In her 20s, Diana dreamed of becoming a scientific illustrator. She had not yet attended college, so she was thrilled when she received an acceptance letter from an undergraduate graphic arts program in New York City. But her excitement gave way to anxiety during the first days and weeks at her new school. Fretting about her performance, Diana sought out her professors for comfort and advice. She found them aloof and difficult to contact, however, because none of them posted office hours. When Diana reached out to the chair of the art department, he either was unavailable or expressed little interest in her concerns. Diana’s academic fears were unfounded–her first semester grades turned out to be quite good. But lacking contact and support from her teachers, Diana felt lonely, dejected and lost in the crowd. She was so disillusioned, in fact, that she abruptly dropped out of college–and never went back. Now 38, Diana teaches English as a Second Language part-time for an international language school. Her pay is $10 per hour, and she has no opportunity for advancement. Stories like Diana’s play out all over the country. Graduation rates at public four-year colleges and universities hover at around 40 percent of entering students. Their private counterparts fare only slightly better; 57 percent of their newly minted freshmen go on to graduate. Two-year public colleges have a worse record, graduating fewer than 30 percent of their students. The record has not improved in three decades, although more people attend college now than in the past. And, as Diana discovered, failing to graduate from college hampers future career prospects. Consider these statistics: six out of every 10 jobs require a postsecondary education; adults younger than 25 are more than twice as likely to be unemployed if they lack a bachelor’s degree; for those 18 and older, having a bachelor’s raises average annual income by roughly 80 percent as compared with having only a high school diploma [see box below]. This gap will most likely expand if historical trends continue: in recent decades the income of people with a bachelor’s or advanced degree has steadily risen relative to those with only a high school diploma [see box on opposite page]. Researchers have long tried to identify the causes of the alarmingly high college drop-out rates. Now many educators believe that most students who leave without finishing have failed to make a successful transition from high school to college because of a poor fit with the institution the individual has chosen. Numerous factors play into this fit, including a student’s values and family background, academic self-confidence and skills, and social and extracurricular preferences. When a disconnect occurs, as in Diana’s case, a student may feel lost almost immediately: most college dropouts, whether from public or private schools, leave by the end of their freshman year. Given the variety of obstacles over which a first-year student may stumble, no one can afford to assume that any young person, no matter how academically gifted, is certain to succeed in college. Rather students, parents and educators alike need to anticipate possible problems and take steps to prevent them. For example, students need to assess their personal, social, and academic strengths and preferences carefully before entering college to raise the chances of picking a school that is right for them. Taking precollege summer programs and, in some cases, selecting remedial undergraduate courses can help many students or prospective students better handle the intellectual rigors of college [see box on next page]. Fitting In Although studies of college dropouts date back at least 70 years, the field experienced a resurgence in the 1960s and 1970s, when postsecondary education became widely available to women, minorities and low-income families. In the early 1960s psychologist John Summerskill of Cornell University was among the researchers trying to better understand the dynamics of a diverse student population by examining retention through a psychological lens, pinpointing personality aspects–such as maturity level and motivation–that affect drop-out rates. In 1971 sociologist William Spady, who held positions at Harvard University and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, added a community dimension to the retention puzzle. In Spady’s view, the problem of keeping students was a function of the interaction between certain characteristics of the individual–such as his or her values, interests and skills–and the campus environment. Several years later Syracuse University education researcher Vincent Tinto expanded on this idea, theorizing that whether a student stays in college pivots on the social and academic integration of that person into the college community. More than just going to a new school, Tinto realized, entering college is a rite of passage in which students must make a transition from the community of their childhood–their family, high school, hometown–to that of the college in which roommates stand in for siblings, trusted teachers for parents, and a dorm in a new town for home. Students may falter during this transition for any number of reasons, Tinto speculated. Some may have trouble finding friends and thus fail to socially integrate. Others may find that their culture or values are at odds with those of the new community. For example, an African-American student may feel out of place in a school where virtually all his peers are white. Similarly, a devout Catholic student may have difficulty accepting the values of a secular college. A studious person who ends up in a party dorm may encounter an uncomfortable mismatch between her priorities and those of her classmates. Students who successfully assimilate, on the other hand, are generally those whose values, cultural background and academic interests match those of the college they have chosen, Tinto argues. And more students will happily integrate, he adds, if the school offers a strong faculty support network and a variety of extracurricular activities that can accommodate different student needs. Researchers in the retention field have found much to admire about Tinto’s ideas even as they have struggled to verify them empirically, principally because academic and social integration are hard to define and, consequently, to measure. That said, Tinto’s theory is consistent with the high attrition rates of freshmen and the idea, gleaned from the literature, that the first eight weeks of college are a particularly critical period for determining whether a student will stay the course. In addition, a 1997 meta-analysis (quantitative review) of retention studies led by Vanderbilt University education researcher John Braxton provides some support for Tinto’s findings. Its conclusion: one of the key influences on a student’s commitment to completing college is whether the student integrates successfully into social circles early on. If she does, she will be more likely to remain in college until graduation. Other variables that affect a student’s commitment to school, Braxton and his colleagues reported, are “student entry characteristics” such as parental education level and other family factors; inborn traits such as academic ability, race and ethnicity, and gender; and achievement record in high school. Buckling Down Academic background, along with strong study skills and academic self-confidence, may be particularly important for stacking the deck in favor of graduation, some studies suggest. Highly selective public colleges and universities, which admit only those high school students who have high GPAs and SAT scores, graduate 76 percent of their students within five years, whereas public colleges with open admission, which admit anyone with a high school diploma, graduate a mere 34 percent of students within five years, according to a 2006 study by ACT, formerly the American College Testing Program [see box on opposite page]. A 2004 review of more than 100 retention studies conducted by ACT researchers pinpoints commitment to getting a degree, academic self-confidence, and good study and time management skills as top predictors of college graduation. Further, the ACT researchers found that general self-confidence and motivation to achieve do not correlate with retention, indicating that it is more specific academic goals that matter. A student’s high school grades and standardized test scores had less of a bearing on graduation, the ACT researchers concluded, but quite ably predicted college grades. This finding hints that persistence and study skills may be more critical for graduation than the ability to get stellar grades. That is, smart students who lose track of time, fail to study or to study properly, and do not value academic success may be less likely to pass enough classes to graduate than are less gifted students, who, despite not earning As, study diligently and manage their time well. Getting a Jump start To ameliorate some of these problems, an innovative high school program known as the Early College High School Initiative helps to prepare students academically by exposing them to college-level courses during high school. In 125 high schools scattered across 23 states, the advanced courses are taught in small classes that provide additional learning time and academic support. They bolster basic math and literacy skills, including, for example, how to take notes, support opinions and analyze literature. Such schools also enable high school graduates to earn an associate degree (a two-year college degree) or enough credits to enter college as a junior, giving students an academic head start and relieving some of the financial burden of college. College summer programs and remedial courses can also help students bone up on skills needed to succeed academically in college. At Felician College, we offer Jump Start, a free summer program for incoming students in which they attend classes to improve their reading, writing and math skills. Like many other colleges, Felician distributes a precollege reading list of some of the books students will encounter in their freshman year. And incoming students who lack basic math, reading or writing skills should seek first-semester classes that fill those gaps. Also, all freshmen would be wise to take a study skills course if their school offers one. Such courses can help students manage their time, take good notes and focus on the most important content of a lecture or textbook, among other habits that will help them survive the next four years. But academic preparation is only part of the battle, if you believe Tinto. Feeling comfortable at college depends as much on an institution’s social milieu as on having read Hemingway or passed geometry. Before picking a college, students should consider, for example, whether they would flourish best in a big school or a small one, in a religious or secular environment, in the country or a city, or in a single-sex or coed college. Students must carefully research and visit institutions and attend open houses, summer orientation sessions and prospective student receptions. They should use these occasions to ask questions about the school and meet other students and professors. Individuals who immerse themselves in clubs or activities early in the year are also more likely to develop a sense of belonging at college. And taking at least some small classes can offer a valuable opportunity to interact with professors. In my classes, which average 10 to 20 students, I make a point of getting to know each student. Meanwhile ties to the childhood home and family remain important, even as students try to move on. Parents should stay involved with their children and ask them about their grades, friendships, activities and overall happiness. Whenever practical, parents should visit their son or daughter at college–to help make school feel more like home.
Diana’s academic fears were unfounded–her first semester grades turned out to be quite good. But lacking contact and support from her teachers, Diana felt lonely, dejected and lost in the crowd. She was so disillusioned, in fact, that she abruptly dropped out of college–and never went back. Now 38, Diana teaches English as a Second Language part-time for an international language school. Her pay is $10 per hour, and she has no opportunity for advancement.
Stories like Diana’s play out all over the country. Graduation rates at public four-year colleges and universities hover at around 40 percent of entering students. Their private counterparts fare only slightly better; 57 percent of their newly minted freshmen go on to graduate. Two-year public colleges have a worse record, graduating fewer than 30 percent of their students. The record has not improved in three decades, although more people attend college now than in the past.
And, as Diana discovered, failing to graduate from college hampers future career prospects. Consider these statistics: six out of every 10 jobs require a postsecondary education; adults younger than 25 are more than twice as likely to be unemployed if they lack a bachelor’s degree; for those 18 and older, having a bachelor’s raises average annual income by roughly 80 percent as compared with having only a high school diploma [see box below]. This gap will most likely expand if historical trends continue: in recent decades the income of people with a bachelor’s or advanced degree has steadily risen relative to those with only a high school diploma [see box on opposite page].
Researchers have long tried to identify the causes of the alarmingly high college drop-out rates. Now many educators believe that most students who leave without finishing have failed to make a successful transition from high school to college because of a poor fit with the institution the individual has chosen. Numerous factors play into this fit, including a student’s values and family background, academic self-confidence and skills, and social and extracurricular preferences. When a disconnect occurs, as in Diana’s case, a student may feel lost almost immediately: most college dropouts, whether from public or private schools, leave by the end of their freshman year.
Given the variety of obstacles over which a first-year student may stumble, no one can afford to assume that any young person, no matter how academically gifted, is certain to succeed in college. Rather students, parents and educators alike need to anticipate possible problems and take steps to prevent them. For example, students need to assess their personal, social, and academic strengths and preferences carefully before entering college to raise the chances of picking a school that is right for them. Taking precollege summer programs and, in some cases, selecting remedial undergraduate courses can help many students or prospective students better handle the intellectual rigors of college [see box on next page].
Fitting In Although studies of college dropouts date back at least 70 years, the field experienced a resurgence in the 1960s and 1970s, when postsecondary education became widely available to women, minorities and low-income families. In the early 1960s psychologist John Summerskill of Cornell University was among the researchers trying to better understand the dynamics of a diverse student population by examining retention through a psychological lens, pinpointing personality aspects–such as maturity level and motivation–that affect drop-out rates.
In 1971 sociologist William Spady, who held positions at Harvard University and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, added a community dimension to the retention puzzle. In Spady’s view, the problem of keeping students was a function of the interaction between certain characteristics of the individual–such as his or her values, interests and skills–and the campus environment. Several years later Syracuse University education researcher Vincent Tinto expanded on this idea, theorizing that whether a student stays in college pivots on the social and academic integration of that person into the college community. More than just going to a new school, Tinto realized, entering college is a rite of passage in which students must make a transition from the community of their childhood–their family, high school, hometown–to that of the college in which roommates stand in for siblings, trusted teachers for parents, and a dorm in a new town for home.
Students may falter during this transition for any number of reasons, Tinto speculated. Some may have trouble finding friends and thus fail to socially integrate. Others may find that their culture or values are at odds with those of the new community. For example, an African-American student may feel out of place in a school where virtually all his peers are white. Similarly, a devout Catholic student may have difficulty accepting the values of a secular college. A studious person who ends up in a party dorm may encounter an uncomfortable mismatch between her priorities and those of her classmates.
Students who successfully assimilate, on the other hand, are generally those whose values, cultural background and academic interests match those of the college they have chosen, Tinto argues. And more students will happily integrate, he adds, if the school offers a strong faculty support network and a variety of extracurricular activities that can accommodate different student needs.
Researchers in the retention field have found much to admire about Tinto’s ideas even as they have struggled to verify them empirically, principally because academic and social integration are hard to define and, consequently, to measure. That said, Tinto’s theory is consistent with the high attrition rates of freshmen and the idea, gleaned from the literature, that the first eight weeks of college are a particularly critical period for determining whether a student will stay the course.
In addition, a 1997 meta-analysis (quantitative review) of retention studies led by Vanderbilt University education researcher John Braxton provides some support for Tinto’s findings. Its conclusion: one of the key influences on a student’s commitment to completing college is whether the student integrates successfully into social circles early on. If she does, she will be more likely to remain in college until graduation. Other variables that affect a student’s commitment to school, Braxton and his colleagues reported, are “student entry characteristics” such as parental education level and other family factors; inborn traits such as academic ability, race and ethnicity, and gender; and achievement record in high school.
Buckling Down Academic background, along with strong study skills and academic self-confidence, may be particularly important for stacking the deck in favor of graduation, some studies suggest. Highly selective public colleges and universities, which admit only those high school students who have high GPAs and SAT scores, graduate 76 percent of their students within five years, whereas public colleges with open admission, which admit anyone with a high school diploma, graduate a mere 34 percent of students within five years, according to a 2006 study by ACT, formerly the American College Testing Program [see box on opposite page].
A 2004 review of more than 100 retention studies conducted by ACT researchers pinpoints commitment to getting a degree, academic self-confidence, and good study and time management skills as top predictors of college graduation. Further, the ACT researchers found that general self-confidence and motivation to achieve do not correlate with retention, indicating that it is more specific academic goals that matter.
A student’s high school grades and standardized test scores had less of a bearing on graduation, the ACT researchers concluded, but quite ably predicted college grades. This finding hints that persistence and study skills may be more critical for graduation than the ability to get stellar grades. That is, smart students who lose track of time, fail to study or to study properly, and do not value academic success may be less likely to pass enough classes to graduate than are less gifted students, who, despite not earning As, study diligently and manage their time well.
Getting a Jump start To ameliorate some of these problems, an innovative high school program known as the Early College High School Initiative helps to prepare students academically by exposing them to college-level courses during high school. In 125 high schools scattered across 23 states, the advanced courses are taught in small classes that provide additional learning time and academic support. They bolster basic math and literacy skills, including, for example, how to take notes, support opinions and analyze literature. Such schools also enable high school graduates to earn an associate degree (a two-year college degree) or enough credits to enter college as a junior, giving students an academic head start and relieving some of the financial burden of college.
College summer programs and remedial courses can also help students bone up on skills needed to succeed academically in college. At Felician College, we offer Jump Start, a free summer program for incoming students in which they attend classes to improve their reading, writing and math skills. Like many other colleges, Felician distributes a precollege reading list of some of the books students will encounter in their freshman year. And incoming students who lack basic math, reading or writing skills should seek first-semester classes that fill those gaps. Also, all freshmen would be wise to take a study skills course if their school offers one. Such courses can help students manage their time, take good notes and focus on the most important content of a lecture or textbook, among other habits that will help them survive the next four years.
But academic preparation is only part of the battle, if you believe Tinto. Feeling comfortable at college depends as much on an institution’s social milieu as on having read Hemingway or passed geometry. Before picking a college, students should consider, for example, whether they would flourish best in a big school or a small one, in a religious or secular environment, in the country or a city, or in a single-sex or coed college. Students must carefully research and visit institutions and attend open houses, summer orientation sessions and prospective student receptions. They should use these occasions to ask questions about the school and meet other students and professors.
Individuals who immerse themselves in clubs or activities early in the year are also more likely to develop a sense of belonging at college. And taking at least some small classes can offer a valuable opportunity to interact with professors. In my classes, which average 10 to 20 students, I make a point of getting to know each student.
Meanwhile ties to the childhood home and family remain important, even as students try to move on. Parents should stay involved with their children and ask them about their grades, friendships, activities and overall happiness. Whenever practical, parents should visit their son or daughter at college–to help make school feel more like home.
