The transition from high school to postsecondary education can be challenging. Students are faced with much more freedom, and with that comes greater responsibility.
In fall 2018, about 2.6 million first-time undergraduate students began studies at a U.S institution. The national retention rate for those students who were still enrolled at a U.S institution by fall 2019 was 75.9%, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
This means about 600,000 students discontinued their studies. One question we can ask is: if those students were familiar with on-campus support systems, would they still be enrolled?
To better assist your students with their transition to higher education, here is a list of some of the most important support systems available on many college and university campuses.
Counseling Services/Mental Health Services
Mental health has been a major topic of discussion over the last couple of years. COVID-19 has only emphasized the need for mental health and counseling services on college campuses, as more students have vocalized their challenges navigating the stress
of academia amid a pandemic.
On-campus counseling services provide a safe space for students to share confidential information, while also finding ways to successfully navigate the stressful situations they encounter throughout their time on campus.
Academic Advisers
One of the cornerstones to a student’s collegiate success is the relationship they have with their academic advisers.
Most colleges have dedicated staff members to help first-year students design their schedules. These faculty normally check in with students once a semester to ensure the students are on track to graduate. During these sessions, students are not only
able to discuss their schedule, but also gain important knowledge such as possible minors, first-year student scholarship opportunities, and priority class registration.
Some schools have more targeted advising programs. For example, Georgia State University has become well-known for its use of predictive analytics to identify students who are exhibiting behaviors correlated with dropping out and could use more intensive advising. Since implementing the GPS Advising system, the university has seen improvements in graduation rates.
Writing Center
Essay writing is something many college students do on a weekly basis. Even so, every first-year student could use help improving their writing skills.
Most colleges offer writing centers or studios on campus. Writing centers allow students to submit rough drafts of their assignments for critique and reflection before turning in their final drafts. These centers are extremely useful for first-year students
because they provide a great opportunity for peer reflection.
Financial Aid Office
Arguably one of the most important services on a college campus is the financial aid office. Some first-year students will find themselves in the financial aid office during the first week of school ensuring their dues are cleared for the semester.
First-year students should become familiar with the people who work in these buildings. Financial aid advisers can also provide information about scholarship and grant opportunities, federal work-study jobs, and more.
Diversity/Multicultural Affairs Office
Diversity and inclusion programs have become a more common, though not ubiquitous sight, on college campuses across the U.S. These offices specialize in celebrating racial, gender, sexual orientation, and other types of diversity on campus.
These offices also provide emotional support, judgment-free zones, and a place to discuss topics that are sometimes seen as taboo in today’s society. Encouraging your students to connect with these offices can help them navigate the new environment that
they’ve been thrust into.
Professors
College professors may be much more hands-off than a student's high school teachers were. This difference in teaching style can lead to academic challenges for your student if they aren’t prepared for the change. Be sure to emphasize with your student
that professors can be your biggest asset, not only in the classroom but also in the future.
The first step to achieving a strong relationship with a professor is to visit them during office hours. This allows the student to ask questions about course material and express any concerns they have about adjusting to college studies.
And later down the road, professors with whom students have built good relationships may be able to provide recommendations for internships or jobs.
More Strategies for Supporting College Student Success
NCAN established the Success Replication Project, with the generous support of a Michael & Susan Dell Foundation grant, to help organizations ensure students they had served in high school complete postsecondary credentials. Over three years, 12 organizations
set out to expand their student success services in their respective communities.
What we learned was a pretty clear formula for scaling success services, which we’ve outlined in a new paper series, "Scaling Success Services."
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