students growing? What are the risk-factors that contribute to attrition? What can be done about it?

4. CHALLENGES TO SUCCESS/RETENTION RISK FACTORS BYCONTEXT • College Students As Academic Performers • Academically underprepared; Weak Entrance Scores--HS GPA under 2.5; low Accuplacer scores: math, reading, and writing; ACT scores below 18 • Poor time management & goal setting skills • Poor academic skills and grades; poor study skills and strategies with daily study time less than 2 hours per day • Multiple responsibilities outside of school; complex life balance • No direct contact with teachers or in class participation • Too Heavy Course load--5 classes or more per semester in effort to finish sooner

5. CHALLENGES TO SUCCESS/RETENTION RISK FACTORS BYCONTEXT • College Students As Traditional Post-Adolescents in transition or other… • Transition from high school (or other), to college difficult • Lack of developmental maturity; personal responsibility issues; poor self- management skills and impulse control; • Identity confusion or conflict; lack of investment in new identity; poor relationships • Boredom or disinterest with course choices or choice of college; poor attendance; low motivation • No clear career direction or major; confused about future; • Low self efficacy and agency; poorly developed autonomy and self differentiation; poor sense of empowerment, competence, and ownership of own life; over controlling parents (Helicopter parents), living at home or visiting home more than once per month; unhealthy attachment

6. CHALLENGES TO SUCCESS/RETENTION RISK FACTORS BYCONTEXT • College Students As Emotional Beings • Poor emotional resiliency and mental health; emotional “disabilities” or other handicaps; depression, trauma; PTSD; pervasive mental illness • Major transitional stress and poor coping skills; separation anxiety; lack of supportive relationships • Dysfunctional family dynamics issues; family non-supportive of college; conflict; diffuse or rigid interpersonal boundaries • Unrealistic expectations; perfectionism; fear of failure • Low self esteem/feelings of self worth; external locus of control; feelings of alienation; lack of feeling connected or mattering to others; despair; hopelessness

7. CHALLENGES TO SUCCESS/RETENTION RISK FACTORS BYCONTEXT • College Students As Social Beings needing Community • Living with non-students and not involved with college community; not emotionally involved with new friends • Roommate stress and poor communication skills; avoids seeking support from teachers or peers; emotional withdrawal • Poor attendance at special social events (sports, clubs, etc.), on campus • Outside campus commitments and responsibilities; married; dependents; spends more than 15 hours weekly at work or sports • Socializes and parties more than 15 hours a week • Lack of racially, culturally, or other similar social group to connect with.

8. CHALLENGES TO SUCCESS/RETENTION RISK FACTORS BYCONTEXT • College Students as Cultural Beings • Member of student sub-population group such as 1st generation at college; returning older students, recent immigrant, racial minority group, foreign student, etc. • Lack of comfort with diversity; discrimination and racism • Sexual identity non heterosexual • Native Language non-English • Low socio-economic class; recipient of Pell grant • Small town origins to large city university or visa versa

9. CHALLENGES TO SUCCESS/RETENTION RISK FACTORS BYCONTEXT • College Students As Biological Beings • Frequent sickness; H1N1 virus; unprotected sex-std’s; • Poor physical health and nutrition in general; gets less than 8 hours of sleep per night frequently; alcohol and drug abuse; eating disorder • Poorly treated for any disability with either infrequent or no medication • College Students as Generational Beings in History • Economic stress--financial aid not sufficient; rising tuition; declining federal investment in public education plus economic recession; decrease in tenured faculty to adjunct • World conflicts; military • Lack of financial management skills; loan debt • Current generation extremely large; competition; globalization

10. STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION • Determining Individual Challenges & Risk factors: Pre-emptive Assessment • CSI—college student inventory; determine student risk groups; track & treat accordingly • Skip Downing’s “On Course” assessments • Learning styles questionnaires; brain processing; visual/auditory/ verbal/tactile/kinesthetic; blooms taxonomy; analytic/systematic/random/concrete • Holland or Strong career interest inventory • Personality characteristics: Meyer’s Briggs/Kiersey temperament sorter

11. STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION • Prevention and Treatment: Proactive and Reactive • Individual Interventions • Intrusive Integrated Developmental Advising—intake/personal histories;* case management/tracking; student need centered; increased frequency; exploration of student strengths & weaknesses; navigating complexity for students/serving as main contact person & helping student feel cared for • Use technology to increased communication and publicity of activities, deadlines, academic progress reports, special orientation programs, personal interest groups, internship & employment opportunities • Peer Mentoring • Academic Skills Tutoring; Goal Setting; Academic Plan • Referrals

12. STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION • Communal Interventions • Pre-College Summer Bridge Programs • Senior to Sophomore programs • Workshops and community building through residence halls or commuter centers; networking with staff • Small personal growth groups by themes • Small first year experience groups; Learning Communities • First Year Seminars & Developmental Education Techniques: Introduction to College Life Classes* involving activities such as: College Success Strategies, Interviewing Activity of Parents, Professors, Peers, Roommates; Case Studies, Role plays, Scavenger Hunts, Journaling, Strengths & Weaknesses Inventory, Values Exploration’ Mission Statements, Service Learning, Mandatory Involvement in Campus Organizations and Clubs

13. REFERENCES On Request

14. STUDENT ATTRITION--RETENTION VISUALIZATION Transition: Moving in Transition: Moving Through Transition: Moving On 27 28 26 25 6 19 Success Retention Graduation 7 20 22 4 High GPA 29 5 8 9 23 2 16 3 12 11 17 10 24 13 Protective Factors 1 18 14 Prevention Programs, (e.g.,Intrusive Advising) New Student 15 Switch Schools Risk Factors 19 18 Link 22 Intervention Programs 17 16 10 1 15 7 6 2 4 24 8 14 3 13 12 Failure Attrition Suspension 9 29 27 5 27 20 11 26 25 23 32 21 28 31 Probation Low GPA 30 Goal: Increase retention/graduation by improving prevention and intervention methods

15. SAMPLE PROBATION STUDENT SCREENING FORM • COURSES THIS SEMESTER: • TYPE OF REFERRAL NEEDED: • 1 hr. 30m group • ISSUES OF CONCERN: • Student’s health or disabilities Family issues or family healthTransition issues (homesick, Out of State Student, Transfer Student, etc)Relationship issues (excessive fighting or break-up)Extra curricular student activitiesAlcohol/drugs or partyingDepression or anxiety issuesTime management issues • Study Habits or SkillsFinancial issuesLack of adequate academic/professional direction •  STUDENT TIMES AVAILABLE:/G.P.A.: TODAY’S DATE: ADVISOR: PHONE: • STUDENT NAME/NICKNAME: • MINORITY STATUS/GENDER: • ACCUPLACER SCORES/H.S. GPA: • HOMETOWN: • FAMILY MEMBERS AND SUPPORT: • LIVING SITUATION NOW/HOW OFTEN VISIT HOME: • BODY POSTURE: • HOBBIES/FUN: • HOURS SPENT AT WORK/SOCIALIZING/SPORTS: • SLEEP: • MAJOR: • FINANCIAL AID: • LAST SEMESTER COURSES AND STORY/ATTENDANCE: