SLOW CRAWL TO THE FINISH LINE Bachelor’s Degree Attainment Among Early College Students
©2016 Maureen O’Conor ([email protected]) and Bertha Peralta-‐Rodriguez ([email protected]) from Hunter College of the City University of New York
Source: SERVE Center (2015)
Source: Berger et al., (2014)
Source: SERVE Center (2015)
Source: Berger et al., (2014)
EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL INITIATIVE Program Purpose Provide a promising opportunity to engage high school students in college-‐level work, support academic success and accelerate progression toward degree attainment.
Target Audience • Low-‐income high school students • First-‐generation college-‐goers • Members of traditionally underrepresented racial and ethnic groups
• 80,000 students are involved at 280 early college sites (2015 data)
Early College Student Population Profile • 73% are of color • 61% are from low-‐income families • 56% are the first in their immediate families to enroll in college
STUDENTS • Face critical challenges • Have distinct needs • Need to adapt to new circumstances
ADVISING APPROACHES
INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES • Create conditions conducive to success • Raise awareness about the unique needs of this distinct population, develop programming and offer services to address those needs
• Understand and be sensitive to students’ decision-‐making competencies that are developing as their emotional skills are maturing
• Provide students help with forming a support network of people familiar with college culture, academic demands, managing expectations, developing goals, creating plans for success and enacting the plans
• Assess and improve effort
0 10 20 30
Early College Control Group
College Credits Earned in High School
65%
70%
75%
80%
85%
Early College Comparison
Percentage of Students Enrolling in College
75%
80%
85%
Early College
Control
High School GraduaCon within Five Years
0%
50%
Percentage of Students Earning a College Degree
Early College Comparison
PRESCRIPTIVE • Establishes advisor/advisee relationship
• Takes care of pressing needs and involves problem-‐solving
• Includes making referrals
INTRUSIVE • Advisors and institution take initiative to provide support
• Advisors proactively reach out to students who may avoid asking for help
• Demonstrates the college cares
DEVELOPMENTAL • Meets the students where they are vis-‐à-‐vis growth and maturity
• Helps students develop independence, assume responsibility
• Fosters an environment focused on helping students gain confidence
OTHER Seeking suggestions
Early College Goal: Help traditionally underserved students earn a college degree preparing them for an early and successful start into the workforce.
Slow crawl to the finish line: Degree attainment among Early College students
REFERENCES Baum, S., Ma, J., & Payea, K. (2013). Education pays 2013: The benefits of higher education for individuals and society. New
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Berger, A., Turk-‐Bicakci, L., Garet, M., Song, M., Knudson, J., Haxton, C., Zeiser, K., Hoshen, G., Ford J., Stephan, J., Keating, K., & Cassidy, L. (2013). Early college, early success: Early College Initiative impact study. Washington, DC: American Institutes for Research. Retrieved from http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/ECHSI_Impact_Study_Report_Final1_0.pdf
Berger, A., Turk-‐Bicakci, L., Garet, M., Knudson, J., & Hoshen, G. (2014). Early college, continued success: Early College High School Initiative impact study. Washington, DC: American Institutes for Research. Retrieved from http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/downloads/report/AIR%20ECHSI%20Impact%20Study%20Report-‐%20NSC%20Update%2001-‐14-‐14.pdf
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. (2015). Press release from November 4, 2003. CUNY receives $6.75 million to create 10 early college high schools. Retrieved October 30, 2015, from http://www.gatesfoundation.org
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Early College Initiative at CUNY. (2015). Program overview brochure. Retrieved October 30, 2015, from http://earlycollege.cuny.edu
Edmunds, J.A. (2010). A better 9th grade: Early results from an experimental study of Early College High School Model. A policy brief. Greensboro, NC: SERVE Center.
Handel, S. (2007). Second chance, not second class: A blueprint for community-‐college transfer. In Change, 39(5), (38-‐45). Jobs for the Future. (2015). Key facts. Retrieved November 5, 2015 from www.jff.org
Locke, L.A., Stedrak, L.J., & Eadens, D. (2014). Latina students, an early college high school, and educational opportunity: A case study. Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership, 17(1), 59-‐71.
National Network of Business and Industry Assocations. (2014). Common employability skills: A foundation for success in the workplace: The skills all employees need, no matter where they work. Retrieved November 2, 2015 from http://www.nationalnetwork.org/wp-‐content/uploads/2015/03/Common_Employability_Skills-‐03-‐30-‐15.pdf
Oliver, M., Ricard, R., Witt, K., Alvarado, M., & Hill, P. (2010). Creating college advising connections: Comparing motivational beliefs of early college high school students to traditional first-‐year university students. NACADA Journal, 30(1), 14-‐22.
Ross, T., Kena, G., Rathburn, A., KewalRamani, A., Zhang, J., Kristapovich, P., & Manning, E. (2012). Higher education: Gaps in access and persistence. NCES 2012-‐046. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
SERVE Center. (2015). Smoothing the way to college: Impact of Early College High Schools. Retrieved October 16, 2015 from http://www.serve.org/uploads/docs/Gen%20Documents/Smoothing_the_way_to_college.pdf
U.S. Bureau of the Census. (2014). Educational attainment in the United States: 2014. Detailed tables. Washington, DC: U.S. Bureau of the Census. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/education/data/cps/2014/tables.html
Special thanks: Design assistance and creative input by Lisa Gardiner, Senior Designer, Student Affairs, Hunter College.
Background information and ECI at CUNY materials supplied by Ayana Bartholomew of CUNY Office of Academic Affairs. For more information, please contact: Maureen O’Conor at [email protected] Bertha Peralta-‐Rodriguez at [email protected]
2016 NACADA Region One Conference in Portland, ME