Methodology and findings are summarized for a three-year research project undertaken by a consortium of 28 Northern California (Nor Cal) community colleges to identify and help the potential dropouts among full-time, entering freshmen. The report first discusses the creation of the Nor-Cal consortium and then examines each of the three research…

The purpose of this study is to find out from transfer students exactly what they are afraid of or nervous about when they start over in a new school and examines the implications these anxieties may have for teachers. During the transition, transfer students often suffer social, academic, and emotional distress which can impede their adjustment…

An overview is provided of the efforts of Foothill College (Los Altos Hills, California) to implement more sophisticated, comprehensive, and directive student services, and of how these services will be expanded in the future. Following introductory comments on California's efforts to develop a statewide student matriculation plan, chapter 1…

Based on activities at the Trumbull Campus of Kent State University, this guidebook presents suggestions for the implementation and operation of a series of informational workshops designed as a vehicle for the recruitment and orientation of adults who are considering enrolling in college. The guidebook first gives a rationale for the workshops…

A study was conducted to gather information regarding students' use of and satisfaction with the matriculation services of Miramar College (MC) in San Diego, California. A survey instrument was distributed to students in 30 randomly selected courses; responses were obtained from 29 of the 30, and a response rate of 72.9% was attained. Results of…

Matriculation legislation, instituted in California in 1986, intended to develop a program of services to guarantee equitable access and success to all students who enroll in community colleges. In an effort to evaluate the success of its matriculation efforts, Sierra Community College (California) conducted a survey of 1,044 students in 1990. The…

Results of a national survey, "Attracting and Retaining Adult Learners" (ARAL), by the American College Testing Program are summarized. Attention is focused on programs and services that have been successful with adult learners. ARAL respondents were from three types of institutions: (1) those for whom adult learners represent a primary thrust of…

The practicum reported here addressed the difficulty some newly-immigrated Spanish-speaking, limited-English-proficient high school students experience in adjusting to a new culture, putting them at risk of dropping out of school. A program was designed for this population in a suburban high school with a substantial and increasing immigrant…

This report presents the findings for private four-year colleges that participated in ACT's 2010 What Works in Student Retention survey. The report contains information pertinent to only these institutions. Appended are: (1) Data for Private Four-Year Colleges and Universities; and (2) What Works in Student Retention: Instrument. (Contains 15…

Analysis of questionnaire responses of minority, foreign, and white graduate students at the Oklahoma State University (OSU) found that most had a positive perception of their university environment. The questionnaire was sent to a total of 920 potential respondents, of whom 284 (31%) returned completed and usable instruments. The instrument…

Immigrant and refugee students at the University of California, Berkeley, were surveyed in spring 1980 to assess their needs. Of the 311 mailed questionnaires, 208 responses were received. The data were analyzed by language group, class level, and immigrant/refugee status. The major areas of difficulty for these students were the large amount of…

A survey was conducted at Mesa College in San Diego, California to assess student satisfaction with the college's matriculation services. The in-class survey was administered over a 2-week period to a random sample of classes based on an 8% sample of the student population. The results of the study, based on a 78.7% response rate, included the…

Retention research and action programs are reviewed, and findings from the 1979 national survey entitled "What Works in Student Retention" (WWISR) are examined. The WWISR survey was designed to identify, analyze, and compile information about campus efforts to improve student retention in higher education. Questionnaires on retention were analyzed…

A survey was conducted to obtain more reliable data on Native Americans in higher education and to ascertain the factor contributing to their success and failure in college. A questionnaire was mailed to 79 colleges and universities serving the largest percentage of Native Americans in the United States. A total of 33 valid responses were…

This report presents the findings for community colleges with twenty percent or more Black students enrolled that participated in ACT's 2010 "What Works in Student Retention survey." The report contains information pertinent to only these institutions. The following are appended: (1) Data for Two-Year Community Colleges with greater than or equal…