Academically Underprepared Students- Maximizing Success:
Placement Policy’s goal is to maximize the developmental student’s chances of success in college. The academic underpreparedness of developmental students presents a serious challenge to their success. Nevertheless, research tell us that remediated developmental students succeed at the same rate as their nondevelopmental peers; in fact, some studies show that they succeed at a higher rate (McCabe, 2000).
Placement policy was the right step.
Academically and NonAcademically Underprepared Students- Maximizing Success:
In his book, Leaving College: Rethinking the Causes and Cures of Student Attrition (Tinto 1993), Tinto pointed out that, contrary to popular belief, “academic difficulty is not the major reason for attrition.”
Tinto argued for a review of our management of the first year experience, quoting that 50% of students in the United States who do not complete a degree leave at the end of the first year (Tinto, 1987) and that we need to address the adjustment period (ie the early stages of the degree) as it is during this period that many students may decide to defer or drop out.
The two most significant and well-replicated effects of the first-year seminar have been on two important student outcomes: (a) retention (persistence) and (b) academic performance (achievement). Using virtually all major types of research methods (quantitative & qualitative, experimental & correlational), these outcomes of the seminar have been replicated for all types students (e.g., at-risk & well-prepared, minority & majority, residential & commuter) across institutions of all types (2- & 4-year, public & private), sizes (small, mid-sized, large), and locations (urban, suburban, rural) (Cuseo). Required First-Year Experience Courses are the right steps.
SECTION V RULES RELATING TO ATTENDING A COMMUNITY COLLEGE
2.0 Credit, Loads, Academic Standards
2.38 Participation in College Orientation
Conditions and criteria for an orientation program for first-time freshmen shall be determined by the faculty of the community college.
© 1999 thomas.kesterson@kctcs.net