The Impact of Retention Programming on At-risk First-year Students in a Private, Proprietary College

Abstract

Institutions continually try to balance the access/retention/success pendulum by accepting students on a contingent or probationary basis and enrolling them in student success or support programs. These programs are offered to help colleges increase enrollment while at the same time supporting fair and equitable access policies. The two primary purposes for conducting this study are to determine what variables have the greatest impact upon student persistence or student attrition and to evaluate the effectiveness of a retention program designed to assist at-risk students. The barriers that have the largest impact upon student persistence or attrition are explored. The extent to which performance in developmental English impacts persistence and attrition are examined as well as the effectiveness of a retention program specifically designed to assist students accepted contingently to college. The goal of this study examines how one institution's retention program was interpreted and experienced by students and what impact it had upon those students' persistence and overall college success. This study further examines the necessity for institutions to assess established policies and processes as inadvertent barriers to success. According to Laskey and Hetzel, 41 percent of entering community college students, and 29 percent of all entering college students are under prepared in at least one of the basic skills.