Undergraduate Student Retention and Graduation
description
Transcript of Undergraduate Student Retention and Graduation
Undergraduate Student Retention and Graduation
Prepared forCAS Faculty Meeting
2/13/2013
Summary
• We need 200 more students to stay at BU through graduation to reach our goals.
• This presentation is designed to start a discussion on what faculty can do to help us reach that goal.
D Retain high-achieving studentsD Engage in early intervention for students who
need it whether because they are strong and “buying up” or facing academic challenges
BU Freshman- Sophomore Retention Rates(1) Over time (2) Compared with peers
Freshman and Sophomore Retention by School/College
Too Many High Performing BU Students Leave
1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.00.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
4.00
Freshman Cohort Entering Fall 2011 (Withdrawn in 3rd Semester)
High School GPA
1st Y
ear B
U GP
A
3.50 or better HS GPA
3.00 or better 1st Year BU GPA
Too Many High Performing BU Students Leave
Too Many High Performing BU Students Leave
60.0%
65.0%
70.0%
75.0%
80.0%
85.0%
90.0%
95.0%
100.0%
87.9%
94.6%
Freshman to Sophomore Retention RateInternationalDomestic
1st Year BU GPA
Action: Personal contact and intervention with those who are vulnerable to transfer; improve advising; recognize academic achievement; promote rigorous intellectual climate
Withdrawn BU Students 2002-2012Institution of Enrollment as
Reported to the National ClearinghouseCUMMULATIVE GPA AT TIME OF WITHDRAWAL
3.6-4.0 3.1-3.6
CORNELL UNIVERSITY (19) NEW YORK UNIVERSITY (53)
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY (19) UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (28)
BROWN UNIVERSITY (14) CORNELL UNIVERSITY (25)
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY (11) BOSTON COLLEGE (20)
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA (10) UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT (19)
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA (10) UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON (19)
BOSTON COLLEGE (8) UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT BOULDER (18)
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY (8) RUTGERS UNIVERSITY (17)
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (8) UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI (17)
WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY (7) UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA (16)
Student retention rates correlate with credits completed
Not Retained Retained
Completed 32 or more in 1st year 5.5% 94.5%
Completed less than 32 in 1st year 15.5% 84.5%
Completed 16 or more in 1st Semester 6.7% 93.3%
Completed less than 16 in 1st Semester 15.4% 84.6%
Action: Intervene with students who are in danger of dropping a course when they might have succeeded
Lower retention rates observed for students entering without major, STEM, psychology
Major Retention Rate Major Retention RateBiological & Biomedical Sciences 93.1% History 92.6%
Business/Management/Marketing 93.2% Mathematics/Statistics 91.7%
Communication/Journalism 93.7% Multi/Interdisciplinary Study 89.6%
Computer & Information Sciences 89.7% No Major 91.7%
Education 92.2% Philosophy & Religious Study 94.1%
Engineering 93.4% Physical Sciences 89.0%
English Language/Literature 93.5% Psychology 89.3%
Foreign Languages/Literature 94.6% Social Sciences 93.3%
Health Professions 92.9% Visual/Performing Arts 92.7%
How do we account for differential retention across majors? What are the implications for intervention?
Performance in quantitative courses may indicate freshman retention
CH101 EC101 MA121 WR100 0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.38240.3688
0.4869
0.2912
Difference in Mean GPA between Retained and Not Retained Freshmen Taking Entry-level Courses
Reference line is difference between Retained and Not Retained Mean First Semester GPA
What Can Faculty Do: Some Ideas(Especially Freshman, Gateway Courses)
• In freshman classes, come to class early and engage students in conversation – find out how they are doing.
• Systematically detect and reach out to those vulnerable to transfer– Indicators: non-attendance, request for transcript
for transfer, early performance in entry-level courses, disappointment with grades, add/drop patterns and withdrawing from courses