9-20-13
Retention Essay How to Improve Student Retention in Community Colleges
Community colleges are academically blended for the individual student. While community colleges furnish students with affordability and readily available education, many students are vulnerable. One way for a student to be successful, is to make informed choices regarding their education. Likewise, students that are well prepared for college are more likely to succeed. The goal of the college is to retain students from admission to graduation. Three ways to improve student retention are orientation programs, student services, and most importantly, student attitude and preparedness. Improving student retention is critical for student success. One way to improve student retention in community colleges are well developed orientation programs. Such programs can help prevent disaster and make a clear path for success in a college students future. For example, successful orientations should familiarize students with the services available and show them how to locate these services. Also, orientation programs should include personnel such as, advisors, tutoring staff and financial aid officers. Furthermore, good orientation programs should include information regarding school athletic activities, honor societies, clubs and organizations. Well developed orientation programs will benefit the student by creating a plan for academic success, improving student retention.
Another way to improve student retention is by actively participating in a First Year Experience program. A First Year Experience class is a core curriculum requirement for a first year student. The purpose of this course is to integrate you into the life and culture of the college and to prepare you with the foundations for academic success. Active participation in a first year experience class will lead a student to success in college. For example, it helps a student become more confident academically. As a result, thriving in the college and beyond. These classes are also designed to help transition a student in becoming a successful life long learner. This type of program will benefit the student by creating a plan for academic success, improving student retention.
The most important way to improve retention in community colleges is a students positive attitude. A students definitive state of mind can play an important role in being successful in college. Student attitude and accountability impacts retention. Therefore, a prepared and persistent student who attends every class on time, participates in class, and does homework on time, all play a critical role for success, improving student retention.
In conclusion, students who make a connection with the classroom will see the results of their hard work, making them less vulnerable to failure. Such as challenging yourself and going the extra mile by getting the professional support needed to succeed. Also, utilizing orientation programs and student services are important for success. Likewise, a positive attitude and student preparedness will all lead to academic excellence as well. Therefore, student retention in community colleges play a critical role for student success.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
We often assume that successful students are smart, yet more they simply have discovered the keys for college success. Being college students is absolutely more challenged than being high school students. Therefore, they will need some bright keys to becoming a successful college student. Here are three essential keys to give college students' success: study organization, learning skills, and extracurricular activities.…
- 1361 Words
- 6 Pages
Good Essays -
Accordingly to Dr. Michael V. Miranda’s article “The Seven False Beliefs: Addressing The Psychosocial Underpreparedness Of The Community College Student” he argue that community college students not college ready due to the seven false beliefs his main focus is on the personal characteristics, persistence, and academics success as a student learns about themselves which makes the process of getting a better education. My overall reaction is that the teachers knowing the student’s personality could help them with the steps of getting through college successfully without noticing that they were unprepared like they are quick or slow learners what makes them want to give up also make it easier for them.…
- 228 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
In her article “two years are better than four,” Liz Addison speaks about community colleges and their importance. Many people are scared to start college and move away to have the experience, which is why Addison explains community colleges are a great stepping stone. It’s a great way for students to begin quickly in their education and understand that they can do what they want as long as they put their minds to it. Addison says that “the community college system is America’s hidden public service gem,”(Addison) meaning many people don’t think to attend them. People search for the right college but skip right over the opportunity to attend a community college. Community colleges do not receive the acknowledgment they deserve.…
- 526 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
What other people don’t tell them is that college is to help build people that can better the community and the world. McCreery writes about how college’s true purpose is to build people that have the education that allows them to survive in the world and be able to think things you that others didn’t not just to make you a big paycheck. The way College does this is by providing students with classes that can help them grow as a human and be the best they can be. A great example of this is when I took a liberal arts class this class helped me learn how I learn and how other people learn so wat I learned is that i learn the best when I write things down but it also thought me that people learn differently some people learn better by seeing things or hearing what they need to learn and other learns by touching and feeling things to remember it and learn…
- 814 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
When it comes to your junior year of high school the topic college starts to appear in your conversations more often. You start to think about what college you want to attend and then soon enough you start the application process. Some students have the grades and funds to venture off into the collages they want. On the other hand, there are some students who start their college experience at a community college because they don't have the grades or funds to venture off to their dream college. To some, community college is the way to go to get their grades up to par with their dream schools standers or until they have enough funds to attend their dream college. Community college, in some cases, may be a benefit to their students, but in…
- 1053 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Preparation and motivation are important tools to a successful college career. Many students are unsure of how to even go about obtaining a degree or the details of what the institutions are expecting. Many high schools do a poor job preparing teenagers for college either because of the limits the school has on resources…
- 681 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Many students go to college with the sole intention to get their degree, become employed, and earn a higher salary. Students with these intentions tend to struggle more throughout their college years. Students go to college because they obtain skills and characteristics that employers find desirable. These skills and characteristics also allow them to function in society. Making the leap from high school classrooms to college campuses can be difficult for many students simply because college professors expect so much more inside and outside of the classroom. Students who go to college are expected to be self-sufficient from the day they get there. At the collegiate level, students should come to class ready to participate, engage in the course…
- 439 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
A potential student may not be in a financial situation that obliges them to work while going to school. A community college will offer more flexibility when scheduling courses. They offer far more night classes than most universities. Community colleges tend to have smaller class sizes, which gives the student easy access to instructors and can get assistance when needed. The workload is lighter than universities, which may be appealing for students that realize later in their life they want to pursue a college education. This lighter work load is also an advantage for students that did not take the appropriate high school courses or were academically unsuccessful. The expectation for students to perform on a stellar academic level is abridged. However, students can plan in time to transfer to a university although at the moment they may not be financially, academically, or expressively ready for a four-year institution presently.…
- 941 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
In today’s society, there is a large debate of what is best for a child’s learning development when they are below level in learning. Educators debate the fact about whether grade retention is good for a student, or is it more appropriate to advance them with their peers, and there is research available to support what is being said. What is meant by retention or non-promotion is having a child repeat a particular grade or requiring a child of appropriate age to postpone entry to the next grade. In doing research I have found some interesting facts, and one of the biggest impacts I have found was by using the search engine to research positive effects of grade retention, the results that were found showed that there is not much available to support the facts. By retaining a child can be extremely hurtful to their self-esteem, risk ridicule and bullying from other children and may also increase behaviors caused by retention. Other things to consider would be at what cost will a child be retained, and what are the results as the child grows older.…
- 1751 Words
- 8 Pages
Better Essays -
Being that I am first generation student, attending a community college has definitely guided me in the path of success. At my community college, I have been able to develop strong relationships with my professors as well as other professionals who have generously mentored my next steps. Tuition is a reasonable price, which has allowed me to focus on my academics rather than a money burden. A variety of support services are offered on campus, which has helped me triumph in my education and maintain a 4.0 GPA. Overall, attending a community college has been the first of many steps of success.…
- 102 Words
- 1 Page
Good Essays -
Community college is the first step to becoming closer to your career. You want to make the most out of your time as a student by being productive. In order to be a successful community college student you need to set goals, participate in your classes, and manage your time wisely.…
- 427 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Life is full of obstacles which starts out on an easy level but only becomes harder the further on down. Because of the obstacle turning meticulous, people eventually crave to attend college to pursue an education; young adult, middle aged, or over middle aged adults. The reason people are inspired to attend college is that the job industries are wanting people with degrees over people with hands-on- skills. The job industries feel that people with college degrees are more likely to make the job industry flourish more than people who have not attended college but know…
- 2002 Words
- 9 Pages
Powerful Essays -
The Community College Research Center (CCRC) concluded that student success classes benefit the students and that enrollment in these classes, " has a positive marginal effect on a student’s chances of earning a credential, persisting, or transferring" (Zeidenberg, et al., 2007). By time that the Intensive English students enroll for a Student Success course with first-time college students, they have spent at a minimum of two semester terms as a student in Intensive English and are not first-time students – yet the curriculum continues to be geared to that first-time college student.…
- 92 Words
- 1 Page
Good Essays -
Grade retention is a very difficult and emotionally charged decision. It may be considered when a child has significant struggles making progress in reading, writing or math, fails to reach performance levels expected for promotion to the next grade and last but not lease appears to be immature and young for her age. In many schools today, tests are being used to determine whether a child will go on to the next grade or repeat the same grade. With the current push for high educational standards, more and more kids are facing the possibility of retention because they’re not achieving test scores required for promotion. Retention is viewed as a way to ensure greater accountability to guarantee the school is doing its job.…
- 481 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
College success is defined as accomplishment of personal and educational goals. 1 Many factors lead to success in college, and identifying these positive influences is important to serve as a guide for parents who desire college education for their children, and for college students who want to achieve their educational goals. 2 There are differences of opinion in ranking these factors or influences in order of importance. There are some who believe students who score high on aptitude tests are most important, then there are those who think students who study a great deal of time are of the greatest importance. 3 However there are three factors that are most likely to lead to college success. Students who value college education, students who are able to think more abstractly, and students who view learning or knowledge acquisition as the main purpose of college is what leads to college success.…
- 587 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays