Focus Up Front:
Engaging Entering Students
First Year Experience Conference – February 9, 2009
2008 Findings
Focus Up Front: Engaging
Entering Students
Angela Oriano-Darnall, Ph.D.
Assistant Director, Survey of Entering Student
Engagement (SENSE)
Center for Community College Student
Engagement (CCCSE)
Community College Leadership Program
(CCLP)
University of Texas at Austin
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Why focus on entering students?
•
Community colleges typically lose half of their
students prior to the second year
•
Achieving the Dream Round One colleges
(41,008 students) 14% earned NO credits during
first term
•
Helping students succeed through the equivalent
of the first semester (12–15 credit hours) can
dramatically improve subsequent success rates
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
CCSSE data show students
typically described as high risk
report higher levels of
engagement than their low-risk
peers*
Why?
Highly-engaged
students are the
students who survive
to the second term!
*When
there are Student
differences
in engagement
Survey
of Entering
Engagement
SENSE: A Tool for Improvement
SENSE provides data that
•
focus on first impressions, entering
processes, classroom experiences
and other special topics
•
are grounded in research about
what works to retain and support
entering students
•
identify and help colleges learn from
practices that engage entering
students, and
•
identify areas for improvement
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
CCSSE – SENSE Comparison
CCSSE
• Sampling Frame:
All credit courses
excluding ESL &
Distance Learning
• Drawn from Course
Registration File –
Actual Enrollments
• Administration –
Throughout Spring
Semester
• Paper Reports –
End of July
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
SENSE
• Sampling Frame: All
developmental
courses and first
college-level English
and math course(s)
excluding ESL &
Distance Learning
• Drawn from Course
Schedule File –
Projected
Enrollments
• Administration – 4th
and 5th weeks Fall
Semester
SENSE Overview
• Qualitative companion project – MetLife Foundation
Initiative on Student Success
• Special-Focus Modules (up to 2 per college)
• Piloted in fall 2007 with 22 colleges
• Launched Entering Student Success Institutes
• Field Test fall 2008 with 89 colleges
• First national administration fall 2009 – registration
open through April 3rd at www.enteringstudent.org
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
2008 Selected Findings
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Overview of Field Test
Respondents
Race/Ethnicity of 2008 Field Test Respondents
Race/Ethnicity
Entering
students
Returning
students
All
respondents
Latino/Hispa
nic
12%
14%
13%
White
63%
58%
61%
African
American
15%
17%
16%
Asian
4%
5%
4%
Native
American
1%
1%
1%
Native
Hawaiian
<1%
<1%
<1%
4%
5%
4%
Other
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Field Test Respondent Characteristics
Characteristic
Entering
students
Returnin
All
g
studen
students
ts
Male
43%
37%
41%
Female
57%
63%
59%
Enrolled part-time
27%
38%
31%
Enrolled full-time
73%
62%
69%
Traditional-age (18-24)
82%
63%
74%
Nontraditional-age (25+)
18%
37%
26%
Work more than 20 hours/
week
40%
53%
45%
English is their first
language
88%
84%
87%
Married
11%
20%
15%
20%
32%
25%
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Have children living with
Selected Findings: Entry Processes “They do have information available, but I found that trying to navigate their
Web page is like trying to figure out a calculus problem when you have no
clue what calculus is.”
­­Female Student
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
First Impressions
Entering Students’ First Impressions of Their Colleges
The very first time I came to this college, I felt
welcome.
Strongly
Agree
3.2 0.8
27.1
16.1
Agree
No Opinion
Disagree
52.8
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Strongly
Disagree
Getting to Know You
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Orientation
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
44.3
31.6
8.2 7.7
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
28.2
27.7
22.4
20.6
5
6.9
One College’s Response:
Reorganize and Improve
Orientation
Although Durham Technical Community
College had a pre-enrollment orientation
program, its SENSE data led college to revise
program. 67% of entering students indicated
they were not aware of orientation and only
22% actually attended.
Durham focused on two goals: increase
participation and maintain quality by
developing learning outcomes for orientation.
Resulted in a 350% increase in new student
attendees over the previous year. 92%
indicated (based on end-of-program
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Selected Findings: Financial Assistance
“They say our parents make too much, but really they don’t. So, maybe we can pay the tuition, but then they want another $200­$300 for books…
That’s the reason a lot of students drop out – they just can’t afford the books.”
­­Male Student
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Financial Assistance
17% disagree or strongly
disagree they will have money
to pay tuition required to
meet their goals
15% disagree or strongly
disagree they will have money
to pay for books and supplies
required to meet their goals
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Financial Assistance
How often did you use Financial Aid
advising? (Never)
Never = 56.5%
I applied for financial assistance.
(No)
No = 25.0%
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Special Focus Module: Financial
Assistance
If you did not complete the FAFSA, what was the
MAIN reason you did not?
37.30%
40%
35%
30%
26.0%
25%
21.80%
20%
15%
10%
5%
Didn't want to
provide
sensitive/personal
information
Form was too
complicated
Did not think I
would qualify
10.70%
4.20%
0%
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Did not need
financial
assistance
Other
Special Focus Module: Financial
Assistance
Have you submitted the form for financial
assistance known as FAFSA to pay for your
expenses at this college?
80
70
60
73.7
Yes
60.5
No
Don't
Recall
50
40
33.2
30
23.6
20
10
0
3.9 2.4
Men
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
1.7
Women
1
Don't
know
what
it is
Special Focus Module: Financial
Assistance
Students who completed the FAFSA report: The
financial assistance office staff members were
available to help me complete my application.
35%
30%
30%
25%
24%
20%
15%
15%
9.0%
10%
5%
0%
Strongly Agree
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Agree
Disagree
One College’s Response: Take Preenrollment Services to High School
Campuses
Austin Community College District’s (ACCD) College
Connection Program provides pre-enrollment
services (including financial aid) to 15,000+ seniors
on high school campuses
Day & evening information sessions for parents &
students to help understand process, deadlines, &
materials needed for financial aid application.
Provide one-on-one assistance for students and
parents to complete the FAFSA FAFSA completion continues to increase:
2007-08: 1,423 seniors completed the FAFSA by
April, 2008. Survey
of Entering Student
Engagement
2008-09
(through
January 2009): 2,007 seniors
Selected Findings: Academic Advising & Planning
“Students have their dreams and goals in hand, but their action plan is blank. We, as professor, educators, and staff, should be able to help them fill in the blanks.”
­­Faculty Member
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Please Advise Me!
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Academic Advising: Where
Do Entering Students Turn?
What has been your primary source of academic
advising (academic advising, course recommendations,
graduation requirements, etc.)?
Other college materials
3.9
College Website
7.3
Computerized degree advisor 1
Friends, family or other students
Staff (not instructors)
Instructors
52.4
13.5
21.8
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Academic Advising & Planning
An Advisor helped me to select a course of study,
program or major
(65% Agree or Strongly Agree)
40%
37.90%
35%
30%
27.10%
25%
20%
18.30%
15%
11.8%
10%
5%
0%
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
4.80%
Strongly
Agree
Agree
No
Opinion
Disagre
e
Strongly
Disagre
e
Academic Advising & Planning
An Advisor helped identify the courses I needed to
take during my first semester/quarter (76% Agree
or Strongly Agree)
50%
45%
45.90%
40%
35%
30%
30.20%
25%
20%
15%
12.50%
10%
5%
0%
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
7.8%
3.50%
Strongly
Agree
Agree
No
Opinion
Disagre
e
Strongly
Disagre
e
Academic Advising & Planning
An Advisor helped me to set academic goals and to
create a plan for achieving them (39% Agree or
Strongly Agree)
35%
30.70%
30%
25%
24.90%
22.5%
20%
15%
14.20%
10%
5%
0%
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
7.60%
Strongly
Agree
Agree
No
Opinion
Disagre
e
Strongly
Disagre
e
One College’s Response:
Invest in Academic Advising
North Harris College (TX)– Lone Star District SENSE
data revealed few students used academic advising
– and those who did were not satisfied
Sent team to Entering Student Success Institute –
Determined that improving academic advising
experience was a top priority
After ESSI conducted student focus groups reinforced SENSE findings and what they heard at
ESSI from resident faculty, speakers and colleagues
Hired 11 new academic advisors
Adopting case management approach – students
want one person
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Selected Findings: Student Success Courses
“The class was mandatory for financial aid. They should put a class like this in high school. We’ve learned about note taking, how to handle stress – and time Management. Lots of different things. It’s very helpful and useful.”
­­Male Student
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Motivation and Goal
Commitment
51% Strongly Agree and 37%
Somewhat Agree they are prepared
academically to succeed in college.
68% Strongly Agree and 24%
Somewhat Agree they have the
motivation to do what it takes to
succeed in college.
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Academic Preparedness
Based on placement tests entering
students report:
• 25% needed developmental reading
•26% needed developmental writing
•51% needed developmental math
•13% needed remediation in all 3
areas
84% of developmental students were
required to take courses indicated by
placement tests during first term
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Academic Advising & Planning
A college staff member talked with me about my
commitments outside of school to help me figure
out the number of courses to take
(27% Agree or Strongly Agree – 36% Disagree or
Strongly Disagree)
35%
32%
30%
27%
25%
20%
18%
14%
15%
10%
9%
5%
0%
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Strongly
Agree
Agree
No
Opinion
Disagre
e
Strongly
Disagre
e
It’s About Time
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Student Success Courses:
Integrating Support
Services
Students Responding to the SpecialFocus Module on Student Success
Courses Indicate Agree or Somewhat
Agree: This course…
Helped me to be a better student: 63%
Helped me to feel more connected to
the college: 51%
Should be mandatory for new st
udents: 74%
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Student Success Courses:
Special-Focus Module
Within a class or through
another experience at this
college, I learned to….
Understand my academic strengths
& weaknesses
Improve my test-taking ability
Improve my time management
skills
Improve my reading of texts and
Survey
of Entering
Student Engagement
other
materials
Yes
Succe
ss
Cours
e
A or
S/A
No
Succe
ss
Cours
e
A or
S/A
75%
67%
60%
47%
69%
57%
66%
53%
Student Success Courses:
Special-Focus Module
Within a class or through
another experience at this
college, I…
Developed a written plan for how
and when I can achieve them
Learned about college policies and
deadlines that affect me
Learned about college services
available to help students succeed
in their studies
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Yes
Succe
ss
Cours
e
A or
S/A
No
Succe
ss
Cours
e
A or
S/A
58%
44%
81%
76%
80%
68%
One College’s Response:
Wrap Advising and Planning into the
Classroom
Houston Community College’s Student Success Course
requires students to explore careers, learn about HCC
program offerings, work with academic advisors to
declare a major, and to file a degree plan.
Positive effects for student retention. Strongest gains
have been among Hispanic and African American
Students. HCC reports retention increases over
previous year of:
Hispanic
African American
Fall-to-Fall
14.4%
5.3%
Fall-to-Second Spring
26%
13.1%
Course is now required for all new students with fewer
than 12 credits and who have not declared a major and
filedof a
degree
plan.
Survey
Entering
Student
Engagement
SENSE: Helping Your
College Focus Up Front
Systematically collect data on:
First Impressions, expectations and goal
commitment
Entry processes
Orientation and student success courses
Classroom experiences and academic support
When combined with other institutional data –
course completion rates, retention and focus
groups – can help to target the areas most in
need of attention and where the pay off can be
the greatest
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
SENSE: Helping Your
College Focus Up Front
Students don’t know what they don’t know
Sometimes we don’t even know what our
entering processes really are
Our advising needs to become more
holistic
Students want us to mandate experiences
we know they need
Too many students are avoiding things
critical to their success
Students don’t do optional
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Imagine Success
How many times have we hear (or said
ourselves),
“We can’t afford to do that…”
Or, Our faculty will never go for that –
it’s not in the master contract….”
Or, “That would be great, but we would
have to hire more counselors or
advisors…”
Or, “Students have a right to fail. We
can’t make them..”
Survey of Entering Student Engagement
Imagine Success
Imagine all the extra resources that
would be available at our institutions
if we simply retained 5% or 10% more
students semester after semester!
Imagine how our communities – and
our nation – might be transformed if
most, or all, of our students started
right and finished what they started?
Survey of Entering Student Engagement