Online courses provide flexible learning opportunities, but research suggests that students may learn less and persist at lower rates compared to face-to-face settings. However, few studies have investigated more distal effects of online education. In this study, we analyzed 6 years of institutional data for three cohorts of students in 13 large…

Guided pathways are emerging as a strategy to help students complete a credential in a timely manner by encouraging or requiring them to select a program, and develop a degree plan or map, on a specified timeline. At a minimum, institutions may ask students to identify a meta-major, which is a broad area of academic programs with related courses…

Since mid-2007, the United States has experienced the direst economic recession since the Great Depression. While considerable institutional resources have been spent on boosting 4-year graduation rates, many college students purposefully delayed graduation, waiting to enter the labor market until the overall economic situation had improved. The…

This dissertation includes three chapters focusing on policies directly related to improving college access and success. The first chapter focuses on lifetime eligibility of federal and state financial aid policies. The Pell Grant plays a critical role in helping students across the US to afford undergraduate education. In spite of its importance…

The primary goal of the California State University's (CSU) Graduation Initiative 2025 (GI 2025) is to reduce time to degree. The results of a survey and focus groups involving students at three CSU campuses, undertaken by the Education Insights Center (EdInsights) on behalf of the CSU Student Success Network, indicate that this goal is consistent…

California cannot produce the educated population our workforce and high-tech industries demand without significantly increasing the number of community college students transferring to universities. A strong transfer system is crucial not just for employers who need educated workers, but also for students seeking a clear and affordable path to…

The second year of college can be as important as the first year but far fewer studies have been conducted on second-year students. About 12% of students leave California State University - Fresno during or after their second year. In this report, we examined second year students to find the differences between those who graduate and those who…

When students take courses out of sequence, it can have a detrimental effect on both teaching and learning. At California State University-Fresno, we see a considerable number of freshmen taking upper division classes and an even larger number of upper-division students taking lower level classes. The purpose of this study was to examine academic…

According to the national studies (Bahr, 2009; Peter, 2006; McCormick, 2003) the proportion of college students attending multiple institutions during their undergraduate career is growing. In this report, we examined the extent of concurrent and back-and-forth enrollment, characteristics of students who attended multiple institutions, the type of…

Through Service Learning, students learn while serving the community. This "educational approach ties relevant community service to academic content and uses critical reflection activities to strengthen learning and developmental outcomes" (www.csufresno.edu/sl/). Studies have shown (Astin, et.al., 2000; Eyler, et.al., 2001) that Service…

The author writes that for too many low-income students the open door to American higher education has become a revolving door. In examining what can be done, he recognizes the centrality of the classroom to student success.

Interviews with 48 Mexican American college students who excelled in high school revealed that Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores did not predict time to completion of degree, college grade point average, or likelihood of applying to graduate school. However, many students with low SAT scores were initially traumatized and were aware of missed…

Studies conducted by the University of California and California State University, concerning the time students take to complete the baccalaureate degree, are synopsized and reported. The methodology, findings, and conclusions of each report are provided separately, and the reports themselves are appended, along with the survey instruments. A…