1. Helping New Students Along Their Higher Education Journey: - - - Keeping Them on Track - - -
Betsy Barefoot, EdD
40th Anniversary AIHEC Conference
August 9, 2013
Santa Fe, New Mexico

2. What We Share
A belief in the value of higher education

3. From High School to and through College
Some students ride an express train
through college – in and out in two or
four years.
Many students are on a much slower
train that makes lots of stops or
sometimes gets derailed.

4. Helping Students Maintain their Momentum
The Twenty-Hour Rule
Bachelor’s degree earners by 2000 who graduated from high school in 1992
Of students who earned 15 – 19 credits hours in the first calendar year, 35% earned bachelor’s degrees.
Of students who earned 20 or more credit hours in the first calendar year, 78% earned bachelor’s degrees.
Source: NCES: NELS:88/2000 Postsecondary Transcript Files

5. Bachelor’s degree earners in 2000 by number of credits earned in summer terms (1992 h.s. grads)
Race/
ethnicity
No credits
1 – 4 credits
> 4 credits
All
56.2%
68.1%
79.7%
White
59.8%
74.2%
82.2%
Af.Amer
21.2%
42.5%
78.2%
Latino
48.6%
28.3%
56.4%
Asian
66.8%
70.0%
77.9%
Source: NCES: NELS:88/2000 Postsecondary Transcript Files

6. Students Who Stay on Track
Higher-level socioeconomic status
Strong pre-college preparation
Females
Full-time students
Students who work no more than 20 hours/week
Students who have a regular high school diploma

7. Students Who Get Off Track
Lower socioeconomic status
Poor pre-college preparation
Males
Students who work full-time
Students with a GED
First-generation students
Students whose lives are pressured
and filled with distractions

8. Students Who Get Off Track
Developmental students
Making slow progress
Never seeing the light at the end of the tunnel

9. “Look to the Right, Look to the Left”

10. Separation

11. Adaptable Best Practices
Substantive Orientation
Summer Bridge Programs
First-Year Seminars
Learning Communities
Service Learning
Intrusive Advising
and many others

12. Where Are We Heading: Trends that Will Affect Higher Education

13. Rethinking Developmental Education
Remedial education is the Bermuda triangle of college education. “Too many students
go there never to be seen again.”
(Complete College America website)
Alternatives to developmental education. See

14. Dual Enrollment/Early College
Helping students attain college credits as quickly as possible.

15. Tightening the Rules and Regulations
No late entry
Must participate in orientation
Must take a first-year seminar
Must attend class
Must follow the educational path we set for you

16. Transfer
Currently 1/3 of all students (nearly 2.8 million) will transfer during the undergraduate years.
Vertical transfer
Lateral transfer
Transfer in reverse
Taking courses from more than one
higher education institution at the same time

17. Increased Use of Adjuncts
Reasons
Lower cost
Practical expertise of adjuncts
Availability
Overusing adjuncts can have a negative impact on retention

18. Technology
Social media
Smart phones
Online courses

19. Critical Juncture, Defining Moment, Crossroads
To drug addiction or prison
To college
To dropping
out of high
school
To a menial job

20. Be Alert for These Critical Junctures that Can Derail Your Students’ Progress
When statements are made that predict failure, or success, in college
When college expectations are set for students and families
When students make a decision to attend college for reasons unrelated to education
Placement exams; placement into provisional or developmental status.
Major selection
End of term academic disappointment (probation)

21. Critical Junctures in Social/Personal Life
Elimination from an athletic team
Romantic breakup
Other forms of rejection
Personal or family problems
(divorce, mental or physical illness,
financial reversal, pregnancy)

22. Providing Help
Finding the balance between too much and too little assistance for students

23. The Purpose of Higher Education at Your Institution
How will your students be different when they leave your college or university?
What will you add to the knowledge they already have?

24. Engaged Citizenship Standing for social justice
Advocating for marginal individuals and communities
Speaking out rather than remaining silent
Entering the political arena
Owning their individual and collective power

25. Your Comments or Questions

26. Contact Information
Betsy Barefoot, EdD
Vice President & Senior Scholar
Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education