Document Type

Report

Publication Date

8-1-1993

Keywords

Access, Program, Academic Achievement. Minority, Non-Minority, Freshman, First-Year, Undergraduate, Retention

Abstract

Executive Summary: Fostering the success of students of color and students admitted academically at risk has become an important goal for many institutions of higher education. In order to increase the success of these special student populations, some researchers believe that universities must be proactive in their efforts to help students. In fact, studies indicate that proactive programs are crucial, for it is often the students who need help the most that tend not to seek it. Numerous programs have been implemented to encourage increased academic achievement and retention among minority students and students admitted at higher risk of academic failure. The Access Program at Western Washington University is an example of such an effort. This study seeks to replicate and expand upon a previous thesis addressing the Access Program. The intent is to analyze the relationship between voluntary participation in Access and two benchmarks of student progress: 1) academic achievement, as measured by cumulative grade point average (GPA) over the first academic year, and 2) retention, as measured by continued enrollment from the Fall quarter of the first year to the Fall quarter following the first year. A survey was also conducted, to obtain qualitative data regarding why students depart from Western Washington University. Results indicate higher cumulative GPA's and higher rates of retention for students who elect to participate in the Access Program than for those who are eligible, but choose not to participate. Furthermore, minority students who participate in the Access Program are found to be more successful in the above two measures than their eligible minority counterparts who do not participate. However, minority students as a whole score lower on both measures than nonminority students. Prominent reasons for departers to leave the institution were transfer to another school, social/cultural reasons, and financial concerns.

Identifier

349

Publisher

Digital object produced by Office of Survey Research, Western Washington University, and made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.

Subjects - Topical (LCSH)

College attendance--Washington (State); College dropouts--Washington (State); College students--Washington (State); Academic achievement--Washington (State); Minorities--Education (Higher)--Washington (State)

Title of Series

Technical and research reports (Western Washington University. Office of Institutional Assessment and Testing) ; 1993-03

Genre/Form

Reports

Type

Text

Rights

This resource is provided for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries.

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

Download
COinS