First-generation college students often experience disproportionate levels of stress, anxiety, and an overall lack of preparation for undergraduate education in comparison to their multigenerational peers. This can include differing levels of financial support and literacy. These differences can have a significant impact on these students' levels…

Using cross-institutional survey data from 407 first-year college students, differences in information literacy preparation and academic library experiences between community college students and students at four-year institutions are examined. Results show that first-year community college students are more likely to be novice library users,…

Schools develop mission statements in part to communicate their purposes of schooling to internal and external audiences. The goal of this study is to employ text analytic techniques to analyze school mission statements. Focusing on Arizona and New Jersey's schools, we seek to understand: 1) what themes (topics) emerge from their mission…

The Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP) is a high-touch, intensive college access program aimed at providing a multiyear college preparation experience to high-achieving, low-income students in the Princeton, New Jersey, area. This report presents the theory of change and logic model of PUPP, detailing the theoretical basis for the…

Many colleges are pursuing innovative alternative approaches for the development of education that aims to accelerate students' progress in gaining important academic competencies. Summer bridge programs are one such approach. These bridge programs offer underprepared and at-risk students the opportunity to advance toward college-level coursework…

Many high school students enter college without the necessary reading, writing, and math skills and therefore must enroll in developmental courses (Barnett, 2018). To increase college readiness among entering students, one state encouraged community colleges to partner with local high schools to bring the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP), which…

During the second industrial revolution (1870-1914), scientists moved away from trial-anderror methods to more systematically apply the principles of chemistry, physics, and biology (Mokyr 1998). The authors chose this period as the foundation of a project-based learning (PBL) unit integrated with the ninth-grade U.S. history curriculum (Thomas…

An evaluation of the Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP), a college access program for low-income and high-achieving public high school students, yielded favorable findings regarding the perceptions of program alumni. PUPP Alumni Survey respondents (N =126) reported that PUPP had positively impacted their development of academic and…

This report summarizes the findings of focus groups conducted with parents of former and current participants in the Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP), a college access and preparation program for low-income and high-achieving students attending public high schools in Princeton, New Jersey, and its surrounding communities. Conducted…

In summer 2015, Princeton University contracted with Educational Testing Service (ETS) to conduct an evaluation of the Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP), the college access program developed by Princeton University faculty and staff. The mixed-method ETS evaluation of PUPP included the collection and analysis of qualitative and…

An evaluation of the Princeton University Preparatory Program (PUPP), a college access program for low-income, high-achieving public high school students, yielded favorable findings regarding the perceptions of program participants. Survey results, which include responses from all 71 participants in the 2015-2016 program, indicated that the…

This article explores the use of audiences in preparation for public presentation by an urban youth organization in Camden, New Jersey (U.S.). Camden is an impoverished city with few opportunities for youth. The organization, a hybrid of youth development, technology, business, and college preparation, prepared youth for good jobs or college.…

The number of linguistically and culturally diverse students has been rapidly increasing in the United States. English language learner (ELL) enrollment has increased more than 50 percent from 1995-1996 to 2005-2006, composing about 10 percent of the total number of Pre-K-12 enrollment. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that 40 percent of the…

While community colleges have been accessible for adult learners with an immigrant and an English Language Learning (ELL) background, there is a gap between preparation and academic success on the college level among these students. Within community colleges, older adult English as a Second Language (ESL) students have the lowest first-semester…

"Paterson Teachers for Tomorrow" is a project designed to attract high school students from Paterson, NJ to careers in teaching. This article is based on an exploration of high school students' sense of self, college awareness and preparedness, and academic achievement during a year-long pre-college program. Data indicate that students…