Ready or Not, Here I Am! League Innovations Conference 2010

Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE) & Starting Right: Listening to Entering Students Center for Community College Student Engagement

SENSE & Starting Right : Listening to Entering Students 3rd year colleges Represents 1.5 million students 32 states, Marshall Islands, Mariana Islands Focus Groups

Introducing…SENSE Benchmarks Early Connections High Expectations and Aspirations Clear Academic Plan and Pathway Effective Track to College Readiness Engaged Learning Academic and Social Support Network Center for Community College Student Engagement

Benchmarks help your college… Establish baselines, set goals, and measure progress toward those goals. Gauge and monitor your performance in areas central to your mission and goals. Answer the question of how your performance compares to the national average — and a reminder to ask whether that average is good enough. Benchmarking provides a basis for colleges to set priorities. Center for Community College Student Engagement

4 …the least number of times students in focus groups at one college we visited returned to the college to complete the registration process. Center for Community College Student Engagement

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Students don’t know what they don’t know… but we expect them to! Center for Community College Student Engagement

The students in our focus groups who reported the best experience registering at their college had something in common. What was it? Center for Community College Student Engagement

What is registration? What are the steps I have to go through? Why is it important that I take these steps? Center for Community College Student Engagement

Early Connections Almost 30% of entering students didn’t really feel welcome. Fewer than half participated in on- campus orientation.

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90% …of new students responding to the SENSE survey say they believe they have the motivation to do what it takes to succeed in college. Center for Community College Student Engagement High Expectations and Aspirations

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High Expectations and Aspirations 80% of new students responding say their goal is to earn an Associate degree. 74% of new students responding say their goal is to transfer to a four-year college or university. Center for Community College Student Engagement

85% …of new students responding to the SENSE survey say they’re academically prepared for college. Center for Community College Student Engagement

Entering students are highly motivated, are committed to achieving their academic goals, and sincerely believe they will. Center for Community College Student Engagement

Yet…during the first 3 weeks 43% said they came to class unprepared. More than 25% skipped class. More than 31% turned in an assignment late.

Center for Community College Student Engagement …of our students leave in their first year. 50%

Center for Community College Student Engagement Helping students succeed through the equivalent of the first semester (12–15 credit hours) can dramatically improve subsequent success rates.

Center for Community College Student Engagement Clear Academic Plan & Pathway Almost 47% of entering students surveyed say they never met with an advisor!

Center for Community College Student Engagement Clear Academic Plan & Pathway For those who saw an advisor…”an advisor helped me…” Select courses for my first term – 70% Choose a program or major – fewer than 60% Set academic goals and create a plan for achieving them - fewer than 38%

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Center for Community College Student Engagement More than 70% of entering students say no college staff member talked with them about outside commitments to help them figure out how many classes to take.

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Effective Track to College Readiness B ased on placement tests entering students report: 75% of students surveyed placed into at least one developmental class. 15% needed remediation in all 3 areas Center for Community College Student Engagement

I Effective Track to College Readiness More than 25% say they were not required to enroll in classes they tested into.

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Center for Community College Student Engagement Helping students complete their first developmental course can dramatically improve subsequent success rates.

Center for Community College Student Engagement Engaged Learning More than 30% asked questions in class or contributed to discussion only once or NEVER Almost half worked with other students in class once or NEVER

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Center for Community College Student Engagement Engaged Learning Fewer than half the students surveyed said instructors had activities to introduce students to one another.

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Center for Community College Student Engagement Have you asked for help? 57% say Once or Never Gone to a tutor? 84% say Never Gone to a math, writing or other skill lab? 66% say Never

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Students don’t do optional!! Center for Community College Student Engagement

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Center for Community College Student Engagement Are you connected? Does anyone know your name? Do you know anyone? 3-4 weeks after classes started…a number of students in focus groups DID NOT KNOW THEIR INSTRUCTORS’ NAMES!

Academic and Social Support Network: During their first 3 weeks… More than a third said instructors didn’t clearly explain academic and support services available at the college…or they weren’t sure if their instructors had… :-}

What entering students are telling us: During their first 3 weeks… Almost 30% didn’t know they could get academic advising… 47% didn’t use it. More than 25% didn’t know they could get financial aid advising... 56% didn’t use it.

What entering students are telling us: During their first 3 weeks… More than 50% didn’t know they could get career counseling… 82% didn’t use it. Almost 30% didn’t know they could get extra help in a writing or math lab... 65% hadn’t used it.

What Matters Most for Entering Student Success? Center for Community College Student Engagement

Students Start Right When They… Make connections – between now and their future (setting goals) with faculty, staff and other students between what they’re learning and what’s important to them – personally and professionally

Center for Community College Student Engagement Students Start Right When They… Navigate successfully through college systems, processes and procedures They understand what they’re doing and why it matters!

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Students use the word “mandatory” and want us to use it when we know what they need. Imagine Success!

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High Performing Colleges …make student engagement inescapable! Imagine Success!

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How is your college focusing on… Early Connections High Expectations and Aspirations Clear Academic Plan and Pathway Effective Track to College Readiness Engaged Learning Academic and Social Support Network Center for Community College Student Engagement

Arleen Arnsparger Project Manager, Initiative on Student Success Angela Oriano-Darnall Associate Director, CCCSE Center for Community College Student Engagement (CCCSE) Community College Leadership Program The University of Texas at Austin Web sites – Center for Community College Student Engagement For more information: