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…

The purpose of this practicum was to develop a study skills curriculum to be incorporated into the existing ACT I Extended Freshman Orientation program at Brenau College in Georgia, to assist underprepared students admitted under special admissions programs in achieving greater academic success. An eight-step curriculum development process was…

This booklet, written for parents of children entering Virginia's public elementary schools, is designed to help parents help their children during this crucial stage of education. Chapter 1, "Starting Elementary School," discusses requirements for children in kindergarten, readiness for kindergarten, preparing children to enter…

A 1980 needs assessment survey of women students at the University of California, Davis, was undertaken. The 327 women respondents (41 percent response rate) were undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students. In addition to collecting information about female respondents, including marital status, number of children, career plans, and…

The Community College of Philadelphia's Minority Education Initiative Program was created to increase the enrollment of Black and Hispanic students through pro-active recruitment and retention strategies. One component of the initiative, a minority mentoring program, was developed and pilot tested in spring 1988. Faculty and staff volunteers in…

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…

A secondary school principals' reference guide provides information on key issues concerning foreign students in the United States both in organized exchange programs and under sponsorship of relatives and friends. The topics discussed include: elements in promoting successful youth exchange programs; admissions and academic placement (initial…

A college-level integrated study skills and orientation course is described. The unique aspect of the course is that learning/teaching occurs in the context of the university environment. Learning experiences generally utilized with this approach to reading and study skills instruction are illustrated by the following projects: an organized…

A handbook designed to assist Chinese students and scholars who are planning an extended stay on a U.S. college or university campus is presented. The guide includes a brief overview of the U.S. postsecondary education system, with attention focused on study, not research opportunities. The following topics are addressed: passports and visas for…

Nonacademic factors that may influence recruitment and retention of black students at predominantly white colleges and of white students at predominantly black colleges in Virginia were studied. The study was designed to identify the special problems of these students and the nonacademic activities designed to address those problems. Twenty-one…

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 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…

The Indian Resources Development and Internship (IRDI) Program marked its fifth year by continuing to assist Indian tribes in developing a managerial, professional, and scientific corps of American Indians through college academic education and related practical work experience. Participants attended universities and pursued majors of their…