Student Retention
I belive we are all resonsiable for student retention, not just the Academics department. Admissions, Financing, all departments should be involved at any level.
Hi Loren,
Happy New Year.
Yes I do. On the first day of the class I allow students to introduce themselves and give them each the opportunity to make known what motivated them to enter this career field. I get a wide range of answers, from fulfilling a dream to being inspired by their 1st dental visit, to honoring a parent or diseased loved-one who was in the field.
I do this assignment because I myself want to see where they are coming from, and if they will be dedicated with completing their studies. Students like to share their thoughts on their choice of chosen career, and I believe by allowing them to share thoughts, I emphasizes my interest in their choice and their presence in school.
Warmest Regards,
Florita Robinson
Florita, do you have your students do an assignment that discloses their motivation for entering the career field?
I agree with you Henry, retention is on-going delicate matter, and it is everyone's responsibility.
I agree that we are all responsible, but I don't wear it like a badge. I think I help student retention by being a role model expressing a caring attitude without assuming responsibility for life's situations that arise. I can guide and coach.
Retention of students in schools starts with acceptance of the student, not only just in the program, but as the person they are and the career path they have chosen to pursue. It's helpful for the instructor to understand why the student has chosen this field of study. Quite often one will hear it to be a long-cherished dream to have such a career, or maybe to honor someone. Whatever the reason, an instructor can learn about the student's choice of study and help guide to achieve that goal. Some students will learn easily, others will struggle. With particular the latter, an institution Customer Service may reflect its commitment to students success by showing they care and are sensitive to students problems, by making available tools to manage those problems. For example,having available a meeting between instructor or advisor and student, tutoring,or car pooling, etc so as to intervene with and prevent drop-outs . The school should also have a good reputation, a successful completion rate of studies by students, showing that students' expectations are being met. Secondly, students should know their relationship with the institution's faculty and personnel is trust-worthy, resulting in higher satisfactory rate by students. These may help and increase students retention in school and growth of the student body.
Judy, are you involved in admissions? If not, are you working with the reps to make sure they are providing this type of useful information to the prospective students?
I totally agree with Henry, some of the students that have already been accepted into a program and especially an accelerated program with no previous college experience becomes a big shocker to them when they need to make sacrafices. also if they can not keep up with work load due to lack of time management and not willing to make sacrafices can lead to attrition and not retention. Admissions is the first area for guiding and assisting those potential students by giving them an insight to the accleration of the programs and also advising the potential students on the life changes that may occur while in the program. Many sacrafices are made by many students and if they are not prepared emotionally or financially, this can be a retention issue.
Robert, why wouldn't the students know about the support system? The challenge usually is to get them to use the support resources.
I agree, it must be a team effort; especially if those in academics are not the ones the students feel comfortable confiding in. Student services support, admissions reps, etc. would be great support systems if the students know they are available for them.
Yes, it improved our attendance. After the students misses the second day, the instrucotr or the program director contacts the student services advisor. The student service advisor usually contacts the student with a day or two.
Shana, have these practices improved attendance and performance in your classes? How often do you make referrals for support services?
As a instructors, retention is a personal responsibility. If my student does not attend class, I call and email the student to inquire about why did the person miss class. Next, I remind the student their purpose of starting school. This usually motivates the student to return to class.
"Feeling" of the school. Culture. Positive or negative, it is something that students pick up on and react to.
It is definitely a team effort. If all departments work together it will show in the whole "feeling" of the school. All of these actions are all dependent on us as individuals to make the decision to do our best to retain students.
Who can argue with this statement, Henry, but how do you make it a part of the school's culture? What can you do personally to take responsibility for retention?
