This report describes a learning assistance program at Lamar University, Texas, designed to improve study skills and decrease attrition among college students through the use of peer counselors. The objectives of this two-credit, non-remedial course are discussed, and the material covered in the 18-week course is described, by week, in Table 1.…

This paper discusses the student attrition rate, particularily that of freshmen, in economic terms--loss of students means loss of revenue (tuition) and maintains that, with proper planning colleges could retain an additional 10 percent of freshmen students who drop out. The authors contend that many college freshmen are confused by an…

Kingsborough Community College's New Start Program, designed to prevent dropping out, allows students on the verge of academic failure at three participating senior colleges to enroll as students in good standing, earn credits, and reenroll in any City University of New York senior college. (MSE)

The Freshman Advising Program at Illinois Benedictine College is described. The program was developed to improve the quality of academic advising and to lower the student attrition rate. (MLW)

Examined the differences between the home environment and college environment and the personal and academic characteristics of persisting (N=201) and nonpersisting (N=165) students at a major midwestern university. Develops recommendations and guidelines for colleges and universities to help curtail the college dropout problem. (PAS)

Questions (N=40) were tested for their ability to discriminate compatible roommates. A stepwise discriminant analysis selected 15 items for inclusion in a discriminant function that, when used to reclassify pairs, was 90 percent accurate. The question that contributed most to discriminating the groups was weekday bedtime. (Author)

Chronicles the 5-year effort of a comprehensive student development and advising center to identify the most effective support programs for increasing one-year retention rates for first-time freshmen. The progression from intrusive advising programs to integrated and systematic learning skills instruction resulted in substantial gains in…

The effect of the perceived quality of academic advising on student attrition was studied for 1,033 first-time freshmen at a public urban university. High quality advising reduced attrition. Low-quality advising was less successful in reducing attrition, but was associated with less attrition than was no advising at all. (SLD)

Albertus Magnus College (Connecticut) has addressed the problem of declining enrollment offering a bachelor's degree program compressed into three years. Three full semesters are squeezed into an academic year. The semester is shortened by two weeks, but class time is lengthened. The third semester's tuition each year is discounted. (MSE)

A University of North Carolina (Charlotte) program provides tutorial services to students in certain high-risk courses. Participants from 1988-89 earned higher final grades and had fewer lower grades and withdrawals than nonparticipants, despite lower predicted academic potential and industriousness at the time of college entry. (Author/MSE)

A study of 14 Open University (Great Britain) undergraduate courses examined tutor marked assignment (TMA) rates as a reliable early indicator of student retention. This article reviews the effectiveness of course-related evaluation strategies (standard, evaluator-initiated; specific, client-initiated; quantitative; and qualitative) and argues the…

Reviews research and theory on factors cited as contributing to the retention and graduation of African-American students attending predominantly white institutions. Proposes a model to help such institutions provide positive learning experiences for African-Americans. The model has three stages: (1) recruitment considerations, (2) the first-year…

Proposes a systematic approach that focuses on student success and continual improvement in retention to assess college student retention programs Identifies three major components of retention research: (1) determining dropout predictors; (2) identifying critical points; and (3) validating outcomes assessment of retention endeavors. Also…

Describes the evaluation of four different retention programs implemented at the University of Southern Maine. Data from student surveys, student test scores and grades, and program cost figures indicated that the two learning community programs were more effective than the non-learning community programs. Investment in learning communities made…

This Academic Skills Mini-Module is one of the first documented efforts designed for encouraging students to prevent themselves from dropping out of college. It is also a reflection of research findings which maintain that any methods used to help students to improve their academic performance will also minimize attrition rates. Academic…