Catch Them While You Can! DCCCD 2 nd Annual Student Success Summer Institute 2010

89% …of new students responding to the SENSE survey say they believe they have the motivation to do what it takes to succeed in college. Center for Community College Student Engagement High Expectations and Aspirations

Center for Community College Student Engagement High Expectations & Aspirations

85% …of new students responding to the SENSE survey say they’re academically prepared for college. Center for Community College Student Engagement

Entering students are highly motivated, are committed to achieving their academic goals, and sincerely believe they will. Center for Community College Student Engagement

…of our students leave in their first year. 50%

Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE) & Starting Right: Listening to Entering Students Center for Community College Student Engagement

SENSE & Starting Right : Listening to Entering Students 3 years colleges Represents 1.4 million students 36 states, Marshall Islands, Mariana Islands Focus Groups

DCCCD SENSE Colleges: 2009: Brookhaven Cedar Valley Eastfield El Centro Mountain View 2007 & 2008: Richland Center for Community College Student Engagement

SENSE Benchmarks Early Connections High Expectations and Aspirations Clear Academic Plan and Pathway Effective Track to College Readiness Engaged Learning Academic and Social Support Network Center for Community College Student Engagement

SENSE: For DCCCD Colleges What does it mean for you? So what? Now what? Center for Community College Student Engagement

4 …the least number of times students in focus groups at one college we visited returned to the college to complete the registration process. Center for Community College Student Engagement

Welcome to college!

Center for Community College Student Engagement Welcome to college!

Students don’t know what they don’t know… but we think they should…and we behave as though they do! Center for Community College Student Engagement

The students in our focus groups who reported the best experience registering at their college had something in common. What was it? Center for Community College Student Engagement

What is registration? What are the steps I have to go through? Why is it important that I take these steps? Center for Community College Student Engagement

Early Connections Across all SENSE colleges, approximately 30% of entering students didn’t really feel welcome. Across 5 DCCCD colleges in 2009, 31% - 41% of entering students didn’t really feel welcome!

An opportunity for DCCCD Colleges: Strengthen Early Connections Lower than average student engagement in this benchmark across DCCCD colleges in the SENSE survey

Early Connections Felt welcome? Adequate info and advising about financial assistance? Did at least one staff member (other than an instructor) learn your name? Was a specific person assigned to you to provide help and information?

Center for Community College Student Engagement Early Connections

During their first 3 weeks, students say… Fewer than half participated in on- campus orientation. Center for Community College Student Engagement

During their first 3 weeks… Almost 30% didn’t know they could get academic advising… 47% didn’t use it.

Center for Community College Student Engagement But we gave them the info…

Students don’t do optional!! Center for Community College Student Engagement

Imagine Success! Do I Need Orientation?

Center for Community College Student Engagement Please Advise Me!

Center for Community College Student Engagement Clear Academic Plan & Pathway For those who saw an advisor…”an advisor helped me…” Select courses for my first term – 70% Choose a program or major – fewer than 60% Set academic goals and create a plan for achieving them - fewer than 38%

Center for Community College Student Engagement Clear Academic Plan & Pathway At Brookhaven, Cedar Valley and Mountain View, more students saw an advisor and had help selecting courses, choosing a major, and setting academic goals and a plan for achieving them.

Center for Community College Student Engagement Do I Need an Advisor?

Center for Community College Student Engagement Almost 75% of entering students say no college staff member talked with them about outside commitments to help them figure out how many classes to take.

Center for Community College Student Engagement Too Many Hours…

Center for Community College Student Engagement During the first 3 weeks 43% said they came to class unprepared. More than 25% skipped class. More than 31% turned in an assignment late.

I Need Help, But… 85% never met with a tutor. 94% never used online tutoring. 65% never went to the writing or math lab. 25% never asked an instructor for help.

Center for Community College Student Engagement I Need Help, But…

I Need Help… During the first 3 weeks at Cedar Valley and El Centro, more new students… - met with a tutor. - participated in study groups. - went to the writing or math lab. - participated in supplemental instruction.

Center for Community College Student Engagement I’m Getting Help!

Center for Community College Student Engagement Helping students succeed through the equivalent of the first semester (12–15 credit hours) can dramatically improve subsequent success rates.

Center for Community College Student Engagement Engaged Learning More than 30% asked questions in class or contributed to discussion only once or NEVER Almost half worked with other students in class once or NEVER

Center for Community College Student Engagement Give Me a Reason to Come to Class…

Center for Community College Student Engagement When it Works…

Center for Community College Student Engagement During the 1 st 3 weeks of class… More than half (55%) of students responding to the SENSE survey said they received prompt feedback about their performance once or NEVER

Center for Community College Student Engagement Do you know how you’re doing?

DCCCD Special Focus: Financial Assistance Center for Community College Student Engagement

DCCCD Students Say: Most students say they need financial help, many never apply. Most learn about financial aid from families and high school counselors; many say they don’t know anything about it. Most say the cost of tuition and books will be a likely reason for their not continuing in college Center for Community College Student Engagement

What Matters Most for Entering Student Success? Center for Community College Student Engagement

Students Start Right When They… Make a connection between now and their future (setting goals) Navigate through college systems, processes and procedures Feel connected to the college Establish relationships with faculty, staff and other students

Some Observations Students experience culture shock and academic shock. It’s over within the first three weeks! You have to ask to be told…but what if you don’t know what to ask? Initiative on Student Success

Some Observations Students feel disconnected. “They didn’t notice me when I got here, they didn’t notice me when I left.” Orientation helps – but students want to meet faculty and other students before classes start. Students don’t consider it “advising” when someone simply helps them sign up for class. Initiative on Student Success

What does all this mean for us? Create an “on-ramp” to college life. Streamline registration and give it meaning – help students understand the “what” and the “why.” Make everything more personal – show them we care! If we know what students need – make it mandatory! Initiative on Student Success

High Performing Colleges …make student engagement inescapable!

Inescapable…

Arleen Arnsparger Project Manager, Initiative on Student Success Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE) Community College Leadership Program The University of Texas at Austin Web sites – Center for Community College Student Engagement For more information: