The Student Success Gap: Overcoming Equity Barriers in

The Student Success Gap:

Overcoming Equity Barriers

in Community Colleges

Prepared for Portland Community College

Community College Executive Forum

2

Political and Social Forces Bring Historical and Current Inequalities to Light

Source: From news organization websites, full list available upon request; Rick Seltzer, “The High

School Graduate Plateau”, Inside Higher Ed, December 6, 2016; EAB interviews and analysis.

An Equity Moment in Education and Beyond

“A Black Smith College

Student Was Eating Her

Lunch When an Employee

Called the Police”

“UNC Boards Meet in

Aftermath of Confederate

Statue Toppling”

“’Being Not-Rich’:

Low-Income Students

at Michigan Share

Savvy Advice”

“Canadian Universities,

Colleges Working to

Indigenize Programs,

Campus Life”

“Mobility Report Cards:

The Role of Colleges in

Intergenerational

Mobility”

Equality of Opportunity

Project

2023

Projected year when U.S.

high school graduating class

becomes majority-minority

University of North

Carolina System

emphasizes rural student

gaps in campus evaluation

ROAD MAP

3

Equity Barriers to Student Success

1

2

Part-Time Students

3

Radical Flexibility in Academic Courses

4

Overcoming Academic Barriers

5

Scaling Student Support

4

Source: “Signature 14 Completing College: A National View of Student Completion Rates–Fall 2011 Cohort,” National Student

Clearinghouse Research Center, December 2017, https://nscresearchcenter.org/signaturereport14/; EAB interviews and analysis.

1) URM= Underrepresented Minority

An Overlooked Equity Issue

Attendance Status the Missing Piece?

Basic Needs

Campus

Engagement

Holistic

Advising

Classroom

Inclusion

Faculty

Diversity

72%

84%

81%

White Hispanic Black

Percentage of Two-Year Students Who Attended Part-

Time at Least One Semester, 2011 Cohort

38%

30%

22%

White Hispanic Black

Six-Year Completion Rates of Students Who Attended

Part-Time at Least One Semester, 2011 Cohort

Current Equity Efforts

Address Many Aspects of the

College Experience

5

Source: Bibliography available upon request; EAB interviews and analysis.

Infographic: Barriers to Student Success

Using this Infographic Surprising Gaps Identified:

Effect of parental expectations

on academic perseverance

Responses of faculty to

comments on student

discussion boards

Assists taskforces in

identifying potentially

hidden disparities

Faculty dropping students

from courses

Impact of grading practices

Effect of student self-efficacy

on first-year course grades

Designed to identify leading

indicators of gaps in

common success metrics

Thematically organized

around key functional

areas of your portfolio

Prioritize key areas of focus

based on broader strategic

and institutional goals

6

Creating a Data-Driven Student Equity Action Plan

Source: Bibliography available upon request; EAB interviews and analysis.

How to Use the Infographic on Your Campus

Start with common success

metrics e.g. graduation rates,

first-year retention

5 Steps to Use EAB’s

Student Equity Audit

Consider your current student

success and equity goals

Select two to three of the gaps EAB

has identified that align with your

institutional and strategic goals

Work with your institutional research

office and academic units to collect

relevant data to understand your

current practice

Develop a solution-oriented

action plan

7

What Institutions Do (or Don’t) to Create or Worsen Gaps

Source: EAB interviews and analysis.

Focusing on What Higher Ed Can Control

“What gaps do we have to react to

and attempt to remedy?

“What gaps do we contribute to or

make worse by action or inaction?”

Two Guiding Questions

Seeking to

Increase Access

and Improve K-12

Education

Helping to Create

Jobs and Meet

Employer

Workforce Needs

Overcoming Barriers to Equity in

Student Success on Your Campus

ROAD MAP

8

Equity Barriers to Student Success

1

2

Part-Time Students

3

Radical Flexibility in Academic Courses

4

Overcoming Academic Barriers

5

Scaling Student Support

9

Source: “A National View of Student Completion Rates Fall 2008-2011 Cohorts,” National Student

Clearinghouse Research Center, 2014-2017, https://nscresearchcenter.org/signaturereport14/;

EAB interviews and analysis.

Part-Time Students the Least Likely to Complete

57%

58%

36%

33%

19%

0%

25%

50%

75%

2008 2009 2010 2011

Starting Cohort

Full-

Time

Blended

Part-

Time

Six-Year Completion Rates Stagnant By Attendance Status

Students Completing a Postsecondary Degree Within Six Years

Full-Time

55%

Blended

29%

Part-Time

17%

Part-Time Students Least Likely to Earn a 2-Year Degree

Share of Community College Graduates Who Complete Associate Degree, 2011 Cohort

10

Source: “Yearly Success and Progress Rates: Fall 2011 Entering Cohort,” National Student Clearinghouse Research

Center, May 2018, https://nscresearchcenter.org/snapshot-report-yearly-success-and-progress-rates/; “Time is

the Enemy,” Complete College America, 2011; EAB interviews and analysis.

Do Part-Timers Just Need More Time?

More Time, More Opportunity for “Life to Get in the Way”

We all know what happens: Students’ lives fill up with jobs, relationships,

marriages, children, and mortgages; the list goes on and on. Many can

afford to attend only part time, extending the years until they

graduate… Not surprisingly, college often gets left behind: a few

years of courses, no degree, and a lot of debt.”

Time is the Enemy

Complete College America, 2011

Likelihood of Part-Time Stop Out Only Increases With Time

Percentage of Students Who’ve Stopped Out (vs. Remain Enrolled) after Enrolling Part-Time in

Community College, 2011 Cohort

74%

51%

36%

24%

17%

21%

38%

47%

51%

54%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6

Enrolled Stopped Out

11

49%

63%

64%

62%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

ProjectedPresentPast

Source: Digest of Education Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics; “Current Term Enrollment Estimate Spring 2018”, National

Student Clearinghouse Research Center, May 2018, https://nscresearchcenter.org/currenttermenrollmentestimate-spring2018/; “Even

One Semester,” Center for Community College Student Engagement, 2017; EAB interviews and analysis.

Part-Time Attendance Remains Constant

Of community college students enroll

part-time at some point during their

community college experience

83%

Vast Majority of Students Enroll Part-Time at Least Once

Part-Time Status Remains Stable Through Boom and Bust Times

Percentage of Students Enrolling Part-Time in the Fall

12

Common Part-Time Assumptions Hinder Progress

Part-Time Student

Success Requires

Massive Overhaul

Part-Time Students Must

Increase Credit Load

to Succeed

Part-Time

Student Profile

Part-time students are

largely older, working

adults who attend

community college to

build their job-related

skillset, with no intent

to complete

The only way to ensure

success is by increasing

part-time students’

credit load and by

incenting them to attend

college full-time

Because they spend less

time on campus, it is

impossible to

generate part-time

student success at scale

without unsustainable

investments

Student Success Efforts Delayed By False Perceptions

Part-Time Students Are

Adult Students

Most Effective

Strategy

Level of Impact

Source: EAB interviews and analysis.

13

Assumption #1: Part-Time Students Are Adult Students

Part-Time Students Are Younger Than You Think

Source: Digest of Education Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics; Postsecondary Enrollment

Data, 2005-2015; EAB interviews and analysis.

…And Trending YoungerMajority of Part-Time Students Are Young…

Part-Time Students Enrolling in the Fall by Age, 2005-2015

18- and 19-year-olds

enrolling part-time from

2005 to 2015

110K

Part-time students in Fall

2015 vs. 2005 between

the ages of 18-24

44% v. 38%

310,605

565,974

1,460,888

1,728,166

2,003,814

1,640,459

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

Under 18 18 to 24 25 and over

14

Assumption #2: Part-Time Students Must Increase Credit Load to Succeed

Source: Attewell & Monaghan, “How Many Credits Should an Undergraduate

Take?”, 2016; Digest of Education Statistics, National Center for Education

Statistics, Enrollment Projections 1970-2026; EAB interviews and analysis.

Full-Time Campaigns Eventually Plateau

39%

56%

61%

63%

64%

62%

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Lessons Learned from Hawaii Enrollment Campaign

…Leaving Significant Share of Students Behind

Percentage of First-Time Freshmen Taking 15 or More Credits in

Initial Fall Semester at University of Hawaii at Manoa

40%

Of University of Hawaii at Manoa students

take fewer than 15 credits despite the

university’s enrollment campaign

A Much Lower Ceiling for

Community Colleges

16%

Of University of Hawaii

Community Colleges

students who took 15+

credits in 2016

60+%

Proportion of all community

college students projected

to enroll PT in the Fall

through 2026

15

Assumption #2: Part-Time Students Must Increase Credit Load to Succeed

Source: “Community Insights: Emerging Benchmarks & Students Success,” Civitas Learning, October 2017;

“Even One Semester,” Center for Community College Student Engagement, 2017; EAB interviews and analysis.

Higher Credit Loads Linked with Success…

No “Magic Number” of Credits

1 Course

2 Courses

3 Courses

4 Courses

5 Courses

2 Courses

3 Courses

4 Courses

5 Courses

6 Courses

+15%

+6%

+4%

+3%

Students

Who Take...

Have Persistence

Rates…

Than Students

Who Take…

“I just became a part-time

student for this semester…and it’s

the first semester I’m working

full-time. It’s really [hard] to

go home after a full day of

work and want to do

homework, especially when it’s

things like calculus or

programming that require a lot of

mental thought.”

Community College Student

When One More Is Too Much

16

Assumption #2: Part-Time Students Must Increase Credit Load to Succeed

Source: Community College Survey of Student Engagement 2017, Center for

Community College Student Engagement, 2017; EAB interviews and analysis.

Student Realities Necessitate Part-Time Status

Young, Shift Worker

“I’m a student, but I also work as

a babysitter, a waitress, and an

Uber driver so that I can help my

family pay our rent. Money is

tight, so working has to be

my priority. My work schedule

is unpredictable, and sometimes

it interferes with me getting to

my day-time classes.”

Full-Time Worker

“I have a full time, 9-to-5 job.

My boss tells me that I’m close

to promotion, but I need some

data analysis skills first. I want

to take some classes at my local

college, but I don’t want to

spend two or more years

getting these credentials,

and I can’t attend full-time

while working.”

“I’m a single mom trying to pass

my classes while working part-

time. I don’t have a lot of

time to spend on campus,

and I’m worried that I won’t

be able to find the support I

need. I want to succeed and get

an education to provide a better

future for my son.”

Caretaker

Of part-time

students work

full-time

37%

Of part-time

students are

ages 18- to- 21

29%

Of part-time

students spend

over 20 hours per

week caring

for dependents

24%

17

Assumption #3: Part-Time Student Success Requires Massive Overhaul

No Shortage of Long-Term Solutions Proposed

Part-Time

Advising

Guided

Pathways

On-Site Childcare

Incented Full-Time

Status

Micro-

Scholarships

Work-Study

Block

Scheduling

Guaranteed

Courses

College

Promise

Source: EAB interviews and analysis.

Time to Full Implementation

Financial Investment

Area of Opportunity

18

Assumption #3: Part-Time Student Success Requires Massive Overhaul

Source: Autumn Arnett, “President of the Year: California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy

Oakley,” Education Dive, Dec 4, 2017, https://www.educationdive.com/news/president-of-the-year-

california-community-colleges-chancellor-eloy-oakley/510046/; EAB interviews and analysis.

Part-Time Success Is Challenging, but Possible

The longer a student

spends in a degree

program or even a

single course, the

greater the likelihood

that they won’t

complete

The Race

Against Time

Working hours often

conflict with course

availability, and when

forced to choose, the

need to work and

support a family wins

Scheduling

Misalignment

Critical resources are

often offered during

traditional business

hours and are strictly

available in person

Inaccessible Services

& Resources

Seemingly

Inevitable Stop Out

Majority of part-time

students stop out at

least once, never to

return to the college as a

result of various

financial, personal, and

psychological reasons

Condense Credit

Accumulation

Align Delivery to

Part-Time Lifestyle

Expand Access to

Support Services

Incent Stop Out

Reenrollment

“At the end of the day, we need to simplify these things and get down to the fundamentals of

providing people the opportunity…to advance in society.”

Eloy Oakley

Chancellor, California Community Colleges

A Strong Imperative for Success

Four Major Obstacles and Solutions to Part-Time Success

ROAD MAP

19

Equity Barriers to Student Success

1

2

Part-Time Students

3

Radical Flexibility in Academic Courses

4

Overcoming Academic Barriers

5

Scaling Student Support

21

Source: EAB interviews and analysis.

Student Obstacles Pile

Part-Time Students Susceptible to the Wheel of Misfortune

Housing

Instability

Car

Breakdown

Medical

Emergency

Job Loss

Family

Emergency

Loss of

Childcare

Food

Insecurity

Shift Change

at Work

Part-Time Student

22

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

Fall Term 1 Spring Term 1 Fall Term 2 Spring Term 2 Fall Term 3 Spring Term 3

-39% -27% -15% -23% -9%

Time is a Major Barrier to Part-Time Student

Completion

Enrollment Figures at a Mid-Atlantic Community College

Risk Especially High For Part-Timers, Who Typically Take Longer to Finish

Average Number of Years Needed to Complete Credential, Full-Time Versus Part-Time

1-Year Certificate 2-Year Associate Degree

3.3

4.4 3.8

5

Full-Time Full-TimePart-Time Part-Time

vs.vs.

Source: “Time is the Enemy,” Complete College

America, 2011; EAB interviews and analysis.

Attrition Rates

23

Source: “Moving Into Town—And Moving On: The Community College in the Lives of

Traditional-age Students,” US DOE, February, 2005; EAB interviews and analysis.

Summer Break Linked to Stop Out

Breaks in Credit Attainment Interrupt Momentum and Lead to Summer Dropoff

Decreased likelihood of community

college students to transfer to four-

year institution compared to their peers

who accumulate summer credits

Students Who Take the Summer Off Lose Momentum Towards Long-Term Goals

Spring Term Ends

Fall Term Begins

MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST

44%

For every 100 part-time

community college students

enrolled in the spring…

100

…Just 63 of them

return the following

school year

63

Part-Time Student Spring to Fall Retention at a Mid-Sixed Texas Community College

Missed Opportunity for Credits

24

Practice #1: Summer Momentum Incentives

Source: EAB interviews and analysis.

Financially Incentivize Summer Courses

Incentivizing Even Just One Summer

Course Increases Persistence

Or more credits

during this school

year’s fall and

spring terms

24 2

18 1

Free summer

courses

Credits during

this school year’s

fall and spring

terms

Free summer

course

If You’ve Successfully Completed…

You Can Earn

Encourage Students to Save Time (to Degree) and Money

Percentage point increase in part-time

student Spring-to-Fall persistence after

one summer of implementation

2%

25

Source: Cecilia Monto, “Increasing Access with Intensive Hybridized Course Formats in

a Community College Setting,” Community College Journal of Research and Practice,

December 2017; EAB interviews and analysis.

Chemeketa’s Five-Week Hybrid Course

Hybrid Course Components

Half of the course is taught online

Faculty, students participate in

online and in-person discussions

High level of academic

performance maintained

Students spend same amount of

time in-seat as traditional courses

Format offered in several disciplines

1) As measured by pre- and post-test scores

2) As measured by survey responses of student course perceptions

Five-Week Hybrid Students Are More Likely to:

Attend Part-Time

Have More Family

Responsibilities

Be Older

Mean Course Grade

Mean Gain in Content

Knowledge

1

Students Receiving

“A lot” of Feedback

2

Students Applying

“A Great Deal” of Effort

2

11-Week FTF5-Week Hybrid

2.97

39%

41%

19%

3.10

39%

47%

32%

Practice #4: Five-Week Hybrid Courses

26

Source: Community College Survey of Student Engagement 2017, Center for

Community College Student Engagement, 2017; EAB interviews and analysis.

Student Realities Necessitate Part-Time Status

Young, Shift Worker

“I’m a student, but I also work as

a babysitter, a waitress, and an

Uber driver so that I can help my

family pay our rent. Money is

tight, so working has to be

my priority. My work schedule

is unpredictable, and sometimes

it interferes with me getting to

my day-time classes.”

Full-Time Worker

“I have a full time, 9-to-5 job.

My boss tells me that I’m close

to promotion, but I need some

data analysis skills first. I want

to take some classes at my local

college, but I don’t want to

spend two or more years

getting these credentials,

and I can’t attend full-time

while working.”

“I’m a single mom trying to pass

my classes while working part-

time. I don’t have a lot of

time to spend on campus,

and I’m worried that I won’t

be able to find the support I

need. I want to succeed and get

an education to provide a better

future for my son.”

Full Time Enrollment Not Feasible for Most Part-Time Students

Caretaker

Of part-time

students work

full-time

37%

Of part-time

students are

ages 18- to- 21

29%

Of part-time

students spend

over 20 hours per

week caring for

dependents

24%

ROAD MAP

28

Equity Barriers to Student Success

1

2

Part-Time Students

3

Radical Flexibility in Academic Courses

4

Overcoming Academic Barriers

5

Scaling Student Support

29

Growth mindset priming exercise

Source: Paul Tough, “Who Gets to Graduate?”, The New

York Times, May 15, 2014; EAB interviews and analysis.

1) Underrepresented students defined as African American, Hispanic, and first-

generation students (Tough, 2014)

2) Replication of growth mindset intervention at elite, northeastern private university

A Mindset to Overcome Academic Hurdles

Review Information on

Growth Mindset

Reflect on Personal Story

of Overcoming Obstacles

Give Advice on

Overcoming Challenges

• Letters from other students

• Online modules about the

ability to gain new skills and

overcome challenges

• Essay on past struggles that

the student has overcome

• Write a letter to the student’s

past self about resilience

• Record a video reflecting on

what the student learned

• Write to a suggested high

school student summarizing

information from exercise

Reduction in the gap in 12+ credit

completion between underrepresented

and majority students

1

50%

Reduction in the GPA gap

between African American

and white graduates

2

50%

Orientation Exercises Inoculate Students

Against First-Term Shocks

30

Source: Harackiewcz et al., Closing Achievement Gaps With a Utility-Value Intervention: Disentangling Race and Social Class, Journal

of Personality and Social Psychology, 2016, Vol. III, No. 5, 745-765; Miyake et al., Reducing the Gender Achievement Gap in College

Science: A Classroom Study of Values Affirmation, SCIENCE, 2010, Vol 330.; Harackiewicz et al., Closing the Social Class Achievement

Gap for First-Generation Students in Undergraduate Biology, J Educ Psychol. 2014 May 1; 106(2): 375-389.

1) Based on course grade

2) Results after controlling for prior SAT/ACT Math scores

Reinforce Link Between Courses, Goals, and Values

In-class writing assignment to target students’ perceived value of and engagement in coursework

“Write an essay addressing [topic] and discuss the

relevance of the concept or issue to your own

life…include some concrete information from the unit,

explaining why this specific information is

relevant to your life or useful to you.”

61%

Decrease in course performance

gap

1

between first-gen URM

students and continuing-gen

majority students in biology course

Sample Syllabus:

Biology 111

• Conduct at multiple times during semester,

especially prior to major exams

• Include activities on course syllabi

In-class exercise to safeguard students against the possibility of confirming stereotypes about their groups

“From the list provided, select two or three values

most important to you and explain, in a few

sentences, their importance and relevance to

you.”

61%

Decrease in in-class exam score

gap between men and women in

introductory physics course

2

31

Beyond an Advisor Meeting, A Step-by-Step Plan Helps Close Gaps

Step-by-step bounce back plan

Source: Schippers, Scheepers, and Peterson. “A Scalable Goal-Setting Intervention Closes Both the Gender and Ethnic Minority

Achievement Gap.” Palgrave Communications, June 2015.; Morisano, et al. “Setting, Elaborating, and Reflecting on Personal Goals

Improves Academic Performance.” Journal of Applied Psychology, 95 no.2: 255-264. Sorrentino, Diane M. “The SEEK Mentoring

Program: An Application of the Goal-Setting Theory.” Journal of College Student Retention, 8 no. 2: 241-250.; Ward, Thomas, andDisch.

“Goal Attainment, Retention and Peer Mentoring.” Academic Exchange Quarterly, Summer 2010.; EAB interviews and analysis.

Set a Specific Recovery Plan

Student GPA declines

Meets with adviser

Student still stops out

after failing to reengage

Course Correction

Never Fully Takes Hold

Step-by-Step Positive and

Negative Goal Setting Makes

Course Correction a Reality

Student Goal Worksheet

Goal 1

Goal 2

Goal 3

What will your life look like if you

meet these goals? If you do not?

In detail, describe your plan for

meeting these goals. Also,

describe what will happen if you

don’t follow this plan.

• Onus is on the student to

seek support

• Guidance remains vague

and disconnected from

student’s goals

ROAD MAP

32

Equity Barriers to Student Success

1

2

Part-Time Students

3

Radical Flexibility in Academic Courses

4

Overcoming Academic Barriers

5

Scaling Student Support

33

Source: EAB Generation Z College Transfer Survey, May 2018; Community College Survey of Student

Engagement 2017, Center for Community College Student Engagement, 2017; “Even One Semester,” Center

for Community College Student Engagement, 2017; EAB interviews and analysis.

The Part-Time Student Engagement Problem

Student Services Critical for

Part-Time Success

“Making it a point to be on campus is kind of hard. Utilizing anything like the writing lab,

the math lab, or anything like that is tough because I have two other jobs outside of this.

Part-Time College Student

81%

But Access is Skewed Toward Full-Time Students

Percentage of Students Who Use Services More than Once

A Constant Struggle to Engage

Successful part-time transfer

students who say they relied

on student support services

while at community college

10%

30%

50%

70%

Academic Advising Financial Advising Tutoring

Part-Time Full-Time

+21% +23% +22%

34

Many Barriers to Part-Time Student Advising

May be uninformed regarding scheduling

and program-specific advice

Part-timers require awareness

of right-fit credit opportunities

May feel intimidated or uncertain of

process when seeking help

Part-time students lack confidence

in academic decisions and plans

…but have limited access to advising due to sporadic

presence on campus and greater time constraints

Part-Time Students See Value, but Lack Access

Likelihood that part-time (vs.

full-time) students have

never met with an advisor

1.6x

Of part-time students say

that academic advising is

very important

67%

Source: Community College Survey of Student Engagement 2017, Center for

Community College Student Engagement, 2017; EAB interviews and analysis.

35

Source: EAB interviews and analysis.

Mobile Advising Supports Part-Time Students

Accommodating the Busy Lives of Part-Time Students

“We’ve found that this program works really well because students who may not come to the

advising center will stop in the hall to chat. We’ve put advisors in the places where the

students are, which is especially important for part-time students who may not

typically see advisors as often.”

Rhonda Coats, VP of Student Affairs

Davidson County Community College, NC

Easy Access to Advisors…

Advisors spend at least 2 hours

per week in their designated

buildings during peak class hours

Advisors set up temporary tables

in high traffic areas (e.g.,

hallways) of academic buildings

Advisors notify students of upcoming

deadlines and critical academic

decisions points

…Improves Part-Time Student

Awareness and Confidence

Advisors assist students between

classes with questions and become

“go to” person for help and support

36

Source: Ulrich Boser, Megan Wilhelm, and Robert Hanna, “The Power of the Pygmalian Effect: Teacher Expectations

Strongly Predict College Completion”, Center for American Progress, October, 6, 2014; U.S. Department of Education Office

for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, Data Snapshot: School Discipline, March 2014; “Peers, More Than Teachers,

Inspires Us To Learn”, MSU Today, March 21, 2017; Ralph W. Preszler (2009). Replacing lecture with peer-led workshops

improves student learning. CBE: Life Sciences Education, 8, 182–192.; Major Influence: Where Students Get Valued Advice

on What to Study in College, STRADA Education Network & GALLUP, September 2017; EAB interviews and analysis.

1) includes African American, Hispanic, and Native students

2) Compared to 45% who mentioned formal networks

Student-Teacher Trust Deficit Emerges Early

Inconsistent Relationship with

Authority Figures

…Creates Lasting

Impression on Students

Reliance on Peers and Informal Networks

Impossible to Overcome

Increase in proportion

of URG

1

students

receiving As and Bs

when peer-led

workshops introduced

47%

Of adults with a four-

year degree received

advice about major

choice from informal

social networks

2

58%

48% of preschool children

receiving multiple out-of-school

suspension are African American

Discipline

Secondary teachers predict that

high-poverty students were

53% less likely to earn a

college diploma

Teacher Expectations

37

Source: Gunn, et al. “Student Perceptions of benefits and Challenges of Peer Mentoring Programs: Divergent Perspectives from Mentors

and Mentees.” Marketing Education Review, 27 no. 1: 15-26.; Kring, Matthew. “Supporting College Students through Peer Mentoring:

Serving Immigrant Students.” Metropolitan Universities, 28 no. 3: 102-110.; Kochenour, et al. “Supplemental Instruction: An Effective

Component of Student Affairs Programming.” Journal of College Student Development, 38 no. 6.; EAB interviews and analysis.

Four Ways to Deploy Peers

Common-

experience mentors

for all students

Extension of

advising,

particularly for

high-need groups

Study group

facilitators

Course assistants

in high DFW

courses

• Mentors provide

personal, emotional,

career, and academic

support

• Each session focuses

on a different skill

development area,

such as life skills

• Program designed

for immigrant and

ELL students

• Mentors are trained

to support the

unique needs of

these students

• 0.45 GPA gain for

supplemental instruction

participants in study of 37

institutions

• Course assistants drawn

from past successful

students, though typically

not the highest performers

• Students can opt into a

well-advertised weekly

study group for high

DFW courses

• Attendance agreement

states students can

only miss three

sessions

38

Source: “Standards, Outcomes, and Possible Assessments for ITTPC Certification,” College Reading and Learning

Association, 2013; Rogawski, D.S. and Juliano Ndoj. “The Case for Student-to-Student Mentoring in Bench Science.”

The Chronicle of Higher Education. May 8, 2018.; EAB interviews and analysis.

Forthcoming Tools and Resources

• Intensive, multi-day initial training

followed by regular professional

development

• High expectations for mentor

responsibility and professionalism

• Sessions are catered to important

moments during the semester

• Mentors provide students with:

– Transition support

– Direction to campus resources

– Goal setting

• Mentors meet with students weekly or

bi-weekly

• Frequent check-ups help students

stay on-track

• Mentors value the leadership

opportunity and mentees value

academic and social support

• Enthusiasm and high expectations

contribute to success

Maintain Regular Formal

Contact with Mentees

Map Mentor Curriculum to Mentee’s

Academic Milestones and Deadlines

Ensure That Mentors Understand the

Benefits They Gain

Training Focuses on Relationships

and Professional Skills

Mentorship calendar templates

Mentor curriculum templates

Peer mentor training guide

Mentor experiential reflection tool

39

Peer advisor-led outreach and service referral campaigns

Source: EAB interviews and analysis.

1) At a small, private university on the West Coast

An Initial Investment Saves Time in the End

An Overwhelmed Associate

Director for Campus Life

1

Attempting to Manage a Changing

Student Population

Outreach for events and

service referrals

1:1 advising sessions

Academic Support

Connecting students to

resources across campus

Peer “Commuter Assistants”

Lighten the Workload

3000+ text messages sent to

commuters

Over 200 student meetings

in first year, 89% of

commuters reached

Retention gap between

commuters and residents

narrowed from 12% to

only 1.6%

40%

Commuter population quadrupled

to 40% in just three years

40

Source: EAB interviews and analysis.

Peer Ambassadors Provide Financial Literacy

Peer-to-Peer Financial Learning Ambassadors by the Numbers

Recruit Student

Ambassadors

Employ Work-Study and

Part-Time Students

Interview and hire part-time

students who may be seeking

engagement opportunities with

the college and who could

themselves benefit from

financial literacy education

Deploy Ambassadors as

Peer Mentors

Ensure Part-Time Access by

Utilizing Required Courses

Designate time in required

classes for student ambassadors

to present on financial literacy.

Ambassadors lead a student Q&A

and discussion during first-year

experience class meetings

Provide Student Training

Equip Students with Essential

Financial Literacy Knowledge

Conduct summer training using

GradReady

®

and in-house

training materials. Educate

ambassadors on college finance

options, budget- and goal-

setting, and long-term student

loan repayment.

Student ambassadors across

Valencia’s 6 campuses, all

funded by work-study

Student-facilitated presentations

on how to utilize aid and pay for

college each semester

Implemention of a Financial Learning Ambassadors Program

~50

25

41

Source: GradReady, Great Lakes Financial Services,

https://home.mygreatlakes.org/web/FAP/content/fap/about_gradready.html?template=solutions&navMenuSelected=gradready;

EAB interviews and analysis.

Comprehensive Training Builds Expertise

Components of GradReady

®

Financial Literacy Training

Ambassadors Learn the Ins

and Outs of Finance…

…And How it Impacts

Students’ Long-Term Goals

• Savings and future planning

• Careers and income

• Mortgages

• Loan repayment and interest

Responsive template weighs financial

options, such as loan deferment and

forbearance, and suggests manageable

payment amounts

• Educational funding options

• FAFSA process

• Federal versus private loans

• Budgeting tips

Paying for College

Money Management

• Banking

• Building Credit

• Managing debt

• Identity theft

Real World Finances

Budgeting Practice

Editable calculator assesses

personal finances, weighing costs of

college tuition/fees and living

expenses against aid and income

Leveled meter evaluates future debt in

comparison to projected income and

reveals estimated monthly repayments

Debt-O-Meter

Electronic Loan Counselor

1

Module

2

Module

3

Module

42

Source: EAB interviews and analysis.

Financial Literacy Improves Monetary Management

Peer-Initiated Outreach Assists Students

Applying for Summer Pell Grants

Maximum Utilization

of Financial Aid Office

Increased Access for Part-

Time Students

• Delegates financial literacy

training to student

ambassadors, creating

greater advising capacity

• Low-cost, scalable solution

• Part-time students hired as

ambassadors

• Financial learning occurs during

required classes

• Activities hosted on evenings,

weekends

Financial Literacy Interventions Support

Better Student Decisions

19% 13%

Drop in Valencia’s cohort default

rate since program launch in 2009

Improved Student

Engagement

• Interactive social and

recreational programming

(e.g., 5k races, haunted

houses, and fashion shows)

embeds financial learning into

campus culture

• Peer outreach likely to capture

students’ attention

43

Source: Community College Survey of Student Engagement 2017, Center for Community College Student

Engagement, 2017; “Understanding the Role of Financial Aid in Academic Advising,” National Academic Advising

Association, 2009; EAB interviews and analysis.

Economic Burdens Require Intensive Support

Upping the Ante on Academic Advisors to Provide Holistic Support

…But Have Limited Access to

Financial Advice

1.5x

Likelihood that part-time

students will visit an academic

vs. a financial aid advisor

Biggest Areas Financial Aid Representatives Wish Academic Advisors Understood

Financial Aid

Deadlines

Satisfactory

Academic Progress

Aid Types

Available

Many Part-Time Students in

Precarious Financial Situations…

46%

Of current part-time students

report being likely to withdraw

from college due to finances

Part-time borrowers who took

out their annual maximum

Stafford loan in 2011-2012

46%

Of part-time students report

never using financial

advising services

45%

44

Source: Community College Survey of Student Engagement 2017, Center for

Community College Student Engagement, 2017; EAB interviews and analysis.

Part-Time Students Can’t Resources

Part-Time Students See Tutoring As

Important, But Few Have Access

70%

34%

Important Accessed

Percentage of Part-Time Students Who Value

Tutoring versus Those Who Report Accessing It

“We know that a lot of our students work full-time or are single parents and they can’t always

come back to campus at night or on Sunday afternoons for tutoring. We have to recognize that

there’s a need to take these services directly to our students.”

Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs

Community College, Southeast

Traditional Academic Resources Housed

Exclusively On Campus

Tutoring and Academic Support Centers

Flexible, Off-Campus Support

(e.g., mobile services, online tutorials)

Peer and Faculty Tutoring Programs

45

21

st

Century Tutoring: Online and Off-Campus

Interactive Video Conferencing Offers Tutoring in an Accessible Format

Students have the

option to share

video feed and

have discussions

with tutors

Tutors share

screens for step-

by-step tutorials

All sessions are

recorded, allowing

for later reference

Students visits to

the virtual tutoring

portal in its

first semester

1,806

Higher course pass

rate for those who have

accessed virtual tutoring

(vs. those who haven’t)

15%

Convenient Night and

Weekend Hours

Targeted Support from

Trained Expert Tutors

Easy Access Through School-

Issued LMS

Source: EAB interviews and analysis.

46

Virtual Support Does Not Stop at Tutoring

Tech-Friendly Providers

PSC tutors undergo a semester of

technology training and supervision

Flexible Availability

Sessions available at times

convenient for part-time students

Targeted Marketing

Service hours advertised online, in

student portals, and in classrooms

Maximized Impact

Virtual options offered for bottleneck

and gateway processes

1

2

3

4

Financial

Aid

Advising

Registration

Leverage Technology to Put the College

at Your Students’ Fingertips

Strategic Implementation Creates

Student-Centric Experience

Keys to Successful Virtual Services

Expand Scope, Not Cost

Use open-source video conferencing

platforms, such as BigBlueButton

Repurpose existing hardware

Allow campus staff to work remotely

Source: EAB interviews and analysis.

47

Sometimes Stop Out Is Unavoidable

Part-Time Students at Greatest Risk

for Stopping Out

1) URM = under-represented minority; calculated from

population of students whose race/ethnicity was known

Source: Completing College: A National View of Student Attainment Rates: Fall 2011 Cohort, National Student

Clearinghouse, November 2015, https://nscresearchcenter.org/signaturereport10/; Community College Survey of Student

Engagement 2017, Center for Community College Student Engagement, 2017; EAB interviews and analysis.

78% 78%

80%

22%

21%

2007 2009 2011

Attended PT Attended FT exclusively

Stop Out Rates by Attendance Status, Cohort Year

Part-Time Students More Likely

Than Full-Time Peers to Anticipate

Stop Out Due to Common Barriers

Lack of finances

Working full-time

Academic under

preparedness

Caring for dependents

48

Practice #14: Targeted Reenrollment Campaigns

Source: EAB interviews and analysis.

Successful Models to Engage Stopped Out Students

Targeted Reenrollment Campaign Components

Personal

Outreach

Financial

Incentive

Student

Qualifications

Annual

Institutional Costs

University of

New Mexico

Up to $750 in aid

per semester

Bossier Parish

Community

College

$120K

Annual

allocation from

the UNM Board

of Regents

$30K

College or University

Seniors who stopped

out at least one

semester ago with a

GPA of 2.0 or better

Students who have

been unenrolled for at

least 1 academic year

and who can reenroll

full-time

Tuition waiver for

one free course

Pueblo

Community

College

$79K

Spent in

student loan

repayments

One-time loan

forgiveness up to

$1,000

Students who

completed at least 30

credits and owe

college <$1,000

Email outreach

Paper outreach

Annual costs of

reenrollment

campaign

Paper, email, and

text messaging

outreach

49

Incentivize Stopped Out Students to Reenroll

Three Successful Reenrollment Campaigns by Incentive and Investment

Semesterly financial assistance

meant to reduce students’ need

to work but is funded by a

$120,000 annual allocation from

the UNM Board of Regents

Grant-Funded Aid

Reengages stop outs by offering up

to $750 to reenrolled students each

semester they remain enrolled

Highest Financial Investment

Semester-based success

stipulation reduces financial

risk for the college and

increases incentive for

student completion

Debt Forgiveness

Forgives small institutional loan

debts after students have

successfully completed one

semester back on campus

Mid-Level Financial Investment

One-time tuition waiver for

single course requires the

lowest financial investment

from the college and offers

small incentive for return

Course Fee Waiver

Lowest Financial Investment

Waives the price of tuition for one

course for reenrolled full-time

students prior to course

registration

Practice #14: Targeted Reenrollment Campaigns

Source: EAB interviews and analysis.

50

Essential Components of Pueblo’s “Return to Earn” Campaign

Source: EAB interviews and analysis.

Engagement Critical to Reenrollment

Four-Step Reenrollment Process

Identify Stopped Out Students

• Include all recent stopouts

• Ensure past due debt has not yet gone

to collections

Ensure Eligibility Criteria Are Met

• Identify students who successfully

earned at least 30 credits

• Ensure they owed the college $1,000 or

less at time of stop out

Reach Out to Qualifying Students

• Notify students of program eligibility

• Request they complete the online

inquiry form

Schedule a One-On-One Appointment

• Ascertain students’ long-term

educational and career goals

• Assist students with admissions and

FAFSA application (when needed)

1

2

3

4

Ongoing, Low-Touch Services

Academic Progress Reports

Faculty provide incremental updates

on students’ class performance and

any potential concerns

Weekly Financial Reviews

Program staff proactively reach out

to students selected for verification

or who have financial aid holds

Practice #14: Targeted Reenrollment Campaigns

Periodic Outreach

Semi-monthly informal check-ins

between students and director to

determine progress, and refer

students to relevant resources

Student Reflection

Students write letters describing their

experiences and the impact of college

completion on their long-term goals

Washington DC Richmond Birmingham Minneapolis

P 202-747-1000 F 202-747-1010 eab.com