1 WHAT WORKS IN STUDENT RETENTION Dr. Wes Habley Principal Associate Educational Services ACT, Inc.

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3  Expected and Justified  realized a goal other than a degree/certificate  Stopping Out  not on our timeframe  Unnecessary and subject to institutional intervention

4 The process of holding or keeping in one’s possession

5 The process or state of being gradually worn down. Migrant Mother, Dorothea Lange Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division [ reproduction number LC-USF C] ATTRITION

6 To continue to exist or prevail

7 Highest % Lowest % Current % Two-Year Public 53.7(’08,’09) 53.7(’08,’09) 51.3(’04) 53.7 BA/BS Public 70.0(’04) 66.4(’96,’05) 66.4(’96,’05)67.6 MA/MS Public 71.6(’06) 68.1(’89) 69.8 PhD Public 78.1(’04) 72.9(’08) 74.4 Two-year Private 72.6(‘92)55.5(’08)55.5 BA/BS Private 74.0(’89)69.6(’08)69.9 MA/MS Private 78.0(’85)72.3(’08)72.0 PhD Private 85.0(’85)80.4(’08)80.6

8 Highest % Lowest % Current % BA/BS Public 52.8(’86) 39.6(’06) 43.0 MA/MS Public 46.7(’86) 37.0(’00) 38.4 PhD Public 50.6(’89,’90) 45.0(’01) 48.7 BA/BS Private 57.5(’06) 53.3(’01) 55.9 MA/MS Private 58.4(’88) 53.5(’01) 54.8 PhD Private 68.8(’86) 63.1(05) 65.1 NATIONAL 54.6 (’90) 50.9 (‘01) 52.6

9  Overall responses  Mailing: 3360 institutions  Usable returns: 1104 (32.9%)  Four-year public college responses:  Mailing: 598 institutions  258 usable returns (43.1%)

10 Survey sections I. Background II. Retention and degree completion rates III. Factors affecting attrition IV. Retention practices V. Highest impact programs

11  42 factors listed  To what degree does each factor affect attrition at your school  5 = Major effect on attrition  4  3 = Moderate effect on attrition  2  1 = Little or no effect on attrition

12 perspectives The data reported in this survey are based on the perspectives of the individuals who responded to the survey. In some cases responses were informed by data collected at the respondent’s institution. It is inappropriate to suggest that there is an empirical relationship between any factor or intervention and student retention.

13  level of student preparation for college- level work (3.9)  adequacy of personal financial resources (3.9)  student study skills (3.8)  amount of financial aid available to students (3.7) Highest Rated Contributions to Attrition

14  level of student motivation to succeed (3.6)  level of student commitment to earning a degree (3.6)  level of job demands on students (3.5)  student low socio-economic status (3.5) Highest Rated Contributions to Attrition

15  student educational aspirations and goals (3.4)  student personal coping skills (3.3)  student first-generation status (3.3)  student family responsibilities (3.2)  level of certainty about career goals (3.2) Highest Rated Contributions to Attrition

16  adequacy of personal financial resources (69.2%)  level of student preparation for college-level work (66.0%)  student study skills (64.5%)  amount of financial aid available to students (59.9%)  level of student motivation to succeed (57.1%)  level of job demands on students (52.4%)  level of student commitment to earning a degree (52.2%)  student low socio-economic status (50.2%)

17  We have…..  a beautiful campus  great facilities  a rich set of co-curricular experiences  excellent academic programs  an outstanding faculty

18 WRONG STUDENTS

19  level of intellectual stimulation in the classroom (2.7)  quality of interaction between staff and students (2.7)  relevancy of curricula (2.6)  distance from students' permanent homes (2.6)  extracurricular programs (2.5)  residence hall facilities (2.5)

20  cultural activities (2.4)  programs to support students' transition to residence hall living (2.3)  student physical health issues (2.2)  rules and regulations governing student behavior (2.1)  campus safety and security (1.9)

21  relevancy of curricula (20.9%)  residence hall facilities (20.7%)  extracurricular programs (16.7%)  programs to support students' transition to residence hall living (15.8%)  cultural activities (13.0%)  student physical health issues (12.7%)  rules and regulations governing student behavior (10.2%)  campus safety and security (8.5%)

22 hold students responsible minimizing the institutional role It is disturbing to note….that in spite of all we know about student retention that institutions are still inclined to hold students responsible for their retention/attrition while dramatically minimizing the institutional role in student retention.

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24  94 identified retention practices  2 wild cards  Two sub-sections:  Is this intervention offered? (yes or no)  If it is offered, rate the contribution to retention ▪ Five-point Rating Scale ▪ 5 = Major Contribution to Retention ▪ 4 ▪ 3 = Moderate Contribution to Retention ▪ 2 ▪ 1 = Little or no contribution to Retention

25  Intervention clusters  First-year transition programs (8 items)  Academic advising (15)  Assessment (9)  Career Planning and Placement (6)  Learning Assistance/Academic Support (19)  Mentoring (4)  Faculty Development (7)  Financial Aid (3)  Co-curricular Services/Programs for specific sub- populations (10)  Other activities/programs (10)

26  academic advising center (4.0)  increased number of academic advisors (4.0)  advising interventions with selected student populations (4.0)  comprehensive learning assistance center/lab (3.9)

27  supplemental instruction (3.9)  first-generation students (3.9)  required on-campus housing for freshmen (3.9)  reading center/lab (3.9)  tutoring (3.8)

28  summer bridge program (3.8)  extended freshman orientation (credit) (3.8)  honors student program (3.8)  integration of advising with first-year transition programs (3.8)

29  library orientation, workshop, and/or course (2.9)  degree guarantee program (2.9)  learning styles assessment (2.9)  vocational aptitude assessment (2.9)  recognition/rewards for non-faculty academic advisors (2.9)  values assessment (2.8)  recognition/rewards for faculty academic advisors (2.8)  personality assessment (2.6)

30 Combining Percentage of Use with Item Means Top one-thirdMiddle one-thirdLowest one-third Highest rated items Lowest rated items Percentage of Institutions offering a specific intervention (INCIDENCE)

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32  advising interventions with selected student populations (3.9)  tutoring (3.8)  honor students (3.8)  mathematics center/lab (3.8)  freshman seminar/university 101 (credit) (3.7)  study skills course, program, or center (3.7)  writing center/lab (3.7)  mandated placement of students in courses based on test scores (3.7) GOOD BET: High ratings and high incidence

33  academic advising center (4.0)  comprehensive learning assistance center/lab (3.9)  supplemental instruction (3.9)  required on-campus housing for freshmen (3.9)  summer bridge program (3.8)  integration of advising with first-year transition programs (3.8) CONSIDER: High ratings and moderate incidence

34  increased number of academic advisors (4.0)  first-generation students (3.9)  reading center/lab (3.9)  extended freshman orientation (credit) (3.8)  staff mentoring ( 3.6)  extended freshman orientation (non-credit) (3.6)  center that integrates academic advising with career/life planning (3.6)

35 BORING!

36  freshman seminar/university 101 (credit) (24%)  supplemental instruction (16%)  tutoring (15%)  advising interventions with selected student populations (14%)  living/learning communities (residential) (14%)  mandated placement of students in courses based on test scores (13%)

37  academic advising center (12%)  summer orientation (11%)  early warning system (10%)  43 interventions between 1% and 9% of the institutions  42 interventions not mentioned at all

38 Learning Assistance/Academic Support Academic Advising First-year Transition Programs Highest Rated Clusters

39  Top quartile first to second year retention rate (high performers) v. bottom quartile first to second year retention rates (low performers)  High = 66 institutions  Low = 67 institutions  All contributions to attrition rated 3.5 or higher  Differential between high and low performers of.2 or greater

40 ITEM  level of student preparation for college- level work  adequacy of personal financial resources  student study skills  amount of financial aid available to students HIGH LOW

41 ITEM  level of student motivation to succeed  level of student commitment to earning a degree  level of job demands on students  student low socio- economic status HIGH LOW

42  Top quartile first to second year retention rate (high performers) v. bottom quartile first to second year retention rate (low performers)  High = 66 institutions  Low = 67 institutions  Included only items with a mean > 3.6 for all four- year public colleges  High performer incidence rate > 10% above low performer incidence rate

43  increased number of academic advisors (43% - 30%)  advising interventions with selected student populations (96% - 82%)  supplemental instruction (75% - 64%)  summer bridge program (75% - 49%)  honor students (91% - 73%)

44  integration of advising with first-year transition programs (72% - 48%)  training for non-faculty academic advisors (84% - 67%)  faculty mentoring (74% - 45%)  living/learning communities (residential) (84% - 42%)  international students (87% - 60%)  staff mentoring (57% - 31%)

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46 WHAT WORKS IN STUDENT RETENTION Dr. Wes Habley Principal Associate Educational Services ACT, Inc.

47 WHAT WORKS IN STUDENT RETENTION Four-year Public Colleges November 4 from 3:30–4:30 EST Free Webinar