Retention and graduation rates are declining nationwide but are exceptionally low for Black men. Extant research substantiates that various influences contribute to a student's ability to persist to graduation. Apart from the positive impact of HBCUs on educational outcomes for Black students, empirical research highlights that enrollment, campus…

The purpose of this study was to examine the first-year seminars and academic advising on academic achievement with first-year college students. The researcher investigated this mixed-methods research design to explore the relationship and differences between first-year seminars and academic advising with first-year college students. The data…

College student retention is a complex phenomenon influenced by a myriad of factors and with wide-ranging implications for university function. First-year seminar is one approach to increase first-year student retention through involvement, engagement, and integration. This quantitative study examines the influence of first-year seminar on…

In many cases, students are unaware of some parts of their study plans or do not have enough information about utilizing available college resources that may help them through their study years. The purpose of this study was to propose and evaluate a method to improve engineering students' understanding of their study plans and available resources…

Undergraduate research experiences offer a range of positive academic and affective student outcomes. However, these benefits often do not reach all students, as research experiences are often selective, favor high-achieving students, focus on STEM fields, and typically target students in their third or fourth year of undergraduate studies. To…

This study examined how students perceive the impact of a mandatory first-year seminar course on their success and persistence at a 2-year institution. Specifically, the study focused on the influence of the course curriculum and objectives to promote success and perseverance and how the campus community supports student success and persistence.…

This study examines the effectiveness of a custom-designed chatbot in a blended learning environment, focusing on its adherence to instructional guidelines and its impact on student engagement. The chatbot was designed to prompt students with questions about concepts related to various academic majors, encourage elaboration on their responses, and…

The first year of college or university is a crucial phase which significantly influences students' persistence, academic achievement, and degree completion. The challenges associated with transitioning to college are often amplified for students who are the first in their families to attend college and may be less familiar with the norms and…

College students with disabilities continue to experience various challenges in their transition into postsecondary education. However, limited research has focused on their initial transition, despite the significance of its impact on college students with disabilities. This qualitative study examined first-semester transition experiences among…

First-year seminar courses lay the foundation for student success in college, and it is important they engage students via social, cognitive, and teaching presence which are domains of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) Framework (Garrison et al., 2010). Previous evidence suggests that strategies such as a flipped classroom, co-teaching, and peer…

Freshmen beginning their undergraduate education enter college with various backgrounds and expectations. Institutions seek to properly acclimate first-year students into this new transition. One way to help a first-year student transition into college is with a first-year program. First-year programs provide a unique space for students to adjust…

In this study, a phenomenological approach was used to explore first-year seminar students' perceptions of two modes of study skills instruction, and the resulting influence on noncognitive skills, for students at a 4-year, private college in the southeastern United States. The exploration focused on two modes of study skills instruction,…

The personal, social, and academic challenges during the transition from high school to college contribute to lower retention rates and lower GPAs. These challenges are even more pronounced for historically underserved populations. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, students face new challenges and a lack of access to the typical resources and…

Student retention is a major concern for many universities. We use observational data from a regional university located in Alabama to test whether taking a first-year seminar improves student retention rates. Using a linear probit model, we find that taking a first-year seminar course is negatively correlated with retention rates, after…

The transition to college from high school is significant for at-risk students, especially as they tend to struggle with self-regulated learning skills when trying to adapt to the university environment. In an attempt to mitigate this challenge and assist students with this transition, many universities offer first-year experience courses.…