The college visits are behind us, award letters have been deciphered, and campus housing has been arranged. Your students will be on campus and slowly finding their way soon. How can their high school advisor and their community-based organization coach
assist them with persisting to the finish?
The National Student Clearinghouse’s 2022 Persistence and Retention Report shows that, “of the 2.3 million people who entered college for the first
time in fall 2020, 75% persisted at any U.S. institution by fall 2021.” The report makes the distinction between persistence (consistent enrollment at any institution) and retention (maintaining consistent enrollment at the institution of origin).
So how can you ensure your students make it to fall finals? Here are nine tips to help guide your students to the first December finish line:
Get connected: Have your students follow the university student services and affinity group social media pages to stay abreast of orientation and other first year student events. Students can use these resources to create a plan to
dive into the campus culture early. Some institutions have an accepted students page, like Morgan State University and Indiana University,
so that students can make friends before getting to campus.
Meet and greet the VIPs: Encourage your students to introduce themselves to the staff in the financial aid/student accounts, academic advising/tutoring, the disability supports offices, etc., at the beginning and throughout the semester
when they’re not having problems and ask questions. While students may be tempted to rely solely on email and other technology to address issues or handle responsibilities, it still pays for office staff to be able to put a name to a face when
your student has trouble. Emails can be missed or flat out ignored, but it’s harder to ignore a person standing in their office.
Ensuring cultural belonging: I remember speaking to a Muslim prospective student at a college fair, and I was able to assure both them and their parents that my alma mater, Howard University, was a welcoming and inclusive place by
being knowledgeable about the Muslim Student Association’s campus activities. I could easily point to ways the University tries to incorporate various faith traditions into the culture. Encourage your students to research campus organizations
that match their cultural identities. Most institutions have a list of these organizations under the Student Life section of their website.
Craft the extracurriculars: Remind students to attend the student organization fair or stop by the student activities office to inquire about different social organizations they can join. As much as you might want to help your student
mimic their current extracurricular life, college is a great opportunity to try something new.
But watch out for overload: After being the entertainment editor of my monthly high school paper, I immediately joined the daily student newspaper staff at Howard as a graveyard shift copy editor first semester freshman year. I figured
I juggled it all well in high school, college should be no different, right? Wrong! In retrospect, it was a lot to balance with classes during the day, work at night, and still needing to find time to study, write papers, and generally enjoy college.
A good guideline is to pick one activity to support their career goals and one activity that either relieves stress or brings them joy. Remember, students can always add more activities once they have a full grasp of their academic responsibilities.
Losing the battle to win the grades war: Statistically, 14 to 15 credits is a manageable course
load for most first year students. Be aware of your go getters who need to pace themselves and not take too many credits their first year. Sometimes dropping a course is the difference between saving an otherwise successful semester and a student
stopping out entirely. 15 credits gives them cushion to drop and avoid most academic and financial penalties.
Help them help themselves: For students with learning differences, push them to seek help early and often. Make the time to complete the accommodations paperwork with your students this summer so it’s one less thing to do in the fall.
Setting up meetings with their professors, signing up for a tutor as soon as they get their schedule will set them up for success and persistence. Emphasize the importance of being transparent with their professors about their abilities and needs.
Taking care of the physical: Have you discussed with your students how they’re going to take care of their everyday needs? Ensuring they have a plan for obtaining medications, birth control, skin and haircare products, grooming treatments,
personal equipment such as glasses and contact lenses, hearing aids, CPAP machines, etc., will increase their odds of persisting.
Seeking mental support before they need it: College campuses usually provide mental health services, but these centers are often facing staffing and funding issues. In response, many campuses have incorporated telehealth services into their plan to
address student mental wellness. Students should also explore off campus services to support their mental hygiene. Many campuses have turned to resources such as Meta, Active Minds, and the National Alliance of Mental Illness’ Campus Clubs to supplement
their offerings.
By acknowledging the whole student, developing a detailed plan for their well-being, and curating their postsecondary experience, we help them confidently find their way in a new and often confusing environment.
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