During 1987-88, Manor Junior College, in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, developed a semester-long freshman seminar designed to help students understand the college system, to strengthen students' identification with their vocational program and career choice, and to improve students' academic competencies and confidence in their ability to achieve…

Student recruitment and retention at small colleges are considered, and Brunswick Foundation's Small College Program is described. An overview considers problems of small colleges (those with enrollments of 2,000 and less), and the Foundations's approach to meeting the needs of small colleges. The Foundation's Small College Program, which provides…

Analysis of data from 5 years shows that students enrolled in the Dalton Junior College (Georgia) first-year seminar, although similar to a comparison group in age, sex, standardized entrance test scores, degree objectives, and group grade point average, attempted more course hours, showed a higher retention rate, completed more hours, and had a…

A study investigated the cost effectiveness of a Seton Hall University (New Jersey) freshman studies program designed to improve retention, stabilize enrollments, and enrich campus life. Data were analyzed from short- and long-term perspectives. Results indicate that, despite increasing costs, the program is a cost-effective approach to student…

A longitudinal study was undertaken to assess the effect of a one-credit, 8-week freshman seminar on student development and retention. The study sought to measure student outcomes related to knowledge of college resources and services, utilization of academic support services, increases in self-assessed learning skills, increases in students'…

The "revolving door syndrome" refers to the ease with which students are able to enroll in community colleges and the equal ease with which they can drop out. In addition to traditional retention strategies, such as assessment, placement, orientation and advising, innovative approaches have been implemented at five community colleges…

In spring 1992, a group of faculty and staff at East Central College (ECC) in Union, Missouri, met to reconsider the school's orientation process, which had had limited success since its inception in 1987. The group developed a list of objectives for the orientation process and grouped them under the headings of skills, awareness, involvement, and…

The College Discovery Summer Program (CDSP) is a 6-week program designed to bring students already accepted for admissions to Bronx Community College (BCC) onto campus prior to their first year at BCC. The curriculum component of the CDSP includes intensive courses in mathematics, reading, and writing, while the student development component is a…

In 1960, Mount St. Mary's College (MSMC) opened the Doheny campus as an alternative for students who had potential for college, but who were not eligible to enter MSMC's traditional baccalaureate campus. The Doheny Campus has consistently developed innovative programs to enable students to successfully complete associate in arts degrees and also…

The nature of motivation among students taking higher studies is examined, based on research and interviews with students from various English polytechnics and universities. Study topics include environmental factors that influence success, the reasons for student withdrawal, and the effects of courses and teaching methods, as well as the…

"Avenues to Success in College," a noncredit first-year orientation course, taught study and coping skills, familiarized students with campus facilities, and provided information about drug/alcohol use and other first-year concerns. Students completing the course earned higher average grades, were less likely to experience academic…

The Native Hawaiian Project at Leeward Community College (LCC) in Pearl City, Hawaii, was developed to increase the retention and academic success of native Hawaiian students at the college. The project was initiated in summer 1988 with the establishment of the Native Hawaiian Recruitment and Retention Task force to examine campus services and…

The project's objectives included: (1) increasing the enrollment and retention of academically talented students in teacher education programs at Kentucky State University (KSU), and (2) enhancing communication and collaboration between the university and key stakeholders in the community (parents and business, education, and policy leaders). The…

The summer "bridge" part of the Special Transitional Enrichment Program (STEP) at the University of California (UC), Davis, was evaluated with attention to first-year academic performance and retention. STEP, part of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), is an orientation and academic program to help low-income and minority students…

Comparison of the responses of Asian, black, and white honors students attending a first-year seminar at a large research university found that Asians differed most often from white and black students on all issues. Academic issues most often engendered group differences. Results suggest that racial subgroups in the honors student population have…