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A study of retention strategies in a special services program at
Michigan State University
B etts, E rnest Samuel, J r., Ph.D .
Michigan State University, 1987

C opyright © 1988 by B etts, E rnest Sam uel, Jr. A ll rights reserved.

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A STUDY OF RETENTION STRATEGIES IN A
SPECIAL SERVICES PROGRAM AT
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
By
E rne st S. B e t t s , J r .

A DISSERTATION
Submitted t o
Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
in p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t o f t h e req uire m en ts
f o r t h e degree o f
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
Department o f Educational A dm i n ist r a t io n
1988

ABSTRACT
A STUDY OF RETENTION STRATEGIES IN A
SPECIAL SERVICES PROGRAM AT
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
By
Ernest S. B e t t s , J r .

The purpose o f t h i s

study was t o

investigate

two groups of

College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s ’ p e r c e p tio n s o f t h e b e n e f i t s of
s pecial-p rogra m s r e t e n t i o n s t r a t e g i e s toward p e r s i s t e n c e a t Michigan
State University.

The r e s u l t s o f t h i s study may pr ovide u n i v e r s i t y

a d m i n i s t r a t o r s w i t h b e t t e r knowledge a b o u t p o t e n t i a l

stu d en ts’

a t t i t u d e s concerning t h e i r admission t o a s p ecia l s e r v i c e s program.
This study c o n s i s t e d o f comparing two groups o f s t u d e n t s .

The

f i r s t group r e c e iv e d lo w e r -t han-expected f i r s t - t e r m c o l l e g e gr a d e s.
Group Two comprised

s tu d e n t s

expected f i r s t - t e r m g r a d e s .
in s t r u m e n ts :

who r e c e iv e d

as

expected

or

above

Data were g ath er ed from t h r e e survey

an in-coming freshman survey, which was ad m inist ered

b e fore s t u d e n t s began c l a s s e s ;
was a d m i n i s t e r e d
sophomore y e a r s ;

after
and

a

a parallel

students

follow-up s urv ey , which

completed t h e i r

supplemental

junior

survey ,

a f t e r s t u d e n t s moved from sophomore t o j u n i o r s t a t u s .

freshman

and

a d m inistered
The d a t a were

t a b u l a t e d by using a t w o - t a i l e d t - t e s t f o r comparison o f means and a
z - t e s t f o r th e mean d i f f e r e n c e between Hypotheses 1 and 2.

Ernest S. Betts, Jr.
The major f in d i n g s were as fo ll ows:
1.
in

term s

There was no s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e between t h e two groups
of

f re s hm an

College

A ch ieve men t

Program

stu d en ts’

p e r c e p t i o n s and e x p e c t a t i o n s with r e s p e c t t o academic, s o c i a l ,
personal

factors

related

to

academic

suc ce ss

at

the

time

and
they

e n te r e d t h e u n i v e r s i t y .
2.

There was no s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e between t h e two groups

o f College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s ’ p e r c e p t i o n s with r e s p e c t to
changes in t h e same s e l e c t e d f a c t o r s on completion o f t h e i r freshman
and sophomore y e a r s .
3.

There was a s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e between th e two groups

o f College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s ’ p e r c e p t i o n s with r e s p e c t to
th e

same f a c t o r s

related

to

academic

s uc ce ss

between

the

time

s tu d e n t s e n te r ed and u n t i l th ey achieved j u n i o r s t a t u s .
4.

There was no s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e between t h e two groups

o f College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s ' p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e v alu e of
academic programs o f f e r e d by t h e O f fic e o f Suppo rtive S e r v ic e s a t
t h e beginning o f t h e i r j u n i o r y e a r .

Copyright by
ERNEST S. BETTS, JR.
1988

DEDICATION
To Tsung-Ai
This d i s s e r t a t i o n

is

dedicated

t o you f o r y o u r

patience,

w i l l i n g s a c r i f i c e s , moral s u p p o rt, and encouragement when tim es were
so tough t h a t I q u es ti o n ed t h e worth o f completion.
To my mother, Addie, and my f a t h e r , E r n e s t , S r . , f o r t h e y e a r s
o f s p o n so r sh ip , t r a i n i n g , and f a i t h t h a t I could accomplish any s e t
g o a ls and o b j e c t i v e s through hard work and d e s i r e .
To

my

daughter,

E rica,

who

has

added

a p p r e c i a t i o n o f l i f e , and happiness t o our fam il y.

v

a

lo t

of

love,

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I wish t o exp res s my s i n c e r e thanks and a p p r e c i a t i o n t o th e
numerous people who a s s i s t e d , ad vise d, and encouraged me th ro ug ho ut
t h e d u r a t io n o f t h i s stu dy.
I wish t o express my d e e p e s t and s i n c e r e a p p r e c i a t i o n t o my
t h e s i s committee chairman, Dr. Eldon Nonnamaker, f o r h i s guidan ce ,
friendship,
and

and,

students

fo remos t,

in

higher

program.

I would l i k e

committee

members:

availability,

o f what

ed uca ti on
to
Dr.

encouragement,

anyone could have.
teaching

h i s unde rstan ding o f human development
thro ugh out

acknowledge,
Lo nn ie
and l i f e

with

Eiland,

my d o c to r a l
special
your

un der st an ding

degree

thanks,

my

m entorship,
ar e

the

best

Dr. Howard Hickey, you brought a new p e r s p e c t i v e
and

leadership

are

all

about.

With

all

the

s tu d e n t s who demand you r tim e, thanks a m i l l i o n f o r your p a t i e n c e
and commitment.

Dr. Donald Galvin, f o r your a v a i l a b i l i t y even when

you were not a v a i l a b l e ,

and th e knowledge you shared in many a r e a s

o f h i g h e r e d u c a t io n .
A s p e c ia l thank-you i s extended t o t h e 100 College Achievement
Admission Program s t u d e n t s who v o l u n t e e r e d t o p a r t i c i p a t e

in t h i s

s tu d y .
Finally,

I would l i k e t o extend my s i n c e r e

appreciation

and

thanks t o t h e fo llo wing f r i e n d s who gave o f t h e i r p r e c i o u s time and

energy t o a s s i s t
study:

in t h e a n a l y s i s o f d a t a and c r i t i q u i n g

of th is

Dr. Lee E. Meadows, Dr. James A. McComb, I r a J . Washington,

Tim Cummings, Morris J . Schrock, and S t a c i a Scarbrough.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
LIST OF T A B L E S ......................................................................................

x

Chapter
I.

II.

III.

...................................................................................

1

Statement o f t h e Problem ....................................................
Popu lation and Sample .............................................................
Research Questions .................................................................
Purpose o f t h e Study .............................................................
Research Design and Methodology ........................................
Research Hypotheses .................................................................
D e f i n i t i o n o f Terms .................................................................
Study L i m ita t io n s and D e l i m i ta t io n s ...............................
Overview o f t h e D i s s e r t a t i o n ............................................

3
4
6
7
8
10
10
13
14

INTRODUCTION

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

................................................

16

I n t r o d u c t i o n ..............................................................................
Academic Problems and Needs o f Disadvantaged
S t u d e n t s ...................................................................................
Developmental and Remedial Programs ...............................
The Special S e r v ic e s Program a t Michigan S t a t e
U n i v e r s i t y ..............................................................................
Special S e r v ic e s Programs a t Other I n s t i t u t i o n s . .
Summary...........................................................................................

16
18
33
34
41
53

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY ............................................

55

I n t r o d u c t i o n ..............................................................................
The Population and S a m p l e ....................................................
I n st r u m e n ta ti o n and Method o f Data C o l l e c t i o n . . .
The In-coming Student Survey ............................................
The Follow-up Stud en t Survey ............................................
The Supplemental J u n i o r Survey ........................................
Data Ana lysis ..............................................................................
Summary...........................................................................................

55
57
59
60
63
63
64
65

Page
IV. PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA.........................................
Anal ysis o f Hypotheses

67

.........................................................

72

...................

97

I n t r o d u c t i o n ..............................................................................
S e l e c t i o n o f S tud en ts .............................................................
Data C o l l e c t i o n and S t a t i s t i c a l Treatment ....................
F i n d i n g s .......................................................................................
I n t e r p r e t a t i o n s o f Findings andConclusions . . . .
R e f l e c t i o n s ...................................................................................
Recommendations ..........................................................................
Recommendations f o r F u r th e r Research ...........................

97
99
99
100
102
Ill
113
115

V. FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

APPENDICES
A. IN-COMING STUDENT SURVEY

..........................................................

117

B. FOLLOW-UP STUDENT SURVEY

..........................................................

123

......................................................

128

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................................................................

133

C.

SUPPLEMENTAL JUNIOR SURVEY

ix

LIST OF TABLES
Table
1.
2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Page
Ethnic D i s t r i b u t i o n o f College Achievement Program
S tud en ts Surveyed ..........................................................................

59

D i s t r i b u t i o n o f Freshman College Achievement Program
S tud en ts Who Responded t o t h e In-coming Student
Survey and J u n i o r College Achievement Program
S tud en ts Who Responded t o t h e Follow-up Student
Survey and Supplemental J u n i o r Survey ...............................

68

D i s t r i b u t i o n by Gender o f College Achievement Program
S tud en ts Who Responded t o t h e 1983 In-coming
Stu de nt Survey ...............................................................................

68

D i s t r i b u t i o n by Gender o f J u n i o r College Achievement
Program S tud en ts Who Responded t o t h e 1986
Follow-up Student Survey and Supplemental J u n i o r
S u r v e y ................................................................................................

69

D i s t r i b u t i o n by Gender o f College Achievement Program
S tud en ts Who Were Assigned t o I n f l a t e d and Accurate
o r Con servative E xpe ct at io ns Groups ...................................

69

D i s t r i b u t i o n by Percentage o f College Achievement
Program Students Who Were Assigned t o I n f l a t e d and
Accurate o r Conser vative Expectation Groups ..................

70

D i s t r i b u t i o n o f Student Responses t o t h e Question,
"Estimate Your Average Grade f o r t h e F i r s t Term
o f Your Freshman Year" .............................................................

71

D i s t r i b u t i o n o f Student Responses t o t h e Question,
"What Is t h e Highest Degree That You Intend t o
O b t a i n ? " ............................................................................................

72

"On a Scale o f 1-4, How Important Do You Think
F in ancia l Aid Will Be in Determining Your
Academic Success?" ......................................................................

73

"On a S cale o f 1- 4, How Important Do You Think
Problems Taking Exams Will Be in Keeping You From
Reaching Academic Success?" .....................................................

74

x

"On a S ca le o f 1- 4, How Important Do You Think
Poor Study Habits Will Be in Keeping You From
Reaching Academic Success?" .....................................................

75

"On a Sca le o f 1-4, How Important Do You Think
Academic Counseling Will Be in Keeping You From
Reaching Academic Success?" .....................................................

76

"On a S ca le o f 1- 4, How Important Do You Think
Tu torin g Will Be in Determining Your Academic
Success?" ............................................................................................

76

"On a Sca le o f 1-4, How Important Do You Think
F in a n c ia l Aid Has Been in Determining Your
Academic S ucces s?". . ..................................................................

78

"On a S ca le o f 1 -4, How Important Do You Think
Tu torin g Has Been in Determining Your Academic
Success?" ............................................................................................

79

"On a Sca le o f 1- 4, How Important Do You Think
Academic Counseling Has Been in Determining Your
Academic Success?" ......................................................................

80

"On a Sca le o f 1 -4, How Important Do You Think
Poor Study Habits Has Been in Determining Your
Academic Success?" ......................................................................

80

"On a S ca le o f 1 -4, How Important Do You Think
Problems Taking Exams Has Been in Determining
Your Academic Success?" .............................................................

81

"How Important Do You Think F inancial Aid Will Be o r
Has Been in Determining Your Academic Success?" . . .

83

"How Important Do You Think F inancial Aid Will Be
o r Has Been in Determining Your Academic Success?"

.

84

"How Important Do You Think T u to ring Will Be o r Has
Been in Determining Your Academic Success? ..................

85

"How Important Do You Think Tu to ring Will Be o r Has
Been in Determining Your Academic Success?" ..................

86

"How Important Do You Think Academic Counseling Will
Be o r Has Been in Determining Your Academic
Success?" ............................................................................................

86

xi

Page
24. "How Important Do You Think Academic Counseling Will
Be o r Has Been in Determining Your Academic S u c c e s s ? " ............................................................................................
25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

87

"How Important Do You Think Poor Study Habits Will
Be o r Have Been in Determining Your Academic
S u c c e s s ? " ............................................................................................

88

"How Important Do You Think Poor Study Ha bits Will
Be o r Have Been in Determining Your Academic
S u c c e s s ? " ............................................................................................

89

"How Imporant Do You Think Problems Taking Exams Will
Be or Has Been in Determining Your Academic
S u c c e s s ? " ............................................................................................

90

"How Important Do You Think Problems Taking Exams Will
Be or Has Been in Determining Your Academic
S u c c e s s ? " ............................................................................................

90

"On a S ca le o f 1 -5 , I n d i c a t e t h e Q u a lity o f Academic
Counseling Provided by t h e O f f i c e o f S uppo rtive
S e r v i c e s . " .......................................................................................

93

"On a S cale o f 1 -5, I n d i c a t e t h e Q u a lity o f C a r e e r /
Employment Advisement Provided by t h e O f f i c e o f
S upp ortive S e r v ic e s " ..................................................................

93

"On a S ca le o f 1 -5 , How Important Was th e O f f i c e o f
S upp ortive S e r v ic e s Counseling in Improving Your
Overall Academic Development?" ............................................

94

"To What Degree Has t h e O f f ic e o f S upp ortiv e S e r v ic e s
Helped You Achieve o r Try t o Achieve Your Educa­
t i o n a l Goals in Your P r esen t S t a t u s ? " ...............................

95

"On a Sca le o f 1 - 5 , t o What Degree Do You P er ce iv e
t h e O f f i c e o f Suppo rtive S e r v ic e s Has Helped You
Improve Your GPA?" ......................................................................

96

xii

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

P e r s i s t e n c e in c o l l e g e i s an old i s s u e with a new f o c u s .

In

th e p a s t th e term most o f t e n used was " a t t r i t i o n , " and t h e focus was
upon s tu d e n t s dropping o u t ,
process.

More r e c e n t l y ,

implying d e f i c i e n c i e s in t h e s e l e c t i o n

" r e t e n t i o n " has been used t o d e s c r i b e th e

same problem, and i m p l i c i t in t h e d e f i n i t i o n i s a change in focus
from t h e s tu d e n t t o th e i n s t i t u t i o n .
who were

ad m itted,

is

what

can

The i s s u e , given t h e s tu d e n t s

be modified

in

proce ss so t h a t t h e s e s t u d e n t s w i ll be r e t a i n e d ?

the

e d u catio n al

In a span o f two

decades, h ig h e r e d u catio n has moved from an emphasis upon ed uca ti on
for

selectively

admitted

students

who

can

meet

institutionally

imposed s ta n d a r d s t o t h e n e c e s s i t y f o r many i n s t i t u t i o n s t o adapt
t h e i r programs t o th e ed u c a ti o n a l needs o f n o n t r a d i t i o n a l s t u d e n t s .
The emphasis i s not only

upon e d u catio n al ac c e s s f o r a l l ,

im port ant, upon e d u catio n

f o r each (Cross, 1976).

In t h e

p ast,

when t h e r e

was an o v e r s u p p l y

of

but more

students,

r e t e n t i o n was mainly an e t h i c a l i s s u e in v o lv in g q u e s t i o n s concerning
equal o p p o r tu n i t y and ac c e s s t o h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n ,
and s tu d e n t waste o f time and e f f o r t .

loss of ta le n t,

"Now t h a t th e pool o f c o l l e g e

age s t u d e n t s has diminished" (Carnegie Council, 1974), r e t e n t i o n has
become a p r a c t i c a l i s s u e involvin g t h e s u r v i v a l o f many i n s t i t u t i o n s

1

2
o f h igher ed u c a tio n ,

where,

if

a s t u d e n t drops

he/s he may not be ab le t o be r e p la c e d
1976).

as

out

of college,

in t h e p a s t

(Shulman,

Along with a l i m i t e d number o f s t u d e n t s t h e r e i s a s h o rt a g e

o f r e s o u r c e s , which makes c o s t a primary de term in a nt o f e d u catio n al
policy.

O verall,

reten tio n

r e c r u i t m e n t ( A sti n , 1975).

may be more c o s t

effective

than

The l o s s o f s t u d e n t s always has been a

problem f o r t h e h ig h e r ed uca tion i n s t i t u t i o n s , but in t h e p a s t , with
a relatively

large

number

i m p a c t was q u a l i t a t i v e

of

potential

s tu d e n t s

available,

r a t h e r than q u a n t i t a t i v e .

the

Q ualitative

changes a r e u s u a l l y s u b t l e and more e a s i l y overlooked, and although
attrition

meant t h e

loss

of

potential

talents

of

students,

th e

perceived

in

e x i s t e n c e o f t h e i n s t i t u t i o n was not t h r e a t e n e d .
More

recently,

quantitative

terms

institutions

are

actively

student
in

enrollm ents

relation

presently

recruiting

attritio n
to

(Henderson,

1979).

been

supply/demand

relaxing

disad va ntage d

has

admissions

s tu d e n t s

in

Ironically,

factors.
criteria

order
as

to

Many
and

ar e

increase

disadvantaged

s t u d e n t s become more o f a means t o in s u r e s u rv iv a l o f i n s t i t u t i o n s ,
th ey may become an end w it h i n them se lv es .
education

recognize

they

must

I n s t i t u t i o n s o f h igh er

now r e s p o n d

to

the

needs

disa dva ntage d s t u d e n t s i f th ey ar e t o m ai ntai n e n r o l lm e n t s .
major m o tiv atio n

of retention

efforts

may now have

of
The

quantitative

g oals i f s t u d e n t e n r o llm e n ts ar e t o be i n c r e a s e d o r maintained.

3
Statement o f t h e Problem
Most d i s a d v a n t a g e d s t u d e n t s e n t e r i n s t i t u t i o n s o f h i g h e r
e ducation l a c k i n g a good f i n a n c i a l base t h a t th ey can depend
on; inad eq ua te high school p r e p a r a t i o n in s u b j e c t s l i k e math,
b a s i c s c ie n c e s and r eading and w r i t i n g .
Furthermore, they
f r e q u e n t l y e n c o u n t e r p r o b le m s w i t h t i m e management, s t u d y
s k i l l s and t e s t ta k i n g s k i l l s . (Hechinger, 1979)
The p r e s e n t r e s e a r c h e r has worked in Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
Special S e r v ic e s Program* f o r seven y e a r s .
w itness ed

many

freshman

students

During t h i s tim e, he has

entering

the

Special

S e r v ic e s

Program with t h e a t t i t u d e t h a t they do not need any s p e c i a l academic
assistance fo r survival.
determ ine

whether,

and

The general problem o f t h i s study was to
to

what

extent,

entering

s tu d e n t s

with

u n r e a l i s t i c academic e x p e c t a t i o n s d i f f e r from e n t e r i n g s t u d e n t s with
r e a l i s t i c academic e x p e c t a t i o n s ,

in terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s of

t h e College Achievement Program and o t h e r
U niversity

environment

at

the

end

of

selected
th eir

areas

sophomore

o f th e
year.

R e a l i s t i c and u n r e a l i s t i c e x p e c t a t i o n s were determined by t h e e x t e n t
t o which th e e n t e r i n g s t u d e n t s a c c u r a t e l y e s tim a te d t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m
grade p o i n t averages (GPAs).

^Special S e r v ic e s Programs: Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y programs
t h a t p r o v i d e s e r v i c e s t o l o w - in c o m e , f i r s t g e n e r a t i o n and
handicapper s t u d e n t s .
The u l t i m a t e goal o f such programs i s t o
i n c r e a s e t h e r e t e n t i o n and g ra d u a t io n r a t e o f disad v a n ta g e and
handicapper s t u d e n t s e n r o l l e d a t MSU.

4
Popu lation and Sample
During t h e 1983 summer freshman o r i e n t a t i o n a t Michigan S t a t e
University,

College Achievement Admissions

Program^ s t u d e n t s were

asked t o complete an in-coming s tu d e n t survey.
of the

entering

students

completed

th e

A t o t a l o f 175 (60%)

survey

i n s tr u m e n t .

The

survey purpose was t o provide program c o uns elors with i n form ati on on
s t u d e n t p e r c e p t i o n s and e x p e c t a t i o n s c o n c e r n i n g t h e i r a c a d e m ic
pr ep ared n e ss ,

financial

need,

and c a r e e r

aspirations

b e f o re

th ey

a c tu a lly entered college.
At t h e

end o f

th eir

sophomore y e a r

a sa mple

of

College

Achievement Program s t u d e n t s who completed t h e i r in-coming s t u d e n t
s u r v e y were a s k e d t o
supplemental

junior

com plete both a f o llo w -u p

survey.

U n i v e r s i t y ’ s Special

This

survey

and

study examined Michigan

S ervic es s t u d e n t s ’ ( h e r e a f t e r r e f e r r e d

C o l l e g e Ac hie vem en t Program s t u d e n t s )

a

State
to

as

perceptions of e x istin g

programs t h a t ar e designed t o i n c r e a s e t h e i r chances f o r academic
achievement.
selected

at

Two groups o f College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s ,
random,

were

stu d e n ts with i n f l a t e d

studied.

College

Achievement

e x p e c t a t i o n s on t h e f r e s h m a n

in - c o m i n g

s tu d e n t survey o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA comprised Group One.
A ch iev em en t

Program

students

with

accurate

or

Program

College

conservative

^CAAP:
The acronym used t o i d e n t i f y t h e College Achievement
A d m is s io n s Prog ram .
The prog ram c o n s i d e r s f o r a d m i s s i o n t h e
m in o ri ty and disad vanta ged s tu d e n t who may not q u a l i f y under t h e
r e g u l a r c r i t e r i a f o r admissions.

5
expectations of t h e i r

first-term

GPA comprised

Group Two.

Both

groups were compared by using t h r e e survey i n s t r u m e n t s .
1.

In-coming Stud en t Survey:

pr o v id e s

in fo r m a ti o n on what

e n t e r i n g College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s ’ e x p e c t a t i o n s w i l l be
o f l i f e a t MSU b efore e n r o llm e n t.
2.

Follow-up Stu den t Survey:

p r o v id e s in fo r m a tio n about th e

degree o f change in t h e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f College

Achievement Program

s t u d e n t s a f t e r completing freshman and sophomore y e a r s .

This survey

i s p a r a l l e l t o t h e In-coming Student Survey.
3.

Supplemental

Junior

Survey:

p r o v id e s

College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s ’ p e r c e p t i o n s
s t r a t e g i e s o f t h e O f f i c e o f Supp ortive S e r v ic e s

in fo r m a tio n
o f the
(OSS)

on

program

in helping

them a t t a i n j u n i o r s t a t u s .
A total

o f 100 randomly s e l e c t e d College Achievement Program

s t u d e n t s who had completed t h e i r sophomore y e a r s were surveyed f o r
t h i s s tu d y .

Of t h e s e 100 s t u d e n t s ,

i t was determined t h a t 64 o f

them had i n f l a t e d e s t i m a t e s o f t h e i r GPA a t th e end o f t h e i r f i r s t
ter m;

these

students

were

as si gned

to

Group

comprised 25 male and 39 female j u n i o r - l e v e l
Program s t u d e n t s .

One.

This

C ollege Achievement

T h e ir ages ranged between 19 and 21 y e a r s .

Group One, o f t h e 64 s t u d e n t s surveyed,

group

In

61% were females and 39%

were males.
Of t h e 100 s t u d e n t s ,

i t was determined t h a t 36 o f them had

accurate or conservative estimates of t h e i r

GPA a t t h e end o f t h e i r

f i r s t term; t h e s e s t u d e n t s were as signed t o Group Two.

Group Two

comprised 15 male and 21 female College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s

6

who had completed t h e i r freshman and sophomore y e a r s .
ranged between 19 and 21 y e a r s .

T h e i r ages

In Group Two, o f t h e t o t a l

36

s tu d e n t s surveyed, 58% were females and 42% were males.
In February 1986, t h e same 100 j u n i o r - l e v e l College Achievement
Program

students

complete t h e
Survey.

selected

for

the

Follow-up Student

above

sample

were

asked

Survey and a Supplemental

to

Junior

Of t h e 100 s tu d e n t s surveyed, 92% responded.

Of t h e 92 s tu d e n t s responding t o th e follow- up survey and t h e
supplem entary

survey,

57

(63%)

of

the

students

had

inflated

e x p e c t a t i o n s f o r t h e i r GPAs and thus were as signed t o Group One.
Group Two c o n s t i t u t e d

35

(37%)

of

the

to tal

respondents

and

comprised 14% males and 23% females.
Research Questions
The study o f t h e two groups was designed t o pro vide i n form ation
concerning t h e fo llowin g r e s e a r c h q u e s ti o n s :
1.

Do e n t e r i n g

students

who have a c c u r a t e

or

conservative

e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t term GPA and s tu d e n t s who have i n f l a t e d
expectations

of

expectations

and

personal

their

first-term

perceptions

factors?

These

problems with t a k i n g t e s t s ,

GPA d i f f e r

of

selected

factors

were

(c)

in

terms

academic,
(a)

their

social,

financial

poor study h a b i t s ,

of

(d)

aid,

and
(b)

academic

c o u n s e lin g , and (e) t u t o r i n g .
2.

Do s t u d e n t s who have a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s

o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA and s tu d e n t s who have i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s
of th e ir

first-term

GPA d i f f e r

in terms o f t h e i r

perceptions

of

7

t h e s e same f a c t o r s

a f t e r completing t h e i r

freshman and sophomore

years?
3.

Do College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s who have a c c u r a t e

o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA and s t u d e n t s
who have i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r

first-term

GPA d i f f e r

in

terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e s e same f a c t o r s between t h e time
th ey e n t e r u n t i l t h e time th ey reach j u n i o r s t a t u s ?
4.

At t h e beginning o f t h e i r j u n i o r y e a r , do s t u d e n t s who have

a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA and
students
differ

who have
in

terms

inflated
of

their

expectations
p e r c e p ti o n s

of t h e i r
of

first-term

the

v alu e

the

need

GPA

of

programs

for

academic

o f f e r e d by th e O f f ic e o f Supportive S er vices ?
Purpose o f t h e Study
Michigan
assistan ce

State
for

University

r eco gn izes

educationally,

econom ically,

disadv antage d s tu d e n t s (Hamilton, 1973).
was t o

investigate

and

c u ltu ra lly

The purpose o f t h i s study

two g r o u p s o f C o l l e g e A c hievem ent

Program

s t u d e n t s ’ p e r c e p t i o n s o f th e b e n e f i t s o f s p e c i a l programs' r e t e n t i o n
s t r a t e g i e s toward p e r s i s t e n c e a t Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y .
e r a o f d e c l i n i n g e n r o l lm e n t s , b i r t h r a t e s ,
u n iv ersities

are

realizing

the

need

and monetary r e s o u r c e s ,
to

account

ex p e n d itu r e s and t o develop new pools o f p o t e n t i a l
recent

report

published

by t h e

American

In an

th eir

students.

A s s o c i a tio n

Education (1977) i n d i c a t e d t h a t by th e y e a r 2000,

for

for

"A

Higher

ze ro p o p u l a tio n

growth might be reached and t h a t t h e p o t e n t i a l pool f o r t r a d i t i o n a l

8

c o l l e g e - a g e s tu d e n t s w i l l

be s i g n i f i c a n t l y reduced in t h e next 30

y e a r s" (Jackson, 1979).
The

results

of

th is

study

may

provide

adm issions

a d m i n i s t r a t o r s w i t h b e t t e r knowledge a b o u t p o t e n t i a l

stu d en ts’

a t t i t u d e s concerning t h e i r admission t o a s p e c i a l program and a look
at

their

arrival.

motivations,

expectations,

inform ation

retention

a d a p ti v e

behaviors

upon

Answers t o t h e q u e s tio n s addressed in t h e study should

provide u n i v e r s i t y guidance
with

and

on t h e

strategies

s e r v i c e s programs

degree

of

as well

as

importance

being used by recognized

at

Community College.

co unselo rs

of

the

various

s u c c e s s fu l

special

MSU, Marquette U n i v e r s i t y ,
More s p e c i f i c a l l y ,

it

and S o utheastern

i s hoped t h a t from t h i s

study some r e s u l t s can be o btained t h a t w i l l
Achievem ent P r o g r a m ' s

administrators

add t o t h e College

knowledge a b o u t how C o l l e g e Achievem ent

Program s tu d e n t s can i n c r e a s e t h e i r p e r s i s t e n c e a t Michigan S t a t e
U n i v e r s i t y and how th e r e s u l t s o f t h e study can a i d o t h e r c o l l e g e s
and u n i v e r s i t i e s around t h e countr y with s p e c i a l

s e r v i c e s programs

and i n c r e a s e t h e s tu d e n t r e t e n t i o n r a t e .
Research Design and Methodology
This
students.

research

study

consisted

of

two

groups

of

The f i r s t group o f s t u d e n t s were t h o s e who r e c e i v e d lower

than expected f i r s t - t e r m c o l l e g e g r a d e s .
th o s e s tu d e n t s who r e c e i v e d
ex pe cted .

comparing

first-term

Group Two was composed o f
gr ades

at

o r above th o s e

Data were ga th e r e d from t h r e e survey i n s t r u m e n t s :

in-coming freshman survey which was a d m in ister ed

b e f o re

(a) an
s tu d e n t s

9

began c o l l e g e c l a s s e s , (b) a p a r a l l e l follow-up s t u d e n t survey which
was a d m in is te red a f t e r s tu d e n t s
sophomore y e a r s ,

and

(c)

had completed t h e i r

a supplemental

junior

freshman and

survey which was

ad m in iste r e d s h o r t l y a f t e r t h e s tu d e n t s moved from sophomore (lower
d i v i s i o n ) s t a t u s t o j u n i o r (upper d i v i s i o n ) s t a t u s .
The freshman

survey and

t h e follow-up

survey

consisted

of

p a r a l l e l forms and s o l i c i t e d inform ation concerning t h e p e r c e p t i o n s
and

expectations

financial
indicate

need,
their

University

of

the

s tu d e n t s

their

and degree a s p i r a t i o n s .
expected f i r s t - t e r m

r e c o rd s

were

h igher

GPAs,

accurate

ex pec te d.

Studen ts who d i d as well

formed one group, whereas
formed a second group.

to

academic

ab ilities,

S tu den ts were asked t o

GPA

examined

predicted

there

on

in

freshman

survey.

determine

i f the

students

or

GPAs

GPAs,

the

lower

than

th ey

as or b e t t e r than th e y expected

s tu d e n t s who did worse than th e y expected
The groups were

were d i f f e r e n t i a l per ce ptual

compared t o determine i f

changes du rin g

the

two y e a r s

between s tu d e n t s whose grade ex periences were c o n s i s t e n t with or
b e t t e r than t h e i r e x p e c t a t i o n s and s t u d e n t s whose e x p e c t a t i o n s were
u n r e a l i s t i c a l l y high.
The s u p p l e m e n t a l

survey s o l i c i t e d

inform ation

concerning

s t u d e n t s ’ p e r c e p t i o n s o f th e b e n e f i t o f s upport a c t i v i t i e s provided
by th e O f f ic e o f Supp ortive S e r v ic e s .

The two groups were compared

t o determine i f t h e r e were d i f f e r e n c e s in t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s o f th e
valu e o f programs o f f e r e d by th e O f f i c e o f Suppor tive S e r v i c e s .

10
A d e s c r i p t i v e s t a t i s t i c a l a n a l y s i s o f t h e two g r o u p s ’ r es po nses
concerning t h e s e l e c t e d a r e a s o f study was chosen on t h e b a s i s o f
i t s r e l e v a n c e t o College Achievement Program studen ts* p e r s i s t e n c e .
The a p p r o p r i a t e t - t e s t f o r t h e d i f f e r e n c e between means and z - t e s t
f o r t h e mean d i f f e r e n c e between Hypotheses

1 and 2 were used t o

acc ep t o r r e j e c t t h e n u ll hypotheses p r e s e n te d .
Research Hypotheses
In

surveying

C ollege

A c hievem en t

Program

students,

the

f oll ow ing n u ll hypotheses were developed:
Hypothesis 1 :
College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s who have
a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA
and s t u d e n t s who have i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m
GPA w ill not d i f f e r in terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s o f s e l e c t e d
f a c t o r s r e l a t e d t o academic success a t t h e time th ey e n t e r t h e
university.
Hypothesis
2 : College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s who have
a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA
and s tu d e n t s who have i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m
GPA w ill not d i f f e r in terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e s e same
f a c t o r s a f t e r completing t h e i r freshman and sophomore y e a r s .
Hypothesis
3 : College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s who have
a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA
and s tu d e n t s who have i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m
GPA w ill not d i f f e r in t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s between t h e time they
e n t e r and t h e time th ey reach j u n i o r s t a t u s .
Hypothesis
4 :At t h e beginning o f t h e i r j u n i o r y e a r , College
Achievement Program s tu d e n t s who have a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e
e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA and s t u d e n t s who have
i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA w i l l n o t d i f f e r
in terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e v alu e o f programs o f f e r e d
by t h e O f f i c e o f Suppo rtive S e r v i c e s .
D e f i n i t i o n o f Terms
For t h e purpose o f t h i s s tu d y , t h e f o ll o w in g d e f i n i t i o n s were
used:

11

Retention:

-

p e r s i s t e n c e t o t h e completion o f a degree or
certificate
p e r s i s t e n c e t o t h e completion o f a chosen
program but s h o r t o f a deg re e o r c e r t i f i c a t e
p e r s i s t e n c e t o completion o f a term o r a co urse
p e r s i s t e n c e t o t h e a tt a i n m e n t o f a personal goal
but s h o r t o f a degree o r a c e r t i f i c a t e . (Lenning,
Beal, & Sauer, 1980)

-

Economically disad va ntaged s t u d e n t s :
possess

acceptable

"Those i n d i v i d u a l s who

a c a d e m ic c r e d e n t i a l s

financial d i s a b i l i t y ,

but

of

Moreover, t h e s e s t u d e n t s ar e

from low-income f a m i l i e s and r e q u i r e f i n a n c i a l
pursue programs o f stu d y a t t h e

v a rie ty of special

because

a r e i n ad eq u ately r e p r e s e n t e d in i n s t i t u t i o n s

o f h ig h e r ed u catio n " (Hamilton, 1980).

to

who,

a s s i s t a n c e in o r d e r

university.

problems such as

(a)

They d i s p l a y

difficulty

a

in completing

f i n a n c i a l a i d a p p l i c a t i o n s (b) mismanagement o f school and personal
exp enses,

and (c) ap plyin g l a t e

for financial

aid

(Proposal

for

s p e c i a l program dis ad va ntaged and handicapper s t u d e n t s , 1980-84).
E d u c a tio n a ll y disad va ntaged s t u d e n t s :
have a c a d e m ic p o t e n t i a l ,

b u t who,

"Those i n d i v i d u a l s who

because o f t h e i r

economic,

c u l t u r a l o r ed u c a tio n a l background o r environment, would be unable
t o r e a l i z e t h a t p o t e n t i a l withou t s p e c i a l s upport s e r v i c e s . "

They

typically

than

traditional
(Proposal

enter

M ic higan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y

students
for

as

special

d i s p la y e d
p rogr am

by t h e i r

less

prepared

SAT and ACT s c o re s

disadvantaged

and

handicapper

s t u d e n t s , 1980-84).
College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s :
M ic h ig an

S tate

U niversity

via

special

e s t a b l i s h e d by th e O f f i c e o f S pecial

S tu d e n ts

ad m itted

adm issions

to

c rite ria

Programs and t h e O f f i c e o f

12

A d m is s i o n s

and S c h o l a r s h i p s

(Proposal

for

low-income,

first

g e n e r a t i o n and handicapper s t u d e n t s , 1984-87).
Special s e r v i c e s program:
th at

provide

services

handicapper s tu d e n ts .
retention

and

g r a d u a ti o n

Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y programs

to

l o w - in c o m e ,

Its

ultim ate

rate

of

first

g o al

generation

is

to

dis ad vanta ged

s tu d e n t s e n r o l l e d a t Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y

increase

and

and
the

handicapper

(Proposal

f o r low-

income, f i r s t g e n e r a t i o n and handicapper s t u d e n t s , 1984-87).
Q ualitativ e counseling:

Term used t o denote c o u n s e lin g t h a t

in c lu d e s i n fo r m a t iv e s t r a t e g i e s f o r s t u d e n t s t o hel p with d e c i s i o n
making.

The o p p o s ite o f i n t r u s i v e c o u n s e lin g , in which a u n i v e r s i t y

a d v i s o r t e l l s a s t u d e n t what he/ sh e must do.
CAAP:
Program.

Term used t o i d e n t i f y t h e College Achievement Admissions
The program c o n s i d e r s

for

admission

the

m in o r i t y

and

disa dvanta ged s t u d e n t who may not q u a l i f y under t h e r e g u l a r c r i t e r i a
f o r adm issions (Proposal

f o r lo w - in c o m e ,

first

generation

and

handicapper s t u d e n t s , 1984-87).
Persistence:

The amount o f time between when a developmental

s t u d e n t began in t h e College Achievement Program a t Michigan S t a t e
U n i v e r s i t y and t h e l a s t term he/s he was in a tte n d a n c e (Proposal f o r
s p e c i a l programs disadvantage d and handicapper s t u d e n t s , 1980-84).
N ontraditional:

Students who as a po p u l a tio n p osse ss d i f f e r e n t

needs and s e r v i c e s than t r a d i t i o n a l
new t o

the

college

environment

s t u d e n t s as a r e s u l t o f being

(Proposal

for

dis ad va nta ged and handicapper s t u d e n t s , 1980-84).

special

programs

13
Sup po rtive s e r v i c e s :

A s u b - u n i t o f s p e c ia l

s e r v i c e s programs

and t h e Undergraduate U n iv e r s i ty Divisi o n under t h e O f f i c e o f th e
A s s i s t a n t Provost t h a t has sev er al f u n c t i o n s :
1.

To work

Scholarships

to

closely

with

facilitate

the

the

O ffice

o f Admissions

enrollm ent

of

stu d en ts

and
from

e d u c a t i o n a l l y disa dva ntage d backgrounds.
2.

To provide t h e s e disadva ntaged s t u d e n t s with i n s t r u c t i o n a l

s u p p o r t p r o g ra m s d e s i g n e d t o

facilitate

th eir

achievem ent o f

s a t i s f a c t o r y academic p r o g r e s s .
3.

To

components

provide

and monitor

on-going
the

evaluation

academic

of

pro g res s

various
of

prog ra m

students

from

e d u c a t i o n a l l y disa dv anta ged backgrounds.
4.

To provide s t u d e n t s with academic guidance and coun sel in g

s e r v i c e s designed t o f a c i l i t a t e t h e i r s u c c e ss fu l

adaptation to the

Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y environment (Statement on s p e c i a l programs
and t h e ed uca ti on o f disadva ntaged and m in o rit y s t u d e n t s , Hamilton,
1977).
D rop-outs:

Students

who a r e

no l o n g e r

enrolled

at

the

i n s t i t u t i o n f our y e a r s a f t e r m a t r i c u l a t i o n , and who d i d not g r a d u a te
(Lea, Sedlacek, & S tew ar t, 1979).
Study L i m ita t io n s and D e l i m i t a t i o n s
This study was d e l i m i t e d t o s t u d e n t s e n r o l l e d a t Michigan S t a t e
U n i v e r s i t y through t h e College Achievement Admissions Program.

The

p o p u la ti o n from which t h e sample was drawn was College Achievement
Program s t u d e n t s

r a t h e r than handicapper o r s p e c ia l

services

14
stu d en ts.

As a r e s u l t ,

the

findings

may be g e n e r a l i z e d

to

disa dv anta ged s t u d e n t s a t t h i s i n s t i t u t i o n and p o s s i b l y o t h e r s with
TRI03 -funded s p e c i a l

s e r v i c e s programs.

study

by

was

lim ited

the

As with any s urv ey ,

response

rate

d i f f i c u l t i e s in t a b u l a t i o n , and v a l i d a t i o n .

of

those

this

surveyed,

Furthermore, t h e study

was l i m i t e d t o th o s e randomly s e l e c t e d s t u d e n t s who were w i l l i n g t o
p artic ip a te ;

n o n p a r t i c i p a n t s may be d i f f e r e n t

p articipants.

F i n a l l y , l i m i t a t i o n s surround development o f adequate

sampling p r o cedure s ,

from t h e

study

in cluding t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e i n s t r u m e n t, which

pro vide s u b j e c t i v e re spon se s where some b i a s i s i n e v i t a b l e .
Overview o f t h e D i s s e r t a t i o n
In

Chapter

reviewed.

II,

the

literature

pertinent

to

this

study

is

The f i r s t s e c t i o n gives an in -d e p th h i s t o r y o f t h e Special

S e r v ic e s Program a t Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y .

The second s e c t i o n

reviews s p e c i a l s e r v i c e s programs a t o t h e r i n s t i t u t i o n s , while t h e
third

section

problems

of

reviews

literature

disa dv antage d

i d e n t i f y i n g needs and academic

students.

The

de sig n

conducting t h i s study a r e pr esen ted in Chapter I I I .
in c lu d e s

the

design

and

development

of

the

and

method

of

This c h a p t e r

in str u m en t

used

to

c o l l e c t t h e d a t a , t h e procedures s e l e c t e d t o analyze t h e d a t a , and a
description

of the

source

of the data.

Chapter

IV i n c l u d e s

a

3TRI0 Programs were e s t a b l i s h e d through t h e Higher Education
Act o f 1965 and r e p r e s e n t s p e c i a l programs f o r s t u d e n t s from
disa dva ntage d backgrounds. TRIO programs a t MSU i n c lu d e t h e O f f i c e
o f Supp or tive S e r v ic e s , Upward Bound, and t h e O f f i c e f o r Programs
f o r Handicapper S tu d e n ts .

15

p r e s e n t a t i o n o f th e d a t a c o l l e c t e d durin g th e study in a d e s c r i p t i v e
form.

The a n a l y s i s o f t h e d a t a and a summary o f f i n d i n g s conclude

th i s chapter.

Chapter V, t h e f i n a l c h a p t e r , c o n t a i n s a s ta tem en t o f

f i n d i n g s , c o n c l u s io n s , and recommendations f o r f u r t h e r r e s e a r c h .

CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction
There
m inority

is

a large

and

amount

lo w - in c o m e

of

literatu re

students

i n s t i t u t i o n s of higher education.
which i s

d e f in e d

"develop men tal,"

as
and

into

on

the

entrance

predom inantly

The i n f l u x o f t h i s

" c u l t u r a l l y d is a d v a n ta g e d ,"
"educationally

of

w hite

population,

" n o n t r a d i t i o n a l ,"

d i s a d v a n ta g e d ,"

began

in

the

1960s with an i n c r e a s e in e n r o llm en t o f some 66,000 freshmen from
low-income

fam ilies

(Jack so n,

1978).

These

students

typically

e n t e r e d through f e d e r a l l y funded TRIO programs l e g i s l a t e d

by th e

Higher Education Act o f 1965 and r e a u t h o r i z e d by t h e 1972 amendments
(R ovezzi-C arrol
discretionary

& Thompson,

grant

programs--Upward

Op por tunit y,

Handicapper,

designed

assist

to

1980).

Bound,

and Special

l o w - in c o m e

TRIO

and

represents

T a le n t

S ervices--all
disadvantaged

Sear ch,

fiv e
Equal

o f which
stu d en ts

are
in

a t t a i n i n g postsec ond ar y e d u c a t io n .
The major emphasis o f s p e c i a l s e r v i c e programs was t o develop
sk ills

th at

are

ch aracteristic

of

high-achieving

students,

p a r t i c u l a r l y t h o s e s k i l l s needed in mathematics and language.

The

remedial

and

for

students

to

compensatory programs
cope with

traditional

16

were
source

necessary

in

r e q u ire m e n ts .

order

Meadows

17
(1981), in h i s review o f l i t e r a t u r e , made note o f r e s e a r c h conducted
by Gordon and Wilkerson (1966) on compensatory educational programs
at

a variety

of

s c h o o ls .

They concluded t h a t

programs had f o u r gener al o b j e c t i v e s :
to

develop

th eir

o p p o rtu n ities,
deficiencies,

p o tential

(b)

(c)

and

assistin g

services

(a) help ing t h e disad va ntaged
providing

in

s p e c ia l

the

them

elim ination

with
of

stu dying t h e e f f e c t s o f such programs,

equal

a c a d e m ic
and

(d)

achiev ing a d i v e r s i f i e d s tu d e n t body.
As s t a t e d
ch aracteristics

above,

numerous

and a s p e c t s

stu d ies

of special

m i n o r it y and low-income s t u d e n t s .

have

investigated

services

p r o g ra m s

the
for

However, much o f t h e l i t e r a t u r e

has not analyzed th e v a r io u s types o f r e t e n t i o n s t r a t e g i e s used in
s p e c i a l programs and t h e b e n e f i t s o f t h e s e s t r a t e g i e s in p r e p a r in g
s tu d e n t s to become ac ademically s u c c e s s f u l .
under take

such

an

investigation

by

This study at tem pted t o

reviewing

programs

at

other

sources:

(a)

i n s t i t u t i o n s as well as a t Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y .
The l i t e r a t u r e

search

included

two m a j o r

Educational Resources Inform ation Center (ERIC) and (b) D i s s e r t a t i o n
Abstracts
three

In te rn atio n al.

m ajor
1.

The l i t e r a t u r e

review

is

d iv id e d

headings:

Academic Problems and Needs o f Disadvantaged S tu den ts
A.

Recruitment

B.

Student O r i e n t a t i o n

C.

F inancial Aid

D.

I n s t i t u t i o n a l Commitment

into

18
2.

The Special S e r v ic e s Program a t Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y

3.

S pe cial S e r v ic e s Programs a t Other I n s t i t u t i o n s
A.

Marquette U n i v e r s i t y

B.

S o u th e a ste r n Community College

Academic Problems and Needs o f Disadvantaged Stude nts
When

researching

the

academic

p r o b le m s

and

needs

of

disadva n ta ged s t u d e n t s in s p e c ia l s e r v i c e s programs, a t t e n t i o n needs
to

be given

t o th e make-up o f th o s e s t u d e n t s ,

m inorities.

most o f whom ar e

A c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f m in o r i ty s tu d e n t r e t e n t i o n

in th e

1980s r e q u i r e s a c l o s e look a t th e s o c i a l and ed u c a t io n a l c o n t e x t in
which

it

occurs.

Educators

must

re co gnize

that

in

th e

social

c o n t e x t , t h e s o c i a l drama of t h e 1980s i s very d i f f e r e n t from th e
drama o f t h e l a t e 1960s and e a r l y 1970s, when tremendous i n c r e a s e s
w ere

seen

in

m inority

enrollm ent

d i f f e r e n c e in t h e 1980s i s t h a t
S tates

has

sharply

in

higher

education.

The

s o c ia l consc iousnes s in th e United

d e c l i n e d . The

country

is

w itnessing

a

s i g n i f i c a n t t u rn - a r o u n d a g a i n s t a f f i r m a t i v e a c t i o n and s i m i l a r equal
o p p o r tu n i t y programs (Smith, 1980).
H istorically,

when m i n o r i t y

p o p u la tio n s

managed t o

open th e

door t o s p e c i f i c a r e a s o f o p p o r t u n i t y , such as mainstream educ ation
o r mainstream economic involvement, th e o p p o r t u n i t i e s l e s s e n e d as a
re su lt of p o litic a l

o r s o c ia l p r e s s u r e .

This i s e s s e n t i a l l y what

happened around 1973, when th e number o f m in o r ity s t u d e n t s e n r o l l e d
in predominantly w h ite i n s t i t u t i o n s

s h a r p ly d e c l i n e d .

The Census

Bureau Report 1979 e s t i m a t e o f c o l l e g e enrollm ent i n d i c a t e d t h a t th e

19
number o f b lack s tu d e n t s dropped by 7.5% from 1,103,000 in 1977 to
1,020,000 in 1978.

The number o f s t u d e n t s o f Spanish o r i g i n dropped

by 9.8% from 418.000 in 1977 t o 370.000 in 1978.
By t h e l a t t e r p a r t o f t h e 1980s and i n t o t h e 1990s, t h e number
of

18-

to

degree i s

2 4 - y e a r - o ld

students

entering

expected t o d e c l i n e .

This

is

and pursuing
evident

in

a college
the

lowered

number o f 18 y e a r old a v a i l a b l e f o r c o l l e g e , t h e high dr opout r a t e
o f m in o r i t y s tu d e n t s in high school, a r a t e t h a t i s i n c r e a s i n g , and
t h e changes in e l i g i b i l i t y requ ire men ts f o r f i n a n c i a l a i d .
school
areas.

dropout problem i s
It

is th is

especially

s ev er e

in

the

The high

larger

urban

i s s u e e d u c a t o r s must c o n s id e r b e f o r e t h i n k i n g

about th e i s s u e o f r e t e n t i o n in c o l l e g e ( A st in , 1979).
A longitudinal
th e

Higher

study conducted in 1975 by Alexander A s tin o f

Education

Research

Institute

showed

disproportionate

c o l l e g e e n tr a n c e r a t e s between wh ite s t u d e n t s and b la c k s t u d e n t s .
According t o A s t i n ’ s d a t a , 54% o f white s tu d e n t s who g r a d u a te from
high school e n t e r c o l l e g e immediately, compared with only 38.2% o f
black high school s t u d e n t s .

I f b lack high school s t u d e n t s had gone

t o c o l l e g e in t h e same p r o p o r t i o n as white s t u d e n t s , t h e enrollm ent
o f b lack freshmen would have in c r e a s e d by 178,119.
s u c c e ss fu l

m in o rity

students

are

lost

in

the

Many p o t e n t i a l l y
secondary

scho ols

because th ey never even c o n s id e r going t o c o l l e g e .
To

m aintain

a

fairly

steady

source

of

m inority

and

disadva ntaged s t u d e n t s , c o l l e g e s and u n i v e r s i t i e s must p r e p a r e now
by developing more d i s t i n c t i v e
marketing t h e i r

services.

images and more e f f e c t i v e means o f

Admission a d m i n i s t r a t o r s

will

have t o

20

develop

an

effective

communication

system

and

a

r e l a t i o n s h i p with t h e elementar y and secondary
1980).

Colleges

initiating

a

and

series

universities

of

meetings

can

take

with

the

s tr o n g
schoo ls

the

a d m i n i s t r a t o r s o f elementar y and secondary s ch ools
substantial

number

of

disad vanta ged

retention

should be o f major

students

and

those

involved

students.

concern
with

not

step
and

by

other

th a t enroll

Recruitment

only

special

(Turner,

first

principals

working

to

a
and

disa dvanta ged

programs,

but

to

a d m i n i s t r a t o r s , f a c u l t y , and s t a f f .
Schell (1981) d i s c u s s e d a program a t Berkely which i s keyed t o
m in o rity and disad va ntage d
staff,

students.

" U n i v e r s i t y math edu cati o n

f a c u l t y and g r a d u a te and under graduate s t u d e n t s work on a

d a y - to -d a y b a s i s with t e a c h e r s and s tu d e n t s

in th e classr oom and

with a d m i n i s t r a t o r s and co u n s e l o rs a t e i g h t i n n e r - c i t y j u n i o r and
high s c h o o ls . "

The program o f f e r s

a wide range o f c o n s u l t a t i v e

s e rv ic e s to th e schoo1s--from a s s is ta n c e

in s t r e n g t h e n i n g

the

cur ri cu lu m , s h arin g classroom i n s t r u c t i o n , and advanced s tu d y groups
b e f o re
support

and
for

after

s c h o o l,

school

to

pro viding

adm inistrators.

planning
The

and

active

management

in terest

of

u n i v e r s i t y f a c u l t y might be t h e c a t a l y s t t o c r e a t e such p r o f e s s i o n a l
communities w ith in t h e high scho ols f o r th e t e a c h e r s

o f E n g lis h ,

math, or s c ie n c e whose i n t e r e s t s run more toward c o l l e g e p r e p a r a t o r y
programs than toward rem ediatio n o r v o c a tio n a l t r a i n i n g .
Among t h e p e r c e i v e d c a u s e s o f ac adem ic u n p r e p a r e d n e s s

of

disad vantage d s t u d e n t s a r e some t h a t a r e l i n k e d t o c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s

21
o f t h e s tu d e n t and some t h a t a r i s e out o f c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f t h e
s c h o o ls .
critical

The problem has many dimensions,
is

the

quality

and

morale

of

but per haps t h e most

the

teaching

profession

itself.
E rnest Boyer (1982), p r e s i d e n t o f t h e Carnegie Foundation f o r
th e Advancement o f Teaching, observed t h a t "The t e a c h i n g p r o f e s s i o n
i s caught in a v i c i o u s c y c l e .

S p i r a l i n g downward.

Rewards a r e few,

morale i s low, t h e b e s t t e a c h e r s ar e b a i l i n g o u t , and th e supply of
good r e c r u i t s

i s dr ying up."

Atkin

School o f Education a t S ta n f o r d ,
intellectual
teach,

ability

of

those

(1981),

put i t
college

Dean o f t h e Graduate

even more b l u n t l y :
freshmen

as measured by s ta n d a r d i z e d t e s t s ,

who

intended

"The
to

i s markedly lower than

t h a t o f c o l l e g e majors in every o t h e r f i e l d exce pt e t h n i c s t u d i e s . "
Evidence f o r t h e marked d e c l i n e in t h e q u a l i t y o f t h o s e e n t e r i n g
te a c h i n g can be found in SAT s c o r e s .
sc o re s

for

colleg e- bo und

seniors

From 1972 t o 1980, SAT ve rb al

planning

t o major

in

e d u catio n

dropped from 418 t o 339, a l o s s o f 79 p o i n t s , wh ile SAT math s c o re s
in t h a t p o p u la t io n dropped 31 p o i n t s , from 449 t o 418.

This i s a

much s t e e p e r d e c l i n e th an t h e n a t i o n a l average f o r t h e SAT over th e
same p e r i o d , which dropped 21 p o i n t s on t h e verbal

and 15 on th e

math t e s t (Sykes, 1981).
Trow (1966)

discussed

this

problem a

step

further

when

he

stated:
The lower incomes o f t e a c h e r s , as compared with incomes of
school a d m i n i s t r a t o r s , o f men who l e a v e e d u c a t i o n , and o f most
o t h e r occupat ions r e q u i r i n g a comparable amount o f e d u c a t i o n ,
account f o r much o f t h i s u n f o r t u n a t e p a t t e r n o f r e c r u i t m e n t and
r e t e n t i o n o f male t e a c h e r s .
Moreover, t h e r e l a t i v e l y low

22
s t a t u s o f t e a c h i n g below t h e c o l l e g e l e v e l , which i s both a
cause and a consequence o f t h e low s a l a r i e s a l s o helps t o
ex p la in why t e a c h i n g a t t r a c t s and holds too few o f t h e most
a b le .
The c u r r i c u l a o f high s ch oo ls a r e a l s o s ourc es o f worry f o r
higher education.

The C a l i f o r n i a S t a t e Board o f Education r e c e n t l y

po in te d o ut t h a t :
The high s cho ols now have fewer re qu ir em en ts
and a wider
v a r i e t y o f e l e c t i v e s than they did a decade ago, allowing
s t u d e n t s and c o u n s e l o r s more l a t i t u d e t o ch an g e c o u r s e
sched ules t h a t do not c o n t a in courses t h e u n i v e r s i t y f a c u l t y
c o n s id e r s i m p o rta n t. At t h e same tim e, advanced e l e c t i v e s ar e
being e li m i n a t e d so t h a t schools can o f f e r more b a s i c course s
f o r t h e p o orer p e r fo rm ers . Textbooks have been r e w r i t t e n a t
lower r eading l e v e l s and ar e conseq uen tly not as c h a l l e n g i n g
f o r advanced s t u d e n t s .
L i t t l e homework i s g e t t i n g as s ig n e d in
many c l a s s e s , re du cing t h e amount o f p r a c t i c e s t u d e n t s g e t in
sk ill areas.
All over t h e s t a t e s chools have c u t back from
seven t o s i x and from s i x t o f i v e p e r io d s re duc ing f u r t h e r th e
student’s a b i l i t y to
t a k e t h e c o u r se s needed f o r c o l l e g e
preparation.
In d iv id u al t e a c h e r s ’ workloads have i n c r e a s e d ,
l i m i t i n g th e amount o f a t t e n t i o n th e y can g iv e i n d i v i d u a l
s t u d e n t s and reducing t h e i n t e l l e c t u a l demands th e y can make in
t h e i r c l a s s e s . (Report t o t h e P olicy Committee, 1981)
From t h e r e a d in g s s e v e r a l f a c t o r s emerged t h a t a r e p r o j e c t e d t o
have a s u b s t a n t i a l

impact on t h e r e t e n t i o n r a t e s o f disa dvanta ged

s t u d e n t s in predominantly whit e i n s t i t u t i o n s in t h e 1980s.
these facto rs
aid,

faculty

in c lu d e r e c r u i t m e n t ,
and

staff,

student o r ie n ta tio n ,

peer counseling,

and

Some of
financial

in stitu tio n al

commitment.
Recruitment
The methods o f m i n o r i t y r e c r u i t m e n t used in t h e l a t e 1960s and
e a r l y 1970s a r e no lo n g e r e f f e c t i v e .

These, f o r t h e most p a r t , have

been h i t - a n d - m i s s r e c r u i t m e n t e f f o r t s ; t h a t i s , a r e c r u i t e r goes t o
a high school campus, s e t s up a car d t a b l e ,

and d i s p l a y s a p o s t e r

23

and brochures from th e school (Greenbaum, 1981).

To a t t r a c t q u a l i t y

d isad vantage d s t u d e n t s in th e l a t e 1980s, r e c r u i t e r s w i l l
become much more r e s o u r c e f u l and c r e a t i v e .

have t o

Research has i n d i c a t e d

t h a t people make t h e d e c i s i o n t o a t t e n d c o l l e g e much e a r l i e r , b e f o re
t h e y e n t e r high s c h o o l .

T h e re fore , t h e only way t o make an impact

on r e c r u i t m e n t e f f o r t s i s t o pro vide t h e o p tio n o f c o l l e g e t o t h e
student a t

an e a r l y age.

a tte m p ti n g t o do t h i s
junior

high

school

The program mentioned

by working with m i n o r i t i e s

s tu d e n t s

(Schell,

1981).

at

Berkeley

is

and low-income

Other

findings

on

f a c t o r s in f l u e n c in g th e d e c i s io n t o a t t e n d c o l l e g e have sug gested
that

t h e most

college

is

influential

neither

person

a college

c o u n s e l o r , nor a t e a c h e r .

anyone’ s d e c i s i o n

representative,

nor

to

go t o

a high

school

Rather, t h e most i n f l u e n t i a l

t h i s d e c i s i o n i s th e p a r e n t .
meet with disad vanta ged

in

T h e re f o re , e f f o r t s should be made t o

s tu d e n ts ’ parents

options fo r t h e i r children.

person in

to

discuss

ed u c a t io n a l

The emphasis should be on i n s t i l l i n g

t h e idea l o f a t t e n d i n g a c o l l e g e and a l s o o f d e c id in g on a c a r e e r
e a r l y in a c h i l d ’ s l i f e .

Careers t h a t do not i n c lu d e o r c a l l f o r a

c o l l e g e education a r e a l s o Important t o d i s c u s s with dis ad v a n ta g ed
s t u d e n t s and t h e i r p a r e n t s .
College r e c r u i t e r s have, f o r t h e most p a r t , done a very poor
job

of

reaching

the

parents

nontraditional students.
r e d i r e c t e d toward p a r e n t s .

of

prospective

disadvantaged

or

Recruitment e f f o r t s in t h e 1980s must be
The r e c r u i t e r w i l l have t o be hon es t and

well p r e p a re d , with a thorough knowledge o f both t h e academic and

24
nonacademic a s p e c t s o f h i s / h e r i n s t i t u t i o n .

The r e c r u i t e r w i l l a l s o

need t o be aware o f t h e employment p r o j e c t i o n s f o r v a r i o u s c a r e e r
areas.

To be e f f e c t i v e , t h e r e c r u i t e r must have a keen s en se o f th e

campus environment and must s hare t h i s
prospective students.

info rm ation can d id ly with

In t h e 1980s, t h e r e c r u i t e r ’ s t a s k involves

g e t t i n g more n o n t r a d i t i o n a l s t u d e n t s i n t o c o l l e g e , but n o t f o r th e
sake o f "bee fing up" t h e m in o r i ty s tu d e n t enrollm ent w it h o u t concern
f o r academic performance and r e t e n t i o n .
r e f l e c t t h e h i g h e s t moral
r i s k o f p rovid in g l i t t l e

Recruitment p r a c t i c e s must

and e t h i c a l

standards,

o r th e y run the

more than th e o p p o r tu n i t y f o r

high-risk

disad va ntage d s tu d e n t s t o become disco urag ed , t o ex p e r ie n c e anot he r
d e f e a t , and t o drop out o r be dismissed with a sense o f f a i l u r e or
inadequacy (Anderson, 1978).

Once s tu d e n ts ar e r e c r u i t e d and a r r i v e

on campus, th ey need t o become f u l l y involved in o r i e n t a t i o n .
Studen t O r i e n t a t i o n
The s tu d e n t who knows what t o expect and who has been f u l l y
o r i e n t e d and motivated t o use t h e a v a i l a b l e r e s o u r c e s and s e r v i c e s
is

in a much b e t t e r p o s i t i o n

education

(S cott,

1978).

to

survive t h e o b s t a c l e s o f h ig h e r

A l th o u g h

it

is

the

u niv ersity’s

r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o provide o r i e n t a t i o n programs f o r a l l new s t u d e n t s ,
m i n o r i t y ed u c a to r s can and should augment th e u n i v e r s i t y ’ s e f f o r t s
by s eeing t h a t

students

receive

Information t h a t

r e l e v a n t t o disa dv antaged s t u d e n t s .
students to

f a c u l t y and s t a f f

is

particularly

By in tro d u c in g disad va ntaged

in t h e i r

area of

g i v i n g them academic and nonacademic t i p s ,

interest

disad vantage d

and by
s tu d e n t s

25
would have a g r e a t e r chance f o r success t h e i r f i r s t y e a r ( O l iv e r ,
1978).

Not only do many disadvantaged s tu d e n t s need t o be o r i e n t e d

durin g th e f i r s t week o r two, but they need a s s i s t a n c e thro ugh out
th e ir f i r s t year.
s tu d e n t s

O r i e n t a t i o n should be on-going because many new

ex per ience

culture

shock,

a b i l i t y t o a s s i m i l a t e i n fo r m a tio n .

which

interferes

with

their

Not a l l in fo rm ation g e t s through

th e f i r s t time i t i s p r e s e n te d .
Walton (1979) advocated using peer " p a r a p r o f e s s i o n a l s " t o help
new s t u d e n t s a r r i v e a t a more r e a l i s t i c p e r s p e c t i v e o f c o l l e g e l i f e .
He emphasized how a pe e r group o f t h i s n a t u r e ( i . e . , m in o r i t y a i d e s
or student a s s is ta n ts )
other

s tu d e n t s

would encourage new s t u d e n t s

by g a t h e r i n g

them

all

together.

t o work with
This

kind

of

o r i e n t a t i o n would a s s i s t t h e i n s t i t u t i o n s by l e t t i n g them know t h a t
a s p e c i a l e f f o r t i s being made t o help disa dva ntaged s t u d e n t s a d j u s t
t o campus l i f e .
Turner (1978) r e i n f o r c e d t h i s ideal when he advocated from h i s
r e s e a r c h t h a t h i s f i n d i n g s suggested t h a t t h e g r e a t e s t

impact on

achievement and r e t e n t i o n o f disadvantaged s tu d e n t s i s t h e s p e c i a l
pee r group academic

interest

S o c ie ty and Bio-Sci c l u b s . "

organizations

such as

the

"Pre-Med

Turner s t a t e d t h a t t h e s e o r g a n i z a t i o n s

provide disa dva ntaged s t u d e n t s with v a l u a b l e i n form ati on r e g a r d in g
t h e i r major and c a r e e r c h o i c e s ; th e y a l s o s e rv e a s o c ia l f u n c t i o n by
hel pi ng s tu d e n t s a d j u s t t o o t h e r important a s p e c t s o f c o l l e g e l i f e .
Turner a l s o s t a t e d t h a t h i s r e s e a r c h found t h a t academic achievement
and r e t e n t i o n r a t e s o f t h e po pulation s tu d ie d ( b la c k s t u d e n t s from
Stanford

U niversity,

197 2 - 7 5 )

were h i g h e r when s t u d e n t s

us ed

26

s e r v i c e s i n i t i a t e d by b la c k s tu d e n t s than when th ey used s e r v i c e s
i n i t i a t e d by t h e i n s t i t u t i o n .
Another im p o rtan t f e a t u r e o f th e on-going o r i e n t a t i o n
helping disadvantaged
Greenbaum

(1 981)

disadvantaged

s tu d e n ts with

stated

students

f r e q u e n t l y s ig n up f o r

th at

enter

his

course

research

the u n iv e rs ity

inappropriate

combinations o f c o u r s e s .

proper

levels

a n d /o r

are

pr epared

to

take

Greenbaum mentioned t h a t

many

prepared

and

Inappropriate

He went on t o say t h a t s t u d e n t s may reason

t h a t because th ey completed a p r e c a l c u l u s cour se
they

selectio n .

indicated
ill

is

college-level

college

e n tr a n c e

in high school,

calculus.
examination

Furthermore,
scores

ar e

supposed t o be used as p r e s c r i p t i v e o r d i a g n o s t i c i n s t r u m e n t s ; y e t
most school o f f i c i a l s ar e themselves in a d e q u a t e l y t r a i n e d t o p lace
s t u d e n t s in t h e cou rse s a p p r o p r i a t e f o r t h e i r s k i l l l e v e l .
(1978)

discussed

freshman y e a r .

th e

importance o f academic a d v i s i n g

Oliver

dur in g

the

He s t a t e d :

The t a s k o f g ra d u a ti n g e d u c a t i o n a l l y disad va ntage d s t u d e n t s
from an i n s t i t u t i o n o f h ig h e r ed uc atio n i s d i f f i c u l t , and t h i s
d i f f i c u l t y i s compounded because t h e s p e c ia l needs o f t h e s e
s t u d e n t s a r e l a r g e l y ignored by t h e i n s t i t u t i o n s th e y a t t e n d .
As a r e s u l t , a d i s p r o p o r t i o n a t e number o f t h e s e s t u d e n t s
ex p er ie n ce e a r l y f a i l u r e s . With t h e help o f academic a d v is in g
and o t h e r s e l f - h e l p programs, many o f t h e problems t h e s e
s tu d e n t s f a c e can be avoided.
More c a r e must be ta ken in a d v isin g disa dvanta ged s t u d e n t s in
th e 1980s, and f a c u l t y members must p la y a d e f i n i t i v e r o l e in t h i s
effort.

Noel (1978) s t a t e d t h a t t h e q u a l i t y o f t h e s t u d e n t - f a c u l t y

interaction is a c r itic a l

f a c t o r in s tu d e n t r e t e n t i o n e f f o r t s .

He

c i t e d a y e a r o f r e s e a r c h conducted a t t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Nevada where

27

the

retention

increase

rate

appeared

c o u n s e lin g .

was

in c r e a se d

to

be

N o e l's

due

proposed

from about
to

55% t o 95%.

intensified

model

was

based

This

faculty-student

on

f a c u l t y have t h e most immediate and c o n s i s t e n t

the

fact

that

c o n t a c t with

the

i n d i v i d u a l s t u d e n t , and as a r e s u l t o f t h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p , th e y have
a

resp o n sib ility

to

help

the

student

be

successful

in

the

e d u c a t io n a l environment.
F inancial Aid
One o f t h e most c r i t i c a l a s p e c t s in r e t e n t i o n o f disad vantage d
students
that

the

financial

i s t h e need f o r f i n a n c i a l
failure

of

assistance

aid.

institutions
beyond

the

to

Blackwell
supply

sophomore

(1975)

argued

needed amounts

year

acco un ts

of

for

a

s u b s t a n t i a l p o r t i o n o f t h e dropout r a t e among disadv antaged s t u d e n t s
in

predominantly white

census d a t a

have

d isa dvanta ged

institutions.

indicated

students

are

that
loans,

Watson

th e

s ou rc es

students

s a v in g s ,

who r e c e i v e

parental

much o f

contributions,

governmental programs.

of

scholarships,

programs (BEOG, SEOG, Social S e c u r i t y ) .
white

(1979) s t a t e d

and

that

income f o r most
and governmental

He co ntinued by comparing

their

s up port

e a r n in g s

as

from personal
well

as

some

Smith (1980) d i s c u s s e d t h e i m p l i c a t i o n s o f

Watson's s ta t e m e n t:
Without s u b s t a n t i a l f i n a n c i a l a i d from sou rc es o t h e r th a n t h e
f a m il y , dis ad vanta ged s t u d e n t s ’ h ig h e r e d u c a t io n o p p o r t u n i t i e s
would be s e v e r e l y l i m i t e d .
Among s p e c i a l programs s t u d e n t s
r e c e i v i n g s tu d e n t a i d th e dropout r a t e was 24.4%; s p e c i a l
program s t u d e n t s r e c e i v i n g no a i d dropped o u t a t almost tw ice
the r a te .

28
Turner (1980) ad dr essed an o th e r important
aid

factor of

financial

when he d i s c u s s e d t h e e f f e c t s loa ns have on t h e r e t e n t i o n o f

m in o r i t y

students.

He s t a t e d t h a t from h i s ed u c a tio n a l

loan s become a "neg at ive" i n i t i a t i v e t o s t a y in c o l l e g e .

research,
The lo n g e r

s t u d e n t s remain in c o l l e g e , t h e more d e b t s t h e y accumulate.

Turner

advocated s tu d e n t s r e c e i v i n g work-study jo b s o r t u t o r i n g o t h e r s as
t h e b e s t source o f f i n a n c i a l

aid as t h e p o s i t i o n s would help t o

r e i n f o r c e t h e i r own knowledge o f t h e i r major a r e a o f s tu d y .
A s t i n ’ s (1975) study supported o t h e r s t u d i e s

in f i n d i n g t h a t

s t u d e n t s who a r e employed p a r t time on campus a r e l e s s l i k e l y t o
drop o u t .

Astin s p e c u l a t e d t h a t t h i s i s due t o t h e t a s k promoting

g r e a t e r involvement in campus l i f e and g r e a t e r i d e n t i f i c a t i o n with
the

institution.

Granting s tu d e n t l o a n s ,

on t h e o t h e r hand, may

a c t u a l l y make t h e s tu d e n t more l i k e l y t o drop out o f t h e i n s t i t u t i o n
i f h e / s h e i s not involved in campus l i f e , according t o A s t i n .

A s tin

advocated t h e i n s t i t u t i o n seek ing ways t o employ s tu d e n t s on campus.
"If

l o a n s a r e n eces sar y f o r t h e s tu d e n t t o c o n t i n u e , an

jo b

may o f f s e t t h e l o a n ’ s d e t r i m e n t a l e f f e c t s . "

on-campus

Smith (1980) r e s e a r c h e d r e t e n t i o n problems o f blac k s t u d e n t s a t
predominantly wh ite u n i v e r s i t i e s .
Smith’ s f i n d i n g s

advocated

s evera l

In terms o f f i n a n c i a l a s s i s t a n c e ,
factors

to

promote r e t e n t i o n .

While a l l o f t h e u n i v e r s i t i e s s t u d i e d provided f i n a n c i a l a s s i s t a n c e
based on need,

students

complained o f t h e

inadequacy o f t h e

a id

package, which u s u a l l y c o n s i s t e d o f a combination o f g r a n t s , l o a n s ,
and jo b

earnings.

"Where

possible

universities

g r e a t e r amounts o f g r a n t money and fewer l o a n s . "

should

pro vide

Smith b e lie v e d

29

t h a t freshmen should not be r e q u i r e d t o t a k e jo b s dur in g school.
"S tu dents f r e q u e n t l y c i t e t h e burden o f holding a jo b durin g th e
freshman y e a r . "
a le v e l
earnings

Smith s t a t e d t h a t "with blac k youth unemployment a t

o f almost 50%,
be a p a r t

university

it

is

of the

unrealistic

to

require th a t

student’s yearly

i s a ble t o a s s i s t i t s

budget.

summer

Where the

black s t u d e n t s t o s e c u re summer

j o b s , then t h i s requ ire men t can and should be m e t . ”

F i n a l l y , Smith

a s s e r t e d t h a t conting ency funds should be a v a i l a b l e t o help black
s t u d e n t s meet f i n a n c i a l emergencies.
Lenning, Sauer,

and Beal

(1980} suggested t h a t t h e s t u d e n t ’s

p e r c e p t i o n o f a b i l i t y t o pay f o r c o l l e g e may be more importa nt than
t h e s t u d e n t ’ s o r f a m i l y ’ s a ctu al f i n a n c i a l

situation.

Johnson and

Chapman (1980) concluded from t h e i r r e s e a r c h t h a t some s t u d e n t s with
adequate

financial

s upp ort

ex p r e ss

a concern

withdraw t o s o lv e t h e p er ceiv ed problem.
s tu d y o f t h e Minnesota s t a t e c o l l e g e s ,

about

f in a n c e s

and

Fenstemacher (1973), in a
s t a t e d t h a t f i n a n c e i s th e

re ason given most o f t e n by s t u d e n t s f o r withdrawing, but i t i s a l s o
one o f t h e most s o c i a l l y

acceptable

reasons,

and w i t h d r a w i n g

s t u d e n t s o f t e n have t o p r o t e c t t h e i r s e lf - i m a g e .
A s tin
patterns

(1975b,
of

1975c)

s tu d e n t

examined t h e

financial

aid

and

Although Peng and F e t t e r ’ s n a t i o n a l
relationship

between

found evidence t h a t ,
employment

scholarships
overall,

(particularly

or

relationship
employment

study
lo a n s

scholarships,

on-campus)

do

of d ifferent
to

retention.

(1977) d i d not f i n d
and

retention,

grants,

contribute

a

A s tin

and p a r t - t i m e
to

retention.

30
A stin

found t h e

little

degree

relationship

to

of

satisfaction

retention

or

with

employment

attrition.

to

However,

b ear
loans

( p a r t i c u l a r l y l a r g e ones) and working f u l l time te n d t o c o n t r i b u t e
t o withdraw al.
I n s t i t u t i o n a l Commitment
Most o b s e rv e r s

of

the

issue

of

retention

students believe th a t the g re a te s t overall
whether or not disad va ntaged

s tu d e n t s w il l

retention rate

of

(1978)

cited

is

t h e degree

two e s s e n t i a l

increased r e te n tio n .
student

First,

reten tio n

and

retention s tra te g ie s .

disa dvanta ged

factor

influencing

achieve a r e s p e c t a b l e

institutional

conditions

of

for

commitment.

realizing

Noel

t h e goal

of

t h e r e must be a genuine concern f o r

a commitment

to

develop

and

im p lem en t

Second, t h e r e must a l s o be involvement o f a l l

the i n s t i t u t i o n ’s functional

u n i t s in th e r e t e n t i o n

strategy.

Noel’ s plan r e p r e s e n t s a s t r a t e g y f o r s t u d e n t r e t e n t i o n based on t h e
intra-supportive
s up por t s e r v i c e s .

in teractio n s

of f a c u lty ,

adm inistration,

and

The f a c u l t y and s tu d e n t s e r v i c e s t a f f a r e th e

p r i n c i p a l suppo rt mechanism f o r t h e s t u d e n t s .

The f a c u l t y , in t u r n ,

are supported by a d m i n i s t r a t i o n and t h e o t h e r c o l l e g e and u n i v e r s i t y
services.

Astin (1975) suggested t h a t i t i s more c o s t e f f e c t i v e f o r

an i n s t i t u t i o n t o spend money on s t u d e n t r e t e n t i o n than t o spend i t
on s tu d e n t r e c r u i t m e n t .
Pentages
approach

to

and

Creedon

reten tio n .

(1978)
In

suggested

th eir

an

research

"action-oriented"
co nclusion,

they

recommended t h a t " c o l l e g e s s h i f t t h e i r a t t e n t i o n from p r e d i c t i o n t o

31
t h e p re v e n t io n o f a t t r i t i o n .
effective
attritio n

intervention
potential

Colleges must desig n and implement

pro g ram s i f

of th e ir

they

students."

hope t o m i n i m i z e t h e
The a u th o r s

offered

11

s u g g e s ti o n s f o r i n t e r v e n t i o n t a c t i c s t h a t could help a given c o l l e g e
im prove

its

reten tion

of

disadvantaged

students,

including

i n t e r v i e w s o f p r o s p e c t i v e s t u d e n t s , more comprehensive o r i e n t a t i o n
programs f o r new s t u d e n t s , b e t t e r u t i l i z a t i o n o f c o l l e g e counsel in g
services,

new ways

to

maximize

faculty-student

interaction,

and

g r e a t e r use o f e x i s t i n g colleg e- en viro nm en t assessment de v ic e s t o
e x p l o r e s t u d e n t s ' d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n with th e environment.
Eddy

and Martin (1983) suggested t h a t s i n c e most i n s t i t u t i o n s

o f h i g h e r education g e n e r a l l y
a c t i o n and equal

ed u c a ti o n a l

a f f i r m a commitment t o
opportunity fo r a l l ,

r e t e n t i o n o f m i n o r it y a d m i n i s t r a t o r s , f a c u l t y ,

r e c r u i t m e n t and

staff,

should be an important component o f t h e i r programs.
was commissioned by t h e

National

problems

retention

related

to

the

recommended t h a t " u n i v e r s i t i e s

affirm ative

and s t u d e n t s
Smith (1980)

Advisory Committee t o
of

blac k

identify

und e r g ra d u a te s .

He

should r e c r u i t and h i r e more black

f a c u l t y , a d m i n i s t r a t o r s , and s t a f f t o s erv e as models o f achievement
and

to

be

resources

Furtherm ore,

to

assist

Smith s t a t e d

th at

students
both

with

their

problems."

black s tu d e n ts

and b l a c k

f a c u l t y / a d m i n i s t r a t o r s c i t e d t h i s as t h e most im po rta nt s o l u t i o n t o
t h e problems blac k s tu d e n t s f a c e .
McDaniels

and

McKee

(1971)

and

Uinkleman

(1971)

supported

Smith’ s s ta te m e n t by s u g g e stin g b lack f a c u l t y / s t a f f a r e e s s e n t i a l t o
the

future

of special

programs.

McD an iels

and McKee

(1 971 )

32

concluded t h a t
actively

"It

i s r e a s o n a b le t o f i n d t h a t

recruiting

b la ck

professionals

are

th o s e
more

g e n e r a l l y res p o n s iv e t o t h e needs o f b l a c k s . "
stated,

"The

project

Opportunity Program.

director

is the

institutions
likely

to

Minkleman

be

(1971)

key t o a s u c c e s s f u l

Equal

His background must be compatible with t h e

o p p o r tu n i t y s tu d e n t and h i s i n s t i t u t i o n a l work must be s u f f i c i e n t t o
g iv e him t h e c l i e n t n eces sar y t o a f f e c t change and t o a s s i s t th e
student."
Moore and Wagstaff
that

have

a

serious

(1974)

suggested

interest

in

th e

that

th o s e

future s ta tu s

institutions
of

special

programs should review such programs with t h e idea l o f upgrading t h e
s t a t u s o f b lack f a c u l t y in s p e c i a l

programs.

They concluded t h a t

" th e black s in s p e c i a l programs o f t e n come and go," and t h a t " those
who t a k e t h e jo b s soon r eco g n ize t h a t th e y have no power, l i t t l e o r
no i n f l u e n c e ,

no s e c u r i t y ,

a r e h ir e d t o

do what t h e y do: keep t h e programs going and th e

natives

and

no p r o f e s s i o n a l r e c o g n i t i o n .

They

quiet."

Winkleman (1971) recommended t h a t f o r program d i r e c t o r s t o be
effective,

th ey

"should

have

s tr o n g

academic

credentials,

e q u i v a l e n t t o a department chairman o r d i r e c t o r . "

rank

F a c u lty members

who ar e r e c r u i t e d t o t e a c h "should be i n t e g r a l and v o tin g members o f
th eir

respective

academic departments"

th ey may be l o c a t e d

at

the

EOP o f f i c e

members o f t h e co unsel in g s t a f f . "

and

" c o u n s e lo r s ,

complex,

should

although
also

be

33
McDaniels and McKee (1971) i d e n t i f i e d s e v e r a l a r e a s t h a t could
be used as i n d i c a t o r s o f an i n s t i t u t i o n ' s response t o t h e needs o f
b lack s t u d e n t s , and t h e r e f o r e should be cons id e re d in any e f f o r t t o
evaluate/assess

Institutional

commitment t o

special

programs.

F acto r s such as t h e l e v e l o f involvement t h a t bla ck s t u d e n t s have in
s tu d e n t a c t i v i t i e s programming, t h e le v e l o f gen er al a d m i n i s t r a t i v e
s u p p o rt,

th e

in stitu tio n 's

commitment t o

r e c r u i t m e n t o f b lack f a c u l t y and s t a f f ,

and

involvement

and t h e l e v e l

in

the

of faculty

supp ort a r e important i n d i c a t o r s o f t h e i n s t i t u t i o n ’ s commitment t o
the

e d u catio n

of

disad vantage d

students

w it h in

special

services

programs.
Another a r e a deemed c r u c i a l

by McDaniels and McKee was t h e

amount o f s uppo rt provided by t h e l a y a d m i n i s t r a t o r s , such as boards
of regents or t r u s t e e s .

They concluded t h a t "the l a y l e a d e r s h i p o f

h ig h e r educa tion appears not t o s upport comprehensive programs t o
meet t h e n e e d s
institutions
T h e re f o re ,

of disadvantaged

stu d en ts."

surveyed r e p o r t e d t r u s t e e

Only 36% o f

the

supp ort f o r t h e s e e f f o r t s .

i t appears t h a t b e f o re any s e r i o u s at tem p t can be made

to w a r d i n s t i t u t i o n a l i z i n g p r o g ra m s f o r d i s a d v a n t a g e d s t u d e n t s ,
e f f o r t s must be d i r e c t e d toward making la y l e a d e r s h i p more s e n s i t i v e
and res p o n s i v e t o t h e needs o f dis ad vantage d s t u d e n t s .
Developmental and Remedial Programs
In t h e 1960s a new e r a began in t h e e d u catio n o f m i n o r i t y and
low-income s t u d e n t s .

The t r e n d was s e t with t h e

Higher Education Act o f 1965.

p a s sin g o f t h e

TRIO programs were in tr o d u c e d ,

and

34
th eir

o bjective

was

ed u c a tio n a l g o a l s .

to

help

th is

population

achieve

th eir

Feldman (1969) s t a t e d t h a t t h e y e a r 1966 marked

a m ajor in c r e a s e f o r

in stitu tio n s

to

recru it

and i n c o r p o r a t e

m i n o r i t y s t u d e n t s i n t o t h e mainstream o f h ig h e r e d u c a t i o n .
The l i t e r a t u r e i n d i c a t e d t h a t a l a c k o f i n s t i t u t i o n a l
was most

critical

university.

in

A stin

terms
(1 97 2)

of

s tu d e n t

stated

persistence

th at,

s up port

through

i n an a t t e m p t

th e

to

"do

something f a s t " in response t o community p r e s s u r e f o r l a t e n t t a l e n t
t o be i d e n t i f i e d and developed, s p e c ia l
s t u d e n t s have p r o l i f e r a t e d .

programs f o r d is ad vanta ged

U n f o r tu n a te ly ,

too many o f them ar e

haphazard in d es ig n and token in scope (Meadows, 1981).
The f ollow ing s e c t i o n i s a d i s c u s s i o n o f remedial programs and
r e t e n t i o n s t r a t e g i e s i n c o r p o r a t e d a t Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y ,
well

as o t h e r u n i v e r s i t i e s .

identify

th o s e s t r a t e g i e s

"n o n trad itio n al"

It

is the re se a r c h e r ’ s in te n tio n to

th a t contribute to

students

as

and

how

these

academic su c c e ss o f
strateg ies

can

be

implemented i n t o e x i s t i n g programs.
The Special S e r v ic e s Program a t Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y
Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y ,
of

higher

e d u c a t io n ,

has

long

along with many o t h e r i n s t i t u t i o n s
been

e d u c a t i o n a l l y disad va ntaged s t u d e n t s .

committed

to

programs

for

The f i r s t s t u d e n t s t o e n r o l l

in a s p e c i a l needs program a t Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y a r r i v e d on
campus in 1963.
E thyl,"

During t h i s p e r io d t h e program was named " P r o j e c t

and w i t h i n

appr oximately

50 t o

the

three-year

existence

60 s tu d e n t s were adm itted

of

the

per y ear.

p r o g ra m ,
These

35
disa dvanta ged s t u d e n t s were s e l e c t e d from high schools w i t h i n t h e
g r e a t e r Lansing, Michigan, a r e a .

As a r e s u l t o f t h e i r p a r t i c i p a t i o n

in e x t r a c u r r i c u l a r a c t i v i t i e s and endorsement from t h e i r high school
counselors,

t h e s e s t u d e n t s d is p la y e d th e p o t e n t i a l

p osts ec ond ar y e d u c a t i o n .

to

succeed

in

Otherwise, t h e s e s tu d e n t s e i t h e r lack ed a

c o m p e t i t i v e high school GPA f o r r e g u l a r admissions a n d / o r

pos sessed

low SAT/ACT t e s t sc o re s (Hamilton, 1973).
In 1967, t h e program f e l l under t h e d i r e c t i o n o f Gordon Sabine
and was

called

the

"Detroit

r e c r u i t m e n t e f f o r t s in

P roject."

Dr.

Sabine

focused

his

t h e Wayne County a r e a , and du rin g t h i s y e a r

t h e program admitted 67 s t u d e n t s .

This was t h e f i r s t y e a r t h a t th e

s t u d e n t s were l a b e l e d "developmental."
Lloyd Cofer assumed l e a d e r s h i p o f Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y ’ s
developmental program in 1968.
i n c lu d e t h e T u t o r i a l
James B. Hamilton.
prog ra m

admits

In 1969 he expanded th e program t o

A s s is ta n c e

in Chemistry

(TAC) Program under

The purpose o f th e program was t o a s s i s t s p e c i a l
en ro lled

in

the

College

of

s u c c e s s f u l l y complete t h e b a s ic ch emistry c o u r s e s .

Engineering

to

Furthermore, in

1970, Human R e l a tio n s D i r e c t o r Joseph McMillan e s t a b l i s h e d t h e f i r s t
university-w ide tu to rin g

and couns eling s e r v i c e

in t h e o f f i c e

of

Equal Oppor tu nity Programs.
In 1970, P r e s i d e n t C l i f t o n Wharton e s t a b l i s h e d t h e Commission
on Admissions and Stud en t Body Composition and r e a f f i r m e d Michigan
State

University’s

commitment

disad vantage d s t u d e n t s .

to

the

educa tion

That same y e a r ,

Dr.

committee on Developmental Program Education.

of

minority

and

Cofer e s t a b l i s h e d

a

From t h i s committee,

36

the

University

assist

College

created

the

Learning

Resource

s tu d e n t s who were ex periencing d i f f i c u l t y

T houg ht and La ng uag e, H u m a n i t i e s , N a t u r a l
S t u d ie s

Departments.

to

in t h e American

Science,

The U n i v e r s i t y College

Center

also

and S o c i a l

developed

the

Basic Natural Science 181 s e r i e s , and th e Department o f Mathematics
developed t h e remedial 081 s e r i e s (Hamilton, 1973).
In 1971, t h e O f f i c e o f Special

Programs was e s t a b l i s h e d ,

and

f e d e r a l funds were f i r s t r e c e i v e d from th e O f f ic e o f Education and
t h e Department o f H ea lth, Education, and Welfare.

At t h i s time Dr.

Hamilton was s e l e c t e d t o assume th e top a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r o l e f o r th e
program and was appointed A s s i s t a n t Provost f o r Special
Combined with
expanded

institutional

its

pop u latio n

educationally

to

and f e d e r a l

monies,

include not

only

disadvantaged

stu d en ts,

Programs.

S pecial

Programs

dev elopm en tally

but

also

and

physically

handicapped s t u d e n t s and s p ecial s e r v i c e s s tu d e n t s who met t h e lowincome c r i t e r i o n e s t a b l i s h e d by t h e Department o f Health, Education,
and Welfare.
In 1983 t h e Developmental
name t o
result

th e
of

College Achievement Admissions

the

"developmental."
Office

of

Program f o r Admission changed i t s

n e g a t iv e

co n n o ta ti o n s

Florence

Supportive

H a r ris

S e r v ic e s ,

is

which

Program as

students
currently
provide s

s o c i a l programs f o r r e t e n t i o n t o CAAP s t u d e n t s .
s t u d e n t p o p u l a t i o n numbers more t h a n
approximately 55 in t h e e a r l y 1960s.

had

of

a direct
the

Director
the

word

of

th e

academic

and

To d a t e , t h e CAAP

1,100 s t u d e n t s ,

up from

The D i r e c t o r o f t h e O f f i c e f o r

37
P h y s i c a l l y Handicapped S tudents i s Judy Taylor.

Supportive S er v ic es

c o n ti n u e s t o o f f e r a number o f s e r v i c e s t o t h e approximately 1,070
College

A ch iev em en t

Program,

handicapper s tu d e n ts .

These

268

special

include

services,

but

are

not

and

lim ited

141
to

p r o v id in g t u t o r i a l a s s i s t a n c e ; cour se s ch ed u lin g ; academic, c a r e e r ,
f i n a n c i a l , p e r s o n a l , and s o c i a l c o uns elin g; and r e f e r r a l

(Hamilton,

1973).
The O f f ic e o f S upp ortiv e S er v ic es program components can be
grouped

into

four

areas:

(a)

academic

assistance/personal

c a r e e r c o u n s e lin g , (b) t u t o r i a l a s s i s t a n c e , (c)

and

s tu d e n t a s s i s t a n c e

program (peer c o u n s e l i n g ) , and (d) study s k i l l s i n s t r u c t i o n ( H a r r i s ,
1984).

These f o u r a r e a s complement each o t h e r and ar e i n t e g r a t e d so

as

help

to

students

p r o g re s s

through

and

beyond

their

college

ed u c a t io n .
Academic A s s i s ta n c e / P e r s o n a l
and Career Counseling
The O f f ic e o f S upp ortiv e S e r v ic e s m ain ta ins f i l e s and d a t a f o r
all

students

who have been admitted

College Achievement Admissions Program.

to

th e

program through

th e

Regular admissions s t u d e n t s

who seek s e r v i c e s o f f e r e d by t h e program a l s o have f i l e s maintained
by t h e o f f i c e .
scores,

These f i l e s c o n t a in high school t r a n s c r i p t s , ACT/SAT

MSU p l a c e m e n t

test

scores,

grade

reports,

referral

info rm ation from o t h e r u n i t s , and OSS c o n t a c t s h e e t s , ac cording t o
Harris.
As o f

Fall

1982,

students

admitted t o

the

program s ig n

an

Admissions Agreement, which deno tes a w i l l i n g n e s s t o use OSS program

38

services.

S tudents

are

required

to

meet with

an

a s sig n ed

OSS

guidance c o u n s e l o r twice per term and t o a t t e n d t h r e e s tudy s k i l l
workshops durin g t h e i r freshman y e a r .

S tude nts who do not adhere t o

th e Admissions Agreement r e c e i v e a hold ca rd a t r e g i s t r a t i o n .
The O f f i c e
pr o g re s s o f a l l

of

Supportive

program u s e r s .

S ervices

m onitors

the

a c a d e m ic

The s t a f f meets once p e r term t o

d i s c u s s and make recommendations f o r academic a c t i o n s f o r a l l
freshmen

and

sophomores.

OSS s t a f f

ar e

the

liaisons

with

a s s i s t a n t deans and t h e academic a d v i s o r s o f t h e c o l l e g e s .
result

of

a p p r is e d

this

relationship,

o f degree

This l i a i s o n

staff

program changes

function

also

helps

are
or

a b le

to

keep

new c u r r i c u l a r

facilitate

better

CAAP
the
As a

students
offerings.

communication

between t h e u n i t s , ac cording t o H a r r i s .
Warning l e t t e r s
satisfacto rily

ar e s e n t t o s tu d e n t s who a r e not performing

a cadem ically,

S tud en ts who a r e

performing

and co nfer en ces
above

a 3.0

are

then

receive

sc hed uled .

an Outstand ing

Achievement c e r t i f i c a t e and s p e c i a l r e c o g n i t i o n .

Telephone f o ll o w -

up c a l l s a r e a l s o i n i t i a t e d

Responses t o

letters

and tele p h o n e

by th e OSS s t a f f .

calls

have

been

very

positive,

and

the
more

s tu d e n t s ar e now using program s e r v i c e s because o f t h e Admissions
Agreement

and

the

retentio n

efforts

made

by

c o m m it te d

and

knowledgeable s t a f f ( H a r r i s , 1984).
H a r r i s s t a t e d t h a t f o r Fall Term 1982, while 280 s t u d e n t s were
adm itted t o t h e CAAP program, only 12 s tu d e n t s had hold c a r d s a t t h e
end o f t h e

term.

"The t r e n d

for

program s t u d e n t s

is

for

ev er

39
i n c r e a s i n g usage o f t h e OSS r e s o u r c e s , f a c i l i t i e s and s e r v i c e s .

The

s t a f f mai ntai n f l e x i b l e work hours f o r d r o p - i n appointm ents, and a l l
o u tre ach a c t i v i t i e s and workshops ar e implemented in t h e evening"
( H a r r i s , 1984).
Student A s s i s t a n t Program
(Peer Counseling!
The O f f i c e o f S upp ortiv e S e r v ic e s p r o v id e s f i r s t - y e a r s t u d e n t s
admitted

into

the

program with

trained

student

assistants

(p eer

c o u n s e l o r) capable o f a s s i s t i n g them with t h e i r adjustm en t t o t h e
u n i v e r s i t y environment.

Through t h e i r s tu d e n t a s s i s t a n t r o l e , t h e s e

s u c c e s s f u l program s t u d e n t s serve a t h r e e - f o l d purpose:
1.

As r o l e models, t h e s tu d e n t s s h are i d e n t i f i a b l e c h a r a c t e r ­

i s t i c s and a common background with program s t u d e n t s .

T h e ir success

as s t u d e n t s

by th e newly

in

seen as t r a n s f e r a b l e

and a t t a i n a b l e

adm itted s t u d e n t s .
2.

Studen t a s s i s t a n t s ser ve as r e s o u r c e and r e f e r r a l a g e n t s in

th e r e s i d e n c e h a l l s and enhance th e ou tr e a c h program by i n c r e a s i n g
access t o program s t u d e n t s .
3.

The program’ s o v e r a l l e f f e c t i v e n e s s i s enhanced by t h e use

o f s t u d e n t a s s i s t a n t s because g r e a t e r s t u d e n t involvement i s a key
at all levels.
H a r r i s continued by s t a t i n g t h a t durin g t h e 1982-83 school y e a r
s tu d e n t a s s i s t a n t s made more than 3,000 c o n t a c t s with CAAP freshman
s t u d e n t s and proved t o be a v a l u a b l e a s s e t t o t h e o v e r a l l success of
t h e program.

40
Study S k i l l s Workshops
The OSS s t a f f

sched ules

a

series

of

workshops

durin g

th e

academic y e a r p e r t a i n i n g t o b a s ic study s k i l l s in which t h e s t u d e n t s
ar e r e l a t i v e l y weak.

These workshops pr ovide background inform ation

and n e c e s s a r y r e i nfo rcem ent i n s t r u c t i o n .

Harris

(1984) noted t h a t

dur in g t h e 1982-83 school y e a r , 1,228 s t u d e n t s too k advantage o f t h e
workshops sponsored by OSS.

This was a dra m atic i n c r e a s e o f 400%

over t h e prev io us y e a r and was l a r g e l y a t t r i b u t e d t o t h e mandatory
Admission Agreement.
Students who e i t h e r f a i l t o a t t e n d OSS workshops o r who r e q u i r e
more

intensive

learning

improvement

Learning Resource Center (LRC).

skills

are

referred

to

th e

H a r r i s i n d i c a t e d t h a t dur in g th e

1982-83 school y e a r , OSS r e f e r r e d 142 s tu d e n t s t o t h e LRC.

An LRC

s t a f f member r e g u l a r l y a t t e n d s th e s t a f f meeting o f OSS, which a l s o
he lps t o in s u r e program e f f e c t i v e n e s s and s t u d e n t s u c c e s s .
T u t o r i a l A s s is ta n c e Program
Tut oring i s provided p r i m a r i l y t o s tu d e n t s a t th e freshman and
sophomore l e v e l s .

The fo llowing cou rse s have been d e s i g n a te d

high-need

mathematics,

areas:

a c c ounting,

computer s c ie n c e , economics, n a t u r a l

s c ie n c e ,

as

b io lo g y ,

phy sio logy ,

p h y s ic s ,

statistics,

Spanish, and French.
Harris

(1984)

noted

that

du rin g

the

1982-83

1,937 t u t o r i a l r e q u e s t s were r e c e iv e d by OSS.
i n c r e a s e o f 581 (42.9%) over th e previous y e a r .
attributed

to the

in crease:

academic y e a r ,

"This r e p r e s e n t s an
Two f a c t o r s can be

t h e A d m is s i o n s Agreem ent and t h e

41
expansion

of

services

to

all

m inorities

and

needy

students

who

request t u to r i a l a ssistan c e."
Departmental!v Based T u t o r i a l Programs
The O f f i c e o f Supp or tive Servic es has i d e n t i f i e d a r e a s in which
OSS s tu d e n t s ex per ie nce p a r t i c u l a r d i f f i c u l t y and where i t
that

support

systems would be most e f f e c t i v e

l o c a t e d a t th e departmental l e v e l .
1982-83 ac adem ic y e a r ,

appears

and e f f i c i e n t

when

H a r r i s i n d i c a t e d t h a t du r in g th e

f u n d s were a l l o c a t e d

to

the

follow ing

departments: (a) Chemistry Depar tm ent--to provide f o r t h e employment
of

t e a c h in g

supplemental

assistants

who

instruction

of

ar e

responsible

100 and

for

200 l e v e l

the

structured

courses,

and

(b)

Mathematics D ep ar tm en t--to pr ovide f o r t h e employment o f s i x t u t o r s
who ar e assi gn ed d i r e c t l y t o a math i n s t r u c t o r in t h e Ch ar les Drew
L a b o r a to r y . 4
of

each

Enrollment f i g u r e s have shown t h a t approximate ly 50%

undergraduate

math

class

is

from

the

CMP

p o p u la t io n

( H a r r i s , 1984).
Special S e r v ic e s Programs a t Other I n s t i t u t i o n s
Marquette U n iv e r s i ty
Marquette U n i v e r s i t y i s a p r i v a t e , urban i n s t i t u t i o n t h a t began
i t s Educational

Equal Opportunity Program in 1969 w ith o u t f e d e r a l

support.

prog ram

The

was

designed

to

recru it

and

provide

comprehensive supp ort s e r v i c e s t o m i n o r i t y and low-income s t u d e n t s .
4Charles Drew Laboratory:
College o f Natural Science program
t h a t a s s i s t s m i n o r i t y / d i s a d v a n t a g e d s t u d e n t s fro m e d u c a t i o n a l l y
disad va ntage d backgrounds who a r e pursuing degre es in t h e n a t u r a l
sciences.

42
MacKenzie

(1975)

stated

that

M arquette’ s

educational

o p p o r tu n i t y

program i s "composed o f s t u d e n t s from d i v e r s e e t h n o - r a c i a l groups,
t h a t s h a re many s i m i l a r socio-economic c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , have many o f
th e same ed u c a t io n a l

needs,

problems."

the

Most o f

inner-city

high s c h o o ls ,

and ex per ienc e s i m i l a r p s y c h o c u ltu r a l

entering

s tu d e n t s

are

underemployed a d u l t s ,

re c ip ie n ts or returning veterans.

from Milwaukee's
ge ner al

assistance

Of t h e 203 s t u d e n t s ad m itted t o

th e program in 1975, 76% were Black,

7% were Native American,

7%

were Puer to Rican, 6% were Chicano, and 4% were Caucasian, according
t o MacKenzie.
D es pite th e f a c t t h a t most o f t h e s e c o l l e g e d i v i s i o n s t u d e n t s
had

good

academic

expe rien ce d

r e c o rd s

a high

degree

in
of

the

scho ols

academic

th ey

attended,

difficulty

at

most

Marquette.

MacKenzie acknowledged t h e success r a t e o f th e EOP as m a in t a in i n g a
r e t e n t i o n r a t e above t h a t o f th e general Marquette p o p u l a t i o n .

In

1975, t h e y e a r th e a r t i c l e was w r i t t e n , t h e r e t e n t i o n r a t e was 66%.
F i f t y p e r c e n t o f t h e f i r s t - y e a r c l a s s o f 1969 g r a d u a te d .
to

1975,

"70% o f

program

s tu d e n t s

had

cumulative

From 1969

grad e

point

averages o f 2. 0 with 22% having grade p o i n t averages above 2 . 5 .

The

mean cumulative q u a l i t y - p o i n t average f o r c o l l e g e d i v i s i o n s t u d e n t s
e n r o l l e d in t h e 1974-75 academic y e a r was 2. 284 ."
The Educational

Opportunity

Program a t

Marquette

University

in cludes programs t h a t s erv e both c o l l e g e and p r e c o l l e g e d i v i s i o n s .
According
for

t o MacKenzie, t h e program r e p o r t s t o t h e V i c e - P r e s i d e n t

Academic A f f a i r s

and

in

1975

included

a

staff

of

ten

provided academic, s o c i a l , p e r s o n a l , and f i n a n c i a l a id a d v i s i n g .

who
In

43

terms o f th e academic co uns eling f o r c o l l e g e d i v i s i o n s t u d e n t s , a l l
s t u d e n t s ar e r e q u i r e d t o meet with t h e i r
each r e g i s t r a t i o n p e r i o d .

academic a d v i s o r bef or e

Furthermore, a l l f i r s t - y e a r s t u d e n t s and

s tu d e n t s who ar e in academic d i f f i c u l t y a r e a d d i t i o n a l l y r e q u i r e d t o
meet with

their

a d v i s o r during

each mid-term p e r i o d

(MacKenzie,

1975).
All freshmen, as well as r e t u r n i n g s t u d e n t s with l e s s than a
cumulative 2.2 grade p o i n t average, ar e r e q u i r e d t o p a r t i c i p a t e in
one o r more ski 11-enhancement
study

skills

and

com position,

readin g

tutoring

mathematics c l a s s e s ,

programs.

classes,
and

individualized

support

and mathematics

These

sem inars,

programs

includ e

instruction

in

developm ental

l a b o r a t o r y work.

MacKenzie

went on t o d i s c u s s t h e v a r i o u s suppo rt programs and t h e i r f u n c t i o n s ,
beginning with th e summer program.
The summer program. Most e n t e r i n g freshman s t u d e n t s ,
t hose d e c l a r i n g

a scientific

or technical

in c lu d in g

c u r r i c u l a r program and

s tu d e n t s who ar e co nsid ere d high r i s k , ar e r e q u i r e d t o a t t e n d a s i x week summer program.

The summer s e s s i o n

i s des igne d t o

pro vid e

e n t e r i n g freshmen with an i n t r o d u c t i o n t o c o l l e g e m a t e r ia l

as well

as an o p p o r tu n i t y t o develop s p e c i f i c s k i l l s r e l a t e d t o i n c r e a s i n g
t h e i r chances f o r academic success in course s th e y w i l l
f i r s t year.
reading

Instructional

comprehension,

emphasis i s given t o problem s o l v i n g ,
and

com bination o f p e r s o n a liz e d
classes.

Furthermore,

take the

c o m m u n icatio n
instruction,

professional

sk ills
tutoring,

through
and

and p a r a p r o f e s s i o n a l

a

sm al l
s tu d e n t

44
c o u n s e l o rs p r e s e n t formal
facets

of u n iversity

and informal

life

o r i e n t a t i o n t o t h e v a r io u s

aimed a t

assistin g

the

stu d en t

in

a c q u i r i n g a sense o f p la c e w ith in t h e i r new m i l i e u .
Tutorial

program.

MacKenzie noted

that

"equal

o p p o r tu n i t y

s t u d e n t s need immediate and c o n tin u a l academic a s s i s t a n c e u n t i l they
have d e v e l o p e d t h e s k i l l s
academic envir onme nt."
week,

and c o n f i d e n c e

to m anipulate

th eir

T h e re f o re , f o r a minimum o f two hours p e r

freshmen and r e t u r n i n g s tu d e n t s with l e s s th a n a 2.2 grade

p o i n t average ar e r e q u i r e d t o meet with one o r more t u t o r s .

The

A s s o c ia t e D i r e c t o r f o r I n s t r u c t i o n a l Support s u p e r v i s e s t h e t u t o r i a l
component and i s a ble t o monitor and a s s e s s t h e e d u c a ti o n a l p r o g r e s s
of students

being t u t o r e d

by r e q u i r i n g

weekly r e p o r t s

from both

t u t o r s and p r o j e c t s t a f f .
Reading and study s k i l l s

classes.

H istorically,

many equal

o p p o r tu n i t y program s t u d e n t s e n t e r t h e u n i v e r s i t y re a d in g t h r e e t o
f o u r y e a r s below grade l e v e l ,

according t o MacKenzie.

t h e Tr ig gs

D iag n o s ti c Reading Test

ad missio n,

and

th o s e

students

is

whose

Therefore,

a d m i n i s te r e d s h o r t l y
scores

ar e

below

the

after
40th

p e r c e n t i l e accor ding t o t h i r t e e n t h grade norms a r e as signed t o study
s k i l l c l a s s e s o r i n d i v i d u a l work in t h e Reading L a bo ra tory.

Study

s k i l l s c l a s s e s meet f o r f o u r and o n e - h a l f hours weekly dur in g t h e
summer program and t h r e e hours weekly dur in g t h e academic y e a r .
Language development program.

The language development program

has t h e o b j e c t i v e t o p r e p a re each s t u d e n t ad e q u a te ly in t h e use o f
w r i t t e n s ta n d a rd English and competence in t h e pr o c e ss o f l o g i c a l l y
stru ctu red ,

coherent com position.

D u r in g t h e summer,

program

45

s t u d e n t s ar e assi gned t o w r i t i n g workshops based on t h e i r w r i t i n g
sample.
ta ught

Studen ts
by

the

receive

Equal

individualized

Opp ortun ity

instruction

Program

w riting

in

writing

instructor

or

g r a d u a t e a s s i s t a n t s from t h e College o f English du rin g t h e academic
year.
Developmental

mathematics c o u r s e s .

In c o o p e r a tio n

with

the

Equal Oppor tunity Program, t h e Mathematics and S t a t i s t i c s Department
a t Marquette U n i v e r s i t y i n i t i a t e d t h r e e developmental- l e v e l courses
in

intermediate

algebra,

a n a l y t i c geometry.

college

Along with

algebra

th e

and

courses

trig o n o m e tr y ,

being

taught

and

through

i n d i v i d u a l i z e d s e l f - p a c i n g , th e EOP o f f e r s a mathematics l a b o r a t o r y
which supplements t h e developmental mathematics and c a l c u l u s courses
through a s e r i e s o f seminar s.
t o monitor s tu d e n t p r o g re s s

This prov ides a means f o r t h e program
and prov id e s

immediate a s s i s t a n c e

to

individual students.
The nonacademic component o f th e Equal O pp ortunity Program i s
composed o f t h e O f f ic e o f Student A f f a i r s ,

Counseling C e n te r ,

residence

project

hall

personnel

to

en sure

that

e xperience p o s i t i v e l i v i n g c o n d i t i o n s .
of

this

component w i t h i n

th e

EOP.

students

and
will

MacKenzie spoke very h ig h ly
The A s s o c ia te

Director

for

Counseling S e r v ic e s i s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r an a r r a y o f a c t i v i t i e s , which
in clude

many u n i v e r s i t y

personnel.

One

of

the

most

important

r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s i s mo nitorin g t h e disbursement o f f i n a n c i a l a id t o
program s tu d e n t s t o a s s u r e t h a t s t u d e n t s ar e p r o t e c t e d a g a i n s t t h e
late

arrival

of financial

a id

checks.

This

is

accomplished

by

46
issuing

each

student

half

of

h is/her

living

allow ance

at

r e g i s t r a t i o n ; t h e remaining h a l f i s i s s u e d a t mid-term.
Beginning in th e summer program, t h e couns elin g s t a f f provid e s
an i n d iv id u a l
entering

development program aimed a t

students,

which

uses

c a r e e r couns elin g

in terest

testing,

for

individual

c o u n s e lin g , c a r e e r se minar s, and d i s c u s s i o n s between t h e s tu d e n t and
a p p r o p r i a t e m i n o r it y e d u c a to r s
field

of

interest.

or professionals

Furthermore,

s tu d e n t s with p o s tb a c c e l e a u r e a t e
s tu d e n t s

make

realistic

the

couns eling

cou nseling

decisions

in

the

student’s

staff

assists

and a tte m p ts

concerning

to

help

postbacceleaureate

goals.
S o uth eastern Community College
John Roueche and R.
au th o r s

of

Catching

Wade Kirk o f th e

Up :

Remedial

University

o f Texas,

(1973),

described

Education

S o uth eastern Community C o l le g e ’ s advancement s t u d i e s program (RSL)
as one o f t h e f i v e o u t s t a n d i n g programs in community c o l l e g e s in th e
nation.

Roueche

inform ation

and K i r k w r o t e

gathered

fro m

th eir

community

book

based

college

s p e c i a l i z e d in r e t e n t i o n o f n o n t r a d i t i o n a l s t u d e n t s .
analysis

of

in form ation

g ath er ed

from

1,100

on

survey

p r o g ra m s

that

In t h e i r f i n a l

community

colleges

throughout th e n a t i o n , th e y concluded t h a t only "40 schoo ls looked
good" in t h e i r developmental s t u d i e s program, and t h a t in t h e a r e a
o f developmental s t u d i e s , "every c o l l e g e i s t r y i n g t o do t h i n g s t h i s
c o l l e g e (S o u th ea ster n ) a l r e a d y i s d o in g ."

47
Donovan (1977) d is c u s s e d th e nationwide study conducted by th e
Educational
Education.

Testing

S ervice

for

the

United

S tates

O ffice

of

The study was request ed by t h e U.S. O f f i c e o f Education

t o a s s e s s t h e value o f f e d e r a l l y funded c o l l e g e programs t h a t aided
s t u d e n t s from moderate-income f a m i l i e s .

The goal o f t h e USOE was to

deter mine which programs were s uccess fu l in o r d e r t o c o n t in u e f u t u r e
funding

and t o

develop

a d e v e lo p m e n ta l- stu d ie s

o t h e r i n s t i t u t e s in improving t h e i r programs.

manual

to

assist

According t o Donovan,

t h e S o utheastern Community College RSL program was named t h e "number
one c o l l e g e in t h e n a tio n 1n s u c c e s s f u l l y working with dis ad vantage d
students."
In 1972, Charles Cooper, human r eso u r ce c o n s u l t a n t ,

e v alu ated

t h e program and r e p o r t e d t h a t "RSL s tu d e n t s adm itted in Fall

1970

p e r s i s t e d over th e two academic y e a r s a t a r a t e s i g n i f i c a n t l y h igher
than t h a t o f s i m i l a r s tu d e n t s admitted a t t h e same time" (Donovan,
1977).

Donovan r e p o r t e d t h a t t h e f i v e - y e a r p e r s i s t e n c e average f o r

each c l a s s from academic y e a r s 1969-70 t o 1973-74 was in exce ss o f
85%; t h e norm f o r o t h e r s tu d e n t s who had s i m i l a r c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s to
th o s e in RSL was 60%.
Of t h e 1970-71 (RSL) s tu d e n t s who r e t u r n e d f o r t h e i r sophomore
y e a r , most completed with a p e r s i s t e n c e r a t e o f 94% as compared to
73% f o r t h e co n tr o l group.

Furthermore, as o f 1972, 16% o f former

(RSL) s tu d e n t s had gr ad ua ted from S o utheastern Community College as
compared t o 9% o f t h e s tu d e n t s in th e co n t r o l group; however, t h i s
does

not

reflect

(Donovan, 1977).

transfers

or

gr a d u a te s

of

other

institutions

48

S o u th e a ste r n Community College in W h i t e v l l l e ,

North C a r o l in a ,

as a consortium member o f t h e Regional Educational Laboratory o f th e
C a r o l in a s and V i r g i n i a s , began planning and implementing methods o f
improving i n s t r u c t i o n f o r low-achieving s t u d e n t s as e a r l y as 1969,
according t o Winnie Cook, Program D i r e c t o r .
the

program o r i g i n a t e d

with

two o v e r a l l

Cook (1975) s t a t e d t h a t
goals:

(a)

"to

train

f a c u l t y members t o co n v e r t t h e i r cou rse s t o pr ovide i n d i v i d u a l i z e d ,
multi-m ed ia, s e l f - p a c e d l e a r n i n g e x p e r ie n c e s , with immediate s t u d e n t
feedback f o r rein fo rcem en t o f le a r n i n g ,"
research-based

decision

and

making

to

improve

The i n s t i t u t i o n - w i d e program

is

based

(b)

"to

promote

curricula

and

instruction."

" l e a r n i n g f o r m aster y ."
individualized

concept

development o f f l e x i b l e ,
grading

system;

"causing l e a r n i n g . "

of causing

learning

goal-related,

relevant

flex ib le

learning a c t i v i t i e s .

(1 971)

The c o l l e g e f a c u l t y viewed th e concept o f

i n s t r u c t i o n on SCC’ s campus as

The b r o a d - b a s e d

on Bloom’ s

scheduling;

The attem pt

is

and

in

curricula;

the

a new

experience-centered

to create

an atmosphere in

which s t u d e n t s f e e l

accepted

re i n f o r c e m e n t .

viewed a l l o f t h e s e f a c t o r s as im port an t f o r

Cook

and can

resulted

receive stim u latio n

and

th e personal and academic su ccess o f low-achieving s t u d e n t s .
Population
The group in t h e Resources f o r Student Learning Program was
composed o f
students.

50% Black,
In

1975

40% Caucasian,

t h e i r high

school

and

10% Native

American

academic performance

was

49

normally well

below aver ag e,

s tu d e n t s were r e c r u i t e d

especially

in

ver bal

from low-income f a m i l i e s

c o l l e g e w i t h low s e l f - c o n c e p t s ,

skills.

The

and e n t e r e d th e

f e e lin g s o f unw orthiness,

and

u n r e a l i s t i c c a r e e r e x p e c t a t i o n s based on t h e i r academic p r e p a r a t i o n ,
according t o Cook.

Many o f t h e s t u d e n t s who p a r t i c i p a t e d

in t h e

pr o g ram e x p e r i e n c e d p r o b le m s w i t h co m m u n ic a ti o n s k i l l s .

This

include d

"poor w r i t i n g

performance,

poor

speech,

low vocabular y

l e v e l , low r eadin g comprehension, i n a b i l i t y t o analyze and i n t e r p r e t
no vels and p o e t r y , and i n a b i l i t y t o handle r e s o u r c e s e f f e c t i v e l y or
communicate a complex i d e a . "

F i n a l l y , Cook noted t h a t s t u d e n t s were

c h a r a c t e r i z e d by poor o r n o n e x i s t e n t

study

habits,

no

"sen se

of

place" w i t h i n t h e i r environment, a l a c k o f time-management s k i l l s ,
and l i t t l e knowledge o f t h e importance o f m a t e r i a l s in t h e Learning
Resource C en ter.
Program
The Resources f o r Student Learning Program (RSL)
primary o b j e c t i v e
ge ne ral

to create

a meaningful

e d u cati o n w i th in t h e c o l l e g e .

de signed

to

meet

the

needs

of

its

academic environment o f

The program i s

s tu d e n t s

has as

whose

past

especially
e d u catio n al

e xp e r ie n c e s c o n s i s t e d o f n o n p r o d u c t iv i t y and f a i l u r e .

The program

fo cuses on t h e f a c t

that

in many i n s t a n c e s

a r r i v e with

interest,

sk ill

levels,

attitudes,

match t h e demands o f ed u c a tio n a l

students

o r l e a r n i n g s t y l e s t h a t do not
institutions.

a tte m p ts t o accommodate i t s e l f t o t h e s p e c i a l

T h e re f o re ,

"RSL

needs o f i n d i v i d u a l

50
s t u d e n t s , many o f whom might o th er w ise f a i l

t o b e n e f i t from t h e i r

community c o l l e g e ex pe rien ce " (Cook, 1975).
The o v e r a l l design and procedures o f t h e program a r e based upon
a s e t o f working p r i n c i p l e s o r assumptions concerning t h e n a t u r e o f
th e

learning

pr oc es s

and t h e

needs

of

students

in

this

s o c ia l

context.
RSL Program Design and
Studen t Learning Goals
Cook s t a t e d t h a t in 1975 th e RSL program served approximate ly
100 s t u d e n t s from th e "lower q u a r t e r o f S o u th easter n * s freshmen from
both t h e t e c h n i c a l and c o l l e g e - p a r a l l e l c u r r i c u l a as measured by t h e
comparative guidance and placement program."

As a r e s u l t o f t h e i r

p a s t unsucc es sfu l e d u catio n al e x p e r i e n c e s , Cook c h a r a c t e r i z e d t h e s e
students

as

possessing

inco mpatible with

the

attitudes

demands

S o u th e a s t e r n Community Co lleg e.

of

and

world

a modern

view s

that

institution

such

are
as

To accompany t h e n e g a t i v e a t t i t u d e s

and world views, Cook mentioned th e very low b a s i c s k i l l l e v e l and
inad eq uate

learning

styles

u n s u ite d

to

traditional

instructional

strategies.

She pointed out t h a t t h e i r problems a r e ,

extent,

problems

the

of

the

m ajority

of

to a large

S o u th e a s te r n

students;

however, th e problems a r e more s evere f o r t h e t a r g e t group.
The fo llow ing a r e t h e p r i n c i p l e s Cook d i s c u s s e d , on which t h e
environment o f RSL i s based.
1.
ences

The program r e c o g n iz e s and responds t o i n d i v i d u a l d i f f e r ­
in

skills,

values

and l e a r n i n g

styles

by u t i l i z i n g

h ig h l y

51
f l e x i b l e cu rricu lum desig n p e r m i t t i n g l e a r n i n g a t d i f f e r e n t r a t e s ,
and in d i f f e r e n t ways.
2.

The program p l a c e s t h e s tu d e n t a t t h e c e n t e r o f t h e l e a r n ­

ing process by i n c r e a s i n g l e a r n i n g a c t i v i t y o p t io n s and p rovid ing
o pportunities

for

students

to

design

po rtio n s

of

th eir

own

cu rri cu lum .
3.

The program e x perie nces provid e s t u d e n t s with

predominantly p o s i t i v e feedback. A p o s i t i v e
t o being

self

success and

image

contributes

a s u c c e s s fu l s t u d e n t .

4.

A couns elin g and teach in g approach t h a t

requires the s tu ­

d e n t t o t a k e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r h i s / h e r own be hav ior i s used by a l l
i n s t r u c t o r s and c o u n s e l o r s .
5.

The c u r r i c u l u m

Learning

activ ities

is

experiential

actively

a c t i v i t i e s and e x p e r ie n c e s .

and p r o c e s s

involve the

stu d en t

in

orien ted .
hands-on

The classroom becomes an e x t e n s i o n o f

t h e community and t h e community an e x te n s io n o f t h e clas sroo m ; both
ar e l i v i n g / l e a r n i n g environments.
6.

The s t a f f

relate

to

F o s te r in g an i n t e r p e r s o n a l
n e s s , mutual
im port ant.
initial

ac ceptance,

s tu d e n t s with openness and r e s p e c t .

relationship

s u p p o rt,

c h a r a c t e r i z e d by ge n u in e ­

and emp athe tic underst anding

is

Support from f a c u l t y and i n s t r u c t o r s i s s tr o n g in th e

s t a g e s , th en g r a d u a l l y withdrawn and r e p l a c e d with a more

eg alitaria n relationship.
Through p a r t i c i p a t i o n in t h e Educational

Environment Program,

i t is anticip ated t h a t the students p a r tic ip a tin g

in RSL programs

w i l l develop and improve t h e i r c o g n i t i v e s k i l l s as well as a change

52

in a t t i t u d e s and b e h a v io r s .
important changes f a l l
h is/her

sk ills,

The RSL program p e r c e i v e s t h a t t h e most

i n t o t h r e e general

h is/her

areas:

c o m m unication

t h e person and

sk ills,

and

h is/her

r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e i r environment.
Key Elements in RSL S t a f f A c t i v i t i e s
In reviewing t h e RSL program, i t becomes a p p ar en t t h a t th e key
elem ents

th at

personalization

set
of

it

apart

e d u c a t io n ,

from

use

of

other
small

pro g ram s
groups

as

include
the

most

d e s i r a b l e l e a r n i n g environment, and th e emphasis on t h e counsel in g
ro le of the in s tr u c to r .

That i n s t r u c t o r / c o u n s e l o r r o l e o f a l l

s t a f f members i s c e n t r a l

t o t h e i r program o r g a n i z a t i o n .

RSL

"The RSL

i n s t r u c t o r s a r e i n t e r e s t e d in t h e whole person , not j u s t t h e c o n te n t
and s k i l l s a s s o c i a t e d with h i s / h e r d i s c i p l i n e "

(Cook,

1975).

The

s tu d e n t o f t e n p e r c e i v e s counselo rs as persons you t a l k with when you
have a problem, and thus t a l k i n g t o a co u n s elo r i s ad m itt in g he/ sh e
cannot cope with t h e s i t u a t i o n .
involvem ent

with

th eir

RSL i n s t r u c t o r s e s t a b l i s h a n a t u r a l

stu d en ts,

and t h e y

use

th is

tru stin g

classroom r e l a t i o n s h i p t o help s t u d e n t s l e a r n and develop d e c i s i o n ­
making and problem-solving s k i l l s .
p r o b le m s t h a t t h e y

are

When th ey a r e c o n f ro n t e d with

not tra in e d

to

handle,

t h e y make t h e

appropriate r e fe rra l to other univ ersity s t a f f .
The small-group o r g a n i z a t i o n allows
each s t u d e n t in t h e l e a r n i n g p r o c e s s .

f o r a c t i v e involvement o f
Cook e l a b o r a t e d on how th e

group o r g a n i z a t i o n f o s t e r s a c o o p e r a t i v e s p i r i t and e l i m i n a t e s much
o f t h e f e a r o f f a i l u r e t h a t accompanies many in d i v i d u a l a c t i v i t i e s .

53

As s t u d e n t s
individual

increase t h e i r s k i l l s ,
involvement

and

ar e

th ey ar e more w i l l i n g t o r i s k

more

capable

of

choosing

which

a c t i v i t i e s th ey can perform w e ll .
The t e r m

"personalization

of education"

f l e x i b l e tim ing t o t h e RSL program.
content,

objectives,

individual

learner.

means more t h a n

An atte m pt i s made t o match

and c o g n i t i v e s t y l e

with

the

needs

o f each

The counsel in g and te a c h in g approach used in

th e RSL program r e q u i r e s t h e s t u d e n t s t o

t ake r e s p o n s i b i l i t y

for

t h e i r own be havior.
Summary
In summary, i t can be s a id t h a t s p e c i a l s e r v i c e s programs have
been s u c c e s s f u l

in a s s i s t i n g m i n o r i t y and l ow -in c om e s t u d e n t s

through b a c c a l a u r e a t e degree programs.

The remedial

programs and

r e t e n t i o n s t r a t e g i e s have developed through t h e y e a r s t o th e p o i n t
where not
traditional

only

"nontraditional"

students

as w e l l .

s tu d e n t s
There

are

benefit

from them,

increasing

r e g u l a r adm ittanc e s t u d e n t s e n r o l l e d in t h e remedial

numbers

but
of

mathematics,

English comprehension, and n a t u r a l s c ie n ce c o u r se s (Trow, 1982).
The importance o f i d e n t i f y i n g p o t e n t i a l s tu d e n t s e a r l y in high
school cannot be over-emphasized.
university

representatives

the

Students need t o hea r e a r l y from
im portance

p r e p a r a t i o n b e f o re th ey reach th e t e n t h grad e.
t h a t most u n i v e r s i t i e s

of

good

academic

When one c o n s id e r s

and c o l l e g e s r e q u i r e mathematics,

r e a d in g ,

and w r i t i n g e n t r a n c e exams, one can see t h e importance o f l e a r n i n g
these s k i l l s e arly .

Furthermore, when s tu d e n t s apply t o c o l l e g e s

54

and u n i v e r s i t i e s ,

th ey a r e expected t o be e n r o l l e d in a c o l l e g e -

p r e p a r a t o r y curri culum .

When c o l l e g e o f f i c i a l s compute grade p o i n t

av erages, only th o s e course s t h a t f a l l under t h i s ca te g o r y a r e taken
into

consideration.

themselves

receiving

Consequently,
rejection

many m in o r ity

letters

as

th e y

students
cannot

i n d u s t r i a l t r a d e s , human ecology, and music-type c o u r s e s .

use

find
the

Providing

info rm ation e a r l y can be inst rum ental in h elping s t u d e n t s und er sta nd
the

importance

of

learning

the

b a s ic s

of

college

algebra

t r i g o n o m e t r y , chem ist ry, l i f e s c i e n c e s , r e a d i n g , and w r i t i n g .
one

considers

that

most

m in o rity

s tu d e n t s

declare

and
When

engineering,

b u s in e s s , o r n a t u r a l s c ie n c e as t h e i r major when e n t e r i n g c o l l e g e ,
t h e s i t u a t i o n becomes more c r u c i a l f o r r e t e n t i o n as most w i l l e n r o l l
in m a t h e m a t i c s and c h e m i s t r y c o u r s e s

early

in t h e i r

academic

careers.
In t h e f u t u r e ,

u n i v e r s i t i e s w i ll

i n c r e a s e t h e i r awareness of

t h e importance o f d i r e c t i n g more money i n t o remedial programs, which
in c lu d e s h i r i n g more remedial
c o n ti n u e

to

decline

(Trow,

specialists,

1982).

as SAT and ACT score s

However,

the

most

im portant

a s p e c t o f continue d success o f s p e c ia l s e r v i c e s programs w i l l be t h e
degree o f commitment by t h e u n i v e r s i t y .

Not only should s t u d e n t s

p e r c e iv e t h a t th e y ar e no d i f f e r e n t from any o t h e r s t u d e n t ,

they

should p e r c e iv e t h a t t h e i n s t i t u t i o n b e l i e v e s in them and ex p e c ts
them t o g r a d u a te .
m ajority of fa c u lty ,
belief.

When th e
staff,

u n iv ersity takes
and s tu d e n t s w i l l

this

attitude,

the

a l s o exemplify t h i s

CHAPTER III
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
I n tr o d u c t i o n
This

chapter

contains

a description

and

discussion

of

procedures and methods employed in t h i s stu d y, i n c l u d i n g :
research

desig n ,

(b)

the

population

and

sample,

the

(a) t h e
(c)

the

i n s t r u m e n t a t i o n and d a t a c o l l e c t i o n , (d) t h e a n a l y s i s desig n and (e)
th e summary.
During t h e 1983 summer freshman o r i e n t a t i o n a t Michigan S t a t e
University,

College

Achievement

Program

complete an In-coming Stu den t Survey.
entering
purpose

students
was

to

completed
provid e

stu d e n ts ’ perceptions
p re p a re d n e s s ,

the

survey

program

need,

were

asked

to

A t o t a l o f 175 (60%) o f th e
instrument.

c o u n s e lo rs

and e x p e c t a t i o n s

financial

students

with

concerning

and c a r e e r

The

survey

info rm ation
their

aspirations

on

academic

b e f o re

th ey

actu ally entered college.
At t h e end o f t h e i r sophomore y e a r ,

a sample o f 100 College

Achievement Program s t u d e n t s who completed t h e i r In-coming Studen t
Survey were asked t o complete both a Follow-up Stu den t Survey and
a Supplemental

J u n i o r Survey.

This l a s t

survey was developed t o
i

examine M ic h i g a n S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y ’ s S p e c i a l S e r v i c e s s t u d e n t s *

55

56
p e r c e p t i o n s o f e x i s t i n g programs designed t o i n c r e a s e t h e i r chances
f o r academic achievement.
Two groups o f College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s , s e l e c t e d a t
random, were s t u d i e d .

College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s with

i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA comprised Group One.
College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s with a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e
e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA comprised Group Two.

A total

o f 100 randomly s e l e c t e d College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s who
completed t h e i r sophomore y e a r were surveyed f o r t h i s stu dy.
Of t h e s e 100 s t u d e n t s ,

i t was determined t h a t 64 o f them had

i n f l a t e d e s t i m a t e s o f t h e i r GPA a t t h e end o f t h e i r f i r s t term, and
t h e s e s t u d e n t s were a s sig n ed t o Group One.
male and 39 female o r 64 j u n i o r - l e v e l
students.

This group comprised 25

College Achievement Program,

T h e ir ages ranged between 19 and 21 y e a r s .

o f th e t o t a l

64 s tu d e n t s

surveyed,

In Group One,

61% were females and 39% were

males.
Of t h e 100 s t u d e n t s ,

i t was determined t h a t 36 o f them had

a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e s t i m a t e s o f t h e i r GPA a t t h e end o f t h e i r
f i r s t term, and t h e s e s t u d e n t s were as sig ned t o Group Two.
Two comprised

Group

15 male and 21 female College Achievement

Program

s tu d e n t s who completed t h e i r freshman and sophomore y e a r s .

T h e ir

ages ranged between 19 and 21 y e a r s .

In Group Two, o f t h e t o t a l 36

s tu d e n t s surveyed, 58% were females and 42% were males.
In February 1986, t h e same 100 j u n i o r - l e v e l College Achievement
s tu d e n t s who completed t h e In-coming Student Survey were asked t o

57
complete
Survey.

the

Follow-up Studen t

Survey and a Supplemental

Of t h e 100 s tu d e n t s surveyed,

Of t h e 92 s t u d e n t s
supplementary

Junior

92% responded.

responding t o t h e follow- up survey and

survey,

57

(63%)

of

the

students

had

th e

inflated

e x p e c t a t i o n s f o r t h e i r GPAs and th u s were as sig ned t o Group One.
Group Two c o n s t i t u t e d

35 (37%)

of the to ta l

respondents

and

comprised 14% males and 23% females.
The Population and Sample
In summer 1983,

all

new freshman College Achievement Program

s t u d e n t s e n t e r i n g MSU through t h e summer o r i e n t a t i o n program were
asked

to

complete

Student Survey.

the

O f fic e

of

Supp ortive

Services’

In-coming

Stude nts were r e q u e s te d t o respond t o each q u e s ti o n

in t h e 7 3 - item survey in terms o f what t h e y expected t o be t r u e or
not t r u e

about t h e i r

University.

The

orientation

program

academic and s o c ia l

survey was
(June

ad m in iste r e d

16 t o

August

College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s .
perso nal

in fo r m a ti o n ,

such

as

life

age,

a t Michigan S t a t e

thro ug ho ut

20)

to

the

279 new freshman

The survey a l s o
sex,

summer

parental

r e q u e st e d

e d u catio n

and

income, f i n a n c i a l co nc er ns , high school GPA, and ch o ic e o f major.
In

February

1986,

a

randomsample

of

100

of

the

College

Achievement Program s t u d e n t s who had completed t h e i r freshman and
sophomore y e a r s and had p a r t i c i p a t e d
orientation

in th e

1983 freshman summer

program were asked t o complete t h e Follow-up Studen t

Survey and t h e Supplemental J u n i o r Survey.
Survey provided

a basis

on which t o

The Follow-up Studen t

compare d i f f e r e n c e s

in

th e

58
s t u d e n t s ’ e x p e c t a t i o n s o f MSU bef ore a r r i v i n g on campus and t h e i r
e x p e c t a t i o n s a f t e r completing t h e i r freshman and sophomore y e a r s .
The

Supplemental

Junior

achievement s t u d e n t s '

Survey

provided

inf or m at ion

on

p e r c e p t i o n s on how r e t e n t i o n

college

strategies

provided by Supportive S er v ic es d i r e c t l y r e l a t e d t o them,
attained junior status.

as they

Of th e 100 s tu d e n t s surveyed (39 males and

61 f e m a le s ) , 92 (92%) responded.
The study compared two groups o f College Achievement Program
s t u d e n t s based on t h e i r e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA.

Group

One comprised 64 (25 male and 39 female) randomly s e l e c t e d j u n i o r le v e l

College

Achievement

between 19 and 21 y e a r s .

Program s t u d e n t s .

Their

ages

ranged

They had i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r

f i r s t - t e r m GPA and completed t h e i r In-coming Student Survey dur in g
t h e 1983 freshman summer o r i e n t a t i o n .

In Group One, o f t h e t o t a l 64

(64%) s tu d e n t s surveyed, 61% were females
February

1986,

all

100 j u n i o r - l e v e l

and 39% were males.

College Achievement

In

Program

s tu d e n t s who completed t h e i r In-coming Student Survey were asked t o
complete t h e Follow-up Student Survey
Survey.

and th e Supplemental

Junior

Group One c o n s t i t u t e d 63% o f t h e t o t a l res p o n d e n ts , and was

comprised o f 23% males and 40% females.
Group Two comprised

21

females

and

15 males,

36%

of

the

randomly s e l e c t e d j u n i o r - l e v e l College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s .
T h e ir ages ranged between 19 and 21 y e a r s .
conservative
their

expectations

In-coming

orientation.

Studen t

of th e ir

first

Survey du rin g

They had a c c u r a t e or
term GPA and

the

1983

completed

freshman

summer

In Group Two, o f t h e t o t a l 36 (36%) s t u d e n t s surveyed,

59

58% were females and 42% were males.
ju n io r level

In February 1986,

all

100

College Achievement S tu den ts who completed t h e i r

in­

coming s t u d e n t survey, were asked t o complete t h e follow-up s tu d e n t
survey and th e supplemental j u n i o r survey.
36% o f t h e
males.

total

re sp on de nts

The e t h n i c i t y

Group Two c o n s i s t e d o f

and comprised

23% females

breakdown o f t h e s tu d e n t s

is

and

displayed

14%
in

Table 1.

Table 1 . - - E t h n ic d i s t r i b u t i o n o f College Achievement Program
s t u d e n t s surveyed.
Ethnic I d e n t i f i c a t i o n
B1 ack
Caucasian
Mexican-American
Native-American
Asian-American
Other
Total

Male

Female

36
1
2
0
0
0

57
0
0
1
1
2

39

61

I n s t r u m e n ta ti o n and Method o f Data C o l l e c t i o n
The in st rum en ts used in t h i s r e s e a r c h t o c o l l e c t d a t a were (a)
the

In-coming Student Survey,

(b)

th e p a r a l l e l

Survey, and (c) a Supplemental J u n i o r Survey.
Survey was used t o c o l l e c t

The In-coming Student

info rm at ion about th e e x p e c t a t i o n s

College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s
orientation.

Follow-up Student

of

as th ey went through summer

The Follow-up Student Survey was used t o measure t h e

degree o f change in t h e e x p e c t a t i o n s once s tu d e n t s reached t h e i r

60

ju n io r

statu s.

The S u p p le m e n ta l

Junior

Survey measured

the

p e r c e p t i o n s o f th e importance o f r e t e n t i o n s t r a t e g i e s o f f e r e d by th e
O f f i c e o f Suppor tiv e S e r v ic e s t o help College Achievement Program
s tu d e n t s reach j u n i o r s t a t u s .
The In-Comina Student Survey
The In -c o m in g S t u d e n t S ur vey was d e s i g n e d ,

m odified,

and

adapted by s t a f f members in t h e O f f i c e o f S up po rtive S e r v i c e s .

The

c u r r e n t format f o r t h e survey i s t h e r e s u l t o f th e e f f o r t s o f James
McComb, e v a l u a t i o n c o o r d i n a t o r f o r t h e O f f i c e o f S pec ial

Programs.

The purpose o f t h e In-coming Student Survey was t o (a) o b t a i n d a t a
about College Achievement Program students* p e r c e p t i o n s b e fore th ey
e n t e r MSU, (b) pro vide info rm at ion on what t h e i r e x p e c t a t i o n s were
o f l i f e a t MSU, and (c) pro vid e s t a f f with a s tu d e n t p r o f i l e o f th e
p o p u la tio n o f College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s who e n t e r MSU.
The In-coming Stud en t Survey c o n s i s t s o f 73 item s, which a r e d iv id e d
i n t o e i g h t f a c t o r c a t e g o r i e s f o r t h e purpose o f a n a l y s i s .
f a c t o r s were i d e n t i f i e d

The e i g h t

and d e s c r ib e d by McComb in t h e Report On

Freshmen Developmental S t u d e n t s . 1980.
F a c to r

1.

Factors

lim iting

academic

success.

These

items

d e s c r i b e d e f i c i e n c i e s t h e s tu d e n t may have which may be r e f l e c t e d in
o v e r a l l academic performance.

Since developmental s t u d e n t s tend t o

have d i f f i c u l t i e s

areas

in

subject

like

w riting,

or

poor

study

h a b i t s , t h e f a c t o r s a r e co n s id e red t o be p o t e n t i a l l y l i m i t i n g .
F acto r 2.
in clu d e

F acto r s promoting academic s u c c e s s .

self-application

and

external

s up por t

These items

factors.

Living

61

c o n d i t i o n s and f i n a n c i a l a i d did become more Important concerns f o r
both comparison groups du rin g t h e i r f i r s t y e a r .
F a c t o r 3.
chosen t o

F acto r s i n f l u e n c in g c a r e e r c h o i c e .

reflect

influences

that

These items were

were b a s i c a l l y

independent

of

c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of the actual career.
F a c to r 4.

D esirab ility of career c h a r a c te r is tic s .

These items

in clude q u a l i t i e s t h a t may be a s s o c i a t e d with most c a r e e r s .

Data

concerning th e d e s i r a b i l i t y o f c a r e e r c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s were c o l l e c t e d
only a t t h e time o f e n t r y i n t o c o l l e g e .
F a c to r
categories

5.
of

Degree

aspiration.

associate,

These

bachelor,

and

items

inc lu ded

graduate

th e

degrees.

H i s t o r i c a l l y , a high p r o p o r tio n o f developmental s t u d e n t s a s p i r e d t o
gr a d u a te with degr ee s b e fore th ey began c o l l e g e .
F a c to r 6.

Factors i n f l u e n c i n g t h e d e c i s i o n t o a t t e n d c o l l e g e .

These items were r a t e d according t o t h e importance o f t h e s e f a c t o r s
in in f l u e n c in g s tude nts* d e c i s i o n t o a t t e n d c o l l e g e b e f o re beginning
t h e i r f i r s t academic y e a r .
Factor

7.

Factors

relevant

to

the

occ urre nc e

of

expected

e v e n t s . These items inc luded t h e expected l i k e l i h o o d t h a t c e r t a i n
ev ents would occur durin g t h e i r c o l l e g e c a r e e r .

Such e v e n t s

as

changing t h e i r major, f a i l i n g o r r e p e a t i n g a c l a s s , o r dropping out
permanently were r a t e d f a i r l y c o n s i s t e n t l y by in-coming groups as
being u n l i k e l y .
F a c t o r 8.

F acto r s o f personal im port ance.

These items were t o

r e f l e c t a r e a s t o which i n d i v i d u a l s might a t t a c h p o s i t i v e o r n e g a t i v e

62
importance.

The primary emphasis was on ge ner al l i f e values and how

th o s e value s i n flu e n c e d t h e s t u d e n t s ’ s u c c e s s .

Scoring o f th e

In-coming Stud en t Survey i s accomplished by using t h e L i k e r t Scale
on a 1-4 r a t i n g

of

assigned

p e r c e p t i o n s and e x p e c t a t i o n s .

values

concerning

the

students*

Measures were t ak en f o r f i v e groups

(F all 1975-1979) b e fore th ey began c o l l e g e , and f o r two groups ( F a ll
1977-1978) e n t e r i n g freshmen a f t e r th e y had completed one y e a r o f
academic

experie nce

at

MSU.

The

reliab ility

of

the

In-coming

Student Survey has been e s t a b l i s h e d by t e s t - r e t e s t comparisons f o r
stability.

McComb (1980) l i s t e d t h r e e methods used in d e f i n i n g t h e

te s ts for s ta b ility .
1.
range

Consistency ac r o ss groups a t e n t r y .
of

mean

r es po nses

given

by

each

I n d i c a t e s t h a t th e

in-coming

group

to

th e

m a j o r i t y o f f a c t o r s in t h e c a t e g o r i e s i s l e s s than .05 p o i n t on th e
scale.

That

is,

th e

mean valu es

approximately th e same f o r a l l

a s sig n e d

f i v e gro up s.

to

the

factors

are

Low c o n s i s t e n c y would

i n d i c a t e t h a t t h e in-coming groups as signed d i s s i m i l a r mean values
t o t h e i n d i v i d u a l f a c t o r s w ith in c a t e g o r i e s .
entry

indicates

that

the

groups

were

Co ns istenc y a t time o f

sim ilar

when

th ey

began

Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y .
2.

S i m i l a r i t y o f change a c r o s s g r o u p s .

I n d i c a t e s t h a t changes

in t h e mean valu e given t o t h e f a c t o r b e f o re and a f t e r one y e a r o f
academic

e x p er ien ce

were

sim ilar

to

both

g r oups.

Consistency

i n d i c a t e s t h a t e i t h e r no change to ok p l a c e f o r e i t h e r group o r i f
change did occ ur , i t was o f a s i m i l a r c o n s i s t e n c y ,

indicating th at

groups changed in d i f f e r e n t d i r e c t i o n s o r t o d i f f e r e n t d e g r e e s .

63

3.

S t a b i l i t y o f change w ith in g r o u p s .

I n d i c a t e s t h a t th e mean

res pon ses given t o th e m a j o r i t y o f f a c t o r s w i t h i n t h e ca te g o r y by
in d i v i d u a l in-coming groups did not change more th an .25 o f a s c a l e
p o i n t from t h e b e f o r e - c o l l e g e measure t o t h e measure taken a f t e r one
y e a r o f academic e x p e r ie n c e .

High s t a b i l i t y w i t h i n groups i n d i c a t e s

t h a t events ta k i n g p l a c e during th e f i r s t y e a r did n o t a f f e c t t h e
mean value assi gne d t o f a c t o r s w ith in t h e c a te g o r y .

Low s t a b i l i t y

i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e mean value placed on t h e f a c t o r d i d not change
from th e bef or e t o th e a f t e r measure.
The Follow-up Student Survey
This

survey was designed

by James McComb,

Programs Ev alu ation S p e c i a l i s t ,

to

pro vid e

S pecial

in fo rm ation

S er v ic es
about t h e

degree o f change in t h e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f College Achievement Program
students

who were

Michigan

State

instrum en t
Achievement

to

in t h e i r

first

University.
be

used

Program

in

It

term o f
was

designed

deter mining

students

had

their
as

junior
a

their

at

comparative

how s i g n i f i c a n t l y

changed

year

College

expectations

of

Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y durin g t h e i r freshman and sophomore y e a r s .
The Follow-up Student Survey c o n s i s t e d o f 69 item s, which were a l s o
d i v id e d i n t o t h e e i g h t p r e v i o u s l y d e s c r i b e d f a c t o r c a t e g o r i e s f o r
comparison and a n a l y s i s .
The Supplemental J u n i o r Survey
This
inf or m at io n

survey

was

designed

by

on College Achievement

the

researcher

Program s t u d e n t s ’

to

provide

perceptions

64
toward program r e t e n t i o n
status.

strategies

in h elping them a t t a i n j u n i o r

The survey c o n s i s t e d o f 50 item s, which were d iv id e d i n t o

four categ ories:
1.

The q u a l i t y o f academic guidance and co u n s elin g a s s i s t a n c e

provided by t h e

Office

of

Supportive

S e r v ic e s

in

v a r io u s

areas

related to persistence.
2.
survival

The p e r c e i v e d
skill

importance o f t u t o r i a l

assistan ce

and

workshops in helping s t u d e n t s academ ically pr e p a re

f o r and a t t a i n j u n i o r s t a t u s .
3.

The importance o f var io u s academic, s o c i a l , f i n a n c i a l , and

c a r e e r f a c t o r s t h a t helped s tu d e n t s remain acade mically e l i g i b l e in
o r d e r t o c o n tin u e school.
4.
services

The q u a l i t y o f s e r v i c e o r r e f e r r a l provided by s u p p o r ti v e
s tu d e n t

assistants

(p ee r co u n s e lo rs )

to

assist

freshman

the

In-coming

s tu d e n t s with t h e i r adjustm en t t o t h e u n i v e r s i t y .
Data Analysis
The

data

were

o b t a in e d

from

resp ondents

to

Student Survey du rin g t h e Summer O r i e n t a t i o n Program.

Data were

a l s o o btain ed from resp o nden ts t o t h e Follow-up Stude nt Survey and
th e Supplemental J u n i o r Survey durin g t h e f i r s t term o f t h e i r j u n i o r
year.

The d a t a were a n a l y z e d

s i g n i f i c a n t mean d i f f e r e n c e s .

using t - t e s t s

and Z - t e s t s

for

Analysis o f t h e d a t a p e r m itt e d th e

r e s e a r c h e r t o r e j e c t o r not r e j e c t th e f ollow in g n u ll hypotheses:

65
Hypothesis 1 : College Achievement Program s tu d e n t s who have
a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA
and s tu d e n t s who have i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m
GPA w i l l not d i f f e r in terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s o f s e l e c t e d
f a c t o r s r e l a t e d t o academic success a t t h e time t h e y e n t e r t h e
university.
Hypothesis 2 : College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s who have
a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA
and s tu d e n t s who have i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m
GPA w i l l not d i f f e r in terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e s e same
f a c t o r s a f t e r completing t h e i r freshman and sophomore y e a r s .
Hypothesis 3 :
College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s who have
a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA
and s t u d e n t s who have i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m
GPA w i l l not d i f f e r in t h e i r p e r c e p t io n s o f t h e s e same f a c t o r s
between t h e time th e y e n t e r and t h e time th ey r ea ch j u n i o r
status.
Hypothesis 4 : At t h e beginning o f t h e i r j u n i o r y e a r , College
Achievement Program s tu d e n t s who have a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e
e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA and s t u d e n t s who have
i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA w i l l not d i f f e r
in terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e value o f academic programs
o f f e r e d by t h e O f f i c e o f Supportive S e r v i c e s .
The l e v e l

o f confide nce f o r determ ining t h e r e j e c t i o n o f th e

nu ll hypotheses was s e t a t t h e .05 l e v e l .
in

students’

expectations

on t h e

Significant differences

In-coming

Stu den t

Survey,

th e

Follow-up Student Survey, and p e r c e p t i o n s on t h e Supplemental J u n i o r
Survey were determined by comparing means using t - t e s t s and Z - t e s t s
for sig n ifican t differences.
Summary
In t h i s c h a p t e r t h e w r i t e r d e s c r i b e d th e methods and procedures
used in t h e s tu d y , i n c l u d in g t h e sample, p o p u l a t i o n , d a t a - c o l l e c t i o n
tec h n iq u e s and t h e r e s e a r c h i n s t r u m e n t s ,
The p o p u la tio n

includ ed

and t h e a n a l y s i s d e s ig n .

new freshman College Achievement

Program

s t u d e n t s a t t e n d i n g t h e summer o r i e n t a t i o n program a t Michigan S t a t e

66

University in 1983 and College Achievement Program students who had
reached junior standing in spring 1986.
The sample o f 100 randomly s e l e c t e d s t u d e n t s was d i v id e d i n t o
two g r o u p s :
expectations

(a)
of

stu d en ts

their

first

who had

accurate

term GPA and

(b)

or

conservative

students

who had

i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t term GPA.
The d a t a in t h i s r e s e a r c h were c o l l e c t e d through t h e In-coming
Student Survey, th e Follow-up Student Survey and t h e Supplemental
Junior

Survey.

The

in str u m en ts

were

used

to

measure

college

achievement s t u d e n t s ’ r e t e n t i o n e x p e c t a t i o n s along e i g h t f a c t o r s .

A

t w o - t a i l e d t - t e s t f o r t h e d i f f e r e n c e between t h e means was used t o
determ ine t h e v a r i a n c e in th e e x p e c t a t i o n s and p e r c e p t i o n s o f two
groups o f College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s .

A f t e r two y e a r s ,

s i g n i f i c a n t changes in mean e x p e c t a t i o n s from t h e In-coming Student
Survey t o t h e

Follow-up Student Survey o f both t h e

a c c u r a t e g r o u p s were d e t e r m i n e d by a d m i n i s t e r i n g
c o r r e l a t e d means.

inflated

and

a Z -test

of

CHAPTER IV
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

The r e s u l t s o f th e hypotheses t h a t were t e s t e d in t h i s study
a r e p r e s e n te d in t h i s c h a p t e r .

The r e s u l t s o f t h e In-coming Student

Survey, Follow-Up Student Survey, and Supplemental J u n i o r Survey ar e
reported

for

the

total

sample group.

A tw o-tailed

t-test

for

s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s between means in a r e a s s t u d i e d was used t o
examine each h y p o th e s is .
between

the

In-coming

A Z - t e s t t o measure t h e mean d i f f e r e n c e s
Stud en t

Survey

and

the

Follow-up

Studen t

Survey o f both t h e i n f l a t e d and a c c u r a t e groups was used t o r e j e c t
o r not t o r e j e c t Hypothesis 3.
The alp ha level chosen was .05, which means t h a t a t - v a l u e o r a
z - v a l u e o f 2.00 with 68 d egrees o f freedom i n d i c a t e s a s i g n i f i c a n t
difference.

I t should be noted t h a t th e s t u d e n t sample mentioned in

each o f th e hypotheses r e f e r s t o freshmen who a r e c u r r e n t l y j u n i o r le v e l College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s e n r o l l e d in t h e O f f i c e o f
S up po rtive S e r v i c e s .
generalized to
State

T h e r e f o r e , t h e r e s u l t s o f t h i s r e s e a r c h may be

s tu d e n t s

U niversity

and,

in Special
w ithin

S e r v ic e s

lim its,

to

programs a t Michigan
students

at

other

i n s t i t u t i o n s with s i m i l a r programs.
In Table 2, d a t a a r e d i s p l a y e d o f t h e 100 randomly s e l e c t e d
freshman College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s from t h e o r i g i n a l 293

67

68
who responded t o t h e

In-coming Student Survey and t h e number o f

j u n i o r - l e v e l College Achievement Program s tu d e n t s who responded t o
th e Follow-up Student Survey and t h e Supplemental

J u n i o r Survey.

Tables 3 and 4 p r e s e n t d a t a by gender o f th o s e freshman College
Achievement Program s tu d e n t s who responded t o t h e
Student

Survey,

the

1986

Supplemental J u n i o r Survey.

Follow-Up

Student

1983 In-coming

Survey,

and

the

I t may be noted t h a t t h e p er cen ta g e o f

Follow-up Studen t Surveys and Supplemental J u n i o r Surveys r e t u r n e d
was high.

Table 2 . - - D i s t r i b u t i o n o f freshman College Achievement Program
s tu d e n t s who responded t o th e In-coming Stu den t Survey
and j u n i o r College Achievement Program Stud ents who
responded t o t h e Follow-Up Student Survey and Supplemen­
t a l J u n i o r Survey.

In-coming Survey
Follow-Up Survey
J u n i o r Survey

Total
D istribution

Total
Respondents

293
100
100

175
92
92

P er ce nt
60
92
92

Table 3 . - - D i s t r i b u t i o n by gender o f College Achievement Program
s t u d e n t s who responded t o t h e 1983 In-coming Student
Survey.
Gender

N

Male
Female

73
102

Total

175

P ercen t
42
58

100

69
Table 4 . - - D i s t r i b u t i o n by gender o f j u n i o r College Achievement
Program s t u d e n t s who responded t o th e 1986 Follow-Up
Stu de nt Survey and Supplemental J u n i o r Survey.
Gender

N

Male
Female

35
57

38
62

92

100

Total

Percent

S tu dents randomly s e l e c t e d t o p a r t i c i p a t e
div id e d i n t o two groups.

in t h e survey were

College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s who

had i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA formed t h e f i r s t
group, while s t u d e n t s who had a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s
o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA comprised t h e second group.

Tables 5 and 6

provide d a t a r e g a rd in g t h e gender o f both e x p e c t a t i o n groups.
In

Table

5,

data

ar e

d is p l a y e d

which

show t h a t

both

th e

i n f l a t e d and a c c u r a t e groups contai ned more females th a n males.

Of

both males and fem ales, 64% o f th e s t u d e n t s expected a h i g h e r f i r s t term grade p o i n t average than they a c t u a l l y r e c e i v e d .

Table 5 . - - D i s t r i b u t i o n by gender o f College Achievement Program
s tu d e n t s who were as sig ne d t o i n f l a t e d and a c c u r a t e o r
c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s groups.
E xpe ct at io ns

Female

Male

Total

Inflated
Accurate

39
21

25
15

64
36

Total

60

40

100

70

In Table

6,

data

are

d i s p la y e d

which

show t h e

numbers

in

pe rcentages o f College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s in both groups.
It

shows t h a t

more females

than males were r e p r e s e n t e d

in

both

t h e a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e and i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n groups.

Table 6 . - - D i s t r i b u t i o n by pe rce ntag e o f College Achievement Program
s t u d e n t s who were as sig ne d t o i n f l a t e d and a c c u r a t e or
c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n groups.
Exp ect at io ns
Inflated
Accurate

Female

Male

Total

60.9
58.3

39.1
41.7

100
100

In Table 7, d a t a a r e d isp la y e d which show t h e average f i r s t term grade e s t i m a t e f o r
group.

College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s

per

The t a b l e shows t h a t t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e s t u d e n t s as si gned

t o t h e i n f l a t e d group expected t o r e c e i v e a GPA o f 3 . 0 .

Within t h e

a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e group, most s tu d e n t s expected a 2 . 5 f i r s t term GPA.

The t a b l e

displays

the

number o f

students

receiving

grades ranging from a 4 . 0 (A) t o a 1.0 (D) f o r each group.

Also

shown i s t h e p er ce nta ge o f s t u d e n t s who r e c e iv e d each g r a d e .
In Table 8, d a t a a r e d i s p l a y e d which show t h e h i g h e s t academic
degree t h a t College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s planned t o o b t a i n .
The m a j o r i t y

of

CAAP s t u d e n t s

p o s t b a c c a l a u r e a t e degr ee c o u r s e s .

had

asp iratio n s

to

enroll

in

Table 7 . —D is t r i b u t i o n o f stude nt responses to th e q u es ti o n , "Estimate your average grade f o r th e
f i r s t term o f your freshman y e a r . "
Estimated Grade Point Average
4.0

3.5

3.0

2.5

N

2

N

%

N

%

1

1.6

8

12.5

32

50.0

1

2.8

1

2.8

14

38.9

2.0

1.5

1. 0

%

N

%

N

%

N

%

16

25.0

5

7.8

1

1.6

1

1.6

17

47.2

3

8.3

0

0

0

0

H

Inflated
Expected
Accurate
Expected
Column
Total

2
2.0

9
9.0

46
46.0

33
33.0

8
8.0

1

1

1.0

1.0

72

Table 8 . - - D i s t r i b u t i o n s o f s t u d e n t respon ses t o t h e q u e s t i o n , "What
i s t h e h i g h e s t degree t h a t you in te n d t o ob ta in ? "
A s so ciate
Degree

B ac helo r’ s
Degree
N

M as ter ’ s
Degree
N

D octor ate
Degree
N

Professional
Degree
N

N

%

Inflated
Expect.

1

1.6

13

20.3

33

56.9

10

15.5

7

10.9

Accurate
Expect.

2

5.6

8

22.2

20

55.6

2

5.6

4

11.1

Total

3

3.0

21

21.0

53

53.0

12

12.0

11

11.0

%

%

%

%

Analysis o f Hypotheses
Hypothesis 1
Hypothesis

1 states

in

n u ll

form t h a t

College

Achievement

Program s t u d e n t s who have a c c u r a te o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s of
t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA and s tu d e n t s who have i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s of
their

first-term

GPA w i l l

not d i f f e r

in terms o f o t h e r academic

e x p e c t a t i o n s and p e r c e p t i o n s a t t h e time th e y e n t e r t h e u n i v e r s i t y .
Data were o b ta in ed on t h e importance o f t h e f oll ow ing f a c t o r s
dete rminin g academic s u c c e s s :
taking t e s t s ,

(a) f i n a n c i a l a i d , (b) problems with

(c) poor study h a b i t s ,

(e) t u t o r i n g .

in

(d) academic c o u n s e l i n g ,

S tu dents were asked t o respond t o t h e

f o u r - p o i n t s c a l e ranging from 1 = "Not Important"

and

items on a

to 4 -

"Very

I m portant."
The r e s u l t s

o f t h e mean s c o re s

t h e r e was no s i g n i f i c a n t

and t h e t - t e s t

difference

be tween

reflect

freshman

that

C ollege

73

Achievement Program s t u d e n t s who had i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r
first-term

GPA and s t u d e n t s

who had a c c u r a t e

or conservative

e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA in terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s
of these

five

factors

at

t h e time th e y e n te r e d

the

university.

These d e s c r i p t i v e d a t a a r e r e p o r t e d in Tables 9 through 13.
In Table 9,

d a t a a r e d i s p la y e d t h a t

s u g g e st both groups o f

College Achievement Program s tu d e n t s cons id e re d "F in ancial Aid" as
"Important"

f o r academic s u r v i v a l .

were very s i m i l a r .
s e t al pha l e v e l
students

d id

The means f o r t h e two groups

With t h e observed p r o b a b i l i t y a t alpha .390, and

.05, i t may be assumed t h a t t h e two groups o f CAAP

not

differ

on t h i s

q u e s ti o n .

T h e re f o re ,

the

nul l

h y p o th e sis was not r e j e c t e d .
Table 9 . --"On a s c a l e o f 1-4, how important do you t h i n k f i n a n c i a l
a i d w i l l be in determ inin g your academic success?"

Expe ctation

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

64

3.06

1.03

t

2 - T a il e d
Probability

Inflated
F in an ci al Aid

t= 1.9 8
t — .86
- 1.98< -.86< 1.98

.390

Accurate
Finan ci al Aid

36

3.25

1.05

In Table 10, d a t a a r e d i s p la y e d i n d i c a t i n g t h a t CAAP s tu d e n t s
in both groups perceiv ed "Problems Taking Exams" as being " S l i g h t l y

74

Important"

In terms o f

academic s u r v iv a l

upon e n t e r i n g

college.

With t h e p r o b a b i l i t y l e v e l s e t a t alpha .05, and t h e observed le v e l
.136, i t may be assumed t h a t CAAP s tu d e n t s in both groups d id not
d i f f e r on t h i s q u e s t i o n .

The re fore ,

t h e n u ll

h y p o th e s is was not

rejected.

Table 1 0 . --"On a s c a l e o f 1-4, how important do you t h i n k problems
ta k i n g exams w i l l be in keeping you from reaching
academic success?"

Expectation

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

64

2.90

.988

36

2.58

.604

t

2- T a i le d
Probability

Inflated
Prob. Taking
Exams

t«1.98
t=-1.50
-1.98<-1.50<1.98

.136

Accurate
Prob. Taking
Exams

In Table 11, d a t a a r e d i s p l a y e d t h a t i n d i c a t e CAAP s t u d e n t s in
both groups pe rceived "Poor Study Habits" t o be " S l i g h t l y Important"
to "Important" in terms o f academic s u rv iv a l upon e n t e r i n g c o l l e g e .
With th e p r o b a b i l i t y f a c t o r a t t h e alpha .05 l e v e l , and t h e observed
le v e l .136, i t may be assumed t h a t CAAP s tu d e n t s in both groups did
not d i f f e r on t h i s q u e s t i o n .
rejected.

T h e re f o re , t h e n u ll h y p o th e s is was not

75
Table 11.--"On a scale of 1-4, how Important do you think poor
study habits will be in keeping you from reaching
academic success?"

Expectation

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

64

2.62

1.16

36

2.80

1.03

2 - T a ile d
Probability

t

Inflated
Poor Study
Habits

.136

t = l .98
t — .77
-1.98< -.77< 1.9 8

Accurate
Poor Study
Habits

In Table 12, d a t a a r e d i sp la y e d t h a t i n d i c a t e CAAP s t u d e n t s in
both

groups

Important"

perceived
to

"Im portant"

entering college.
level,

"Academic

did

not

as

being

"Slightly

i n t e r m s o f a c a d e m ic s u r v i v a l

upon

With t h e p r o b a b i l i t y f a c t o r s e t a t t h e alp ha .05

and t h e observed le v e l

students

Counseling"

differ

.870,

on t h i s

it

may be assumed t h a t

question.

T h e re f o re ,

the

CAAP
null

hypothesi s was not r e j e c t e d .
In Table 13, d a t a a r e d isp la y e d t h a t i n d i c a t e CAAP s t u d e n t s in
both

groups

perceived
terms

"Tutoring"
of

as

a c a d e m ic

being
survival

"Important"
upon

to

entering

"Very

Important"

in

the

university.

With t h e p r o b a b i l i t y f a c t o r s e t a t t h e alp ha .05 l e v e l ,

and t h e observed p r o b a b i l i t y o f .602, t h e f i n d i n g s s uggest t h a t CAAP
s t u d e n t s in both groups d id not d i f f e r on t h i s q u e s t i o n .
t h e n u ll h y pothesis was not r e j e c t e d .

T h e re f o re ,

76

Table 12.--"On a scale of 1-4, how Important do you think academic
counseling will be in keeping you from reaching academic
success?"

Expe ctation

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

64

2.56

.614

36

2.58

.604

t

2 - T a ile d
Probability

Inflated
Academic
Counseling

t= 1 .9 8
t — .16
- 1 . 98< -. 16<1.98

.870

Accurate
Academic
Counseling

Table 1 3 . --"On a s c a l e o f 1-4, how important do you t h i n k t u t o r i n g
w i ll be in determ ining your academic su ccess?"

Expectation

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

64

3.43

.687

36

3.36

.723

t

2 - T a i le d
Probability

Inflated
T utoring

Accurate
Tutoring

t-1.98
t=-.52
- 1.98< -.52< 1.98

.602

77
Hypothesis 2
Hypothesis

2 stated

in

n u ll

form t h a t

College

Achievement

Program s t u d e n t s who have a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s of
t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA and s tu d e n t s who have i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f
t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA w i l l not d i f f e r in terms o f changes in t h e i r
academic p e r c e p t i o n s o f th e same f a c t o r s between t h e time t h a t they
e n t e r c o l l e g e and completing freshman and sophomore y e a r s .
Data were obta ined on t h e q u e s t i o n , "How im po rta nt do you t h i n k
each o f t h e f ollow ing have been and w i l l

be in de term in ing your

academic s u c c e ss :

tutoring,

c o u n s e l in g ,
taking?"

(d)

(a)
poor

financial
study

aid,

habits,

(b)
and

(e)

(c)

problems

academic
with

The r e s u l t s o f t h e mean s c o re s and th e t - t e s t s

test

indicate

t h a t s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s did not e x i s t in terms o f changes in
p e r c e p t i o n s o f College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s between t h e time
th e y e n t e r e d c o l l e g e
sophomore y e a r s .

and when th ey

completed

their

freshman

and

These d e s c r i p t i v e d a t a ar e r e p o r t e d in Tables 14

through 18.

Hypothesis 2 i s a t e s t f o r t h e d i f f e r e n c e s in changes

in

perceptions

academic

of

College

Achievement

Program

s tu d e n t s

between t h e time th e y e n t e r e d c o l l e g e and a f t e r completing t h e i r
freshman and sophomore y e a r s .
In Table 14, d a t a a r e d i s p l a y e d t h a t i n d i c a t e CAAP s t u d e n t s in
both

groups

Important"

in

perceived

" F in an cial

terms

academic

of

Aid"

as

survival

"Im por tant"
between

the

to

"Very

time

th ey

e n te r e d c o l l e g e and a f t e r completing t h e i r freshman and sophomore
years.

The p r o b a b i l i t y

T h e re f o re ,

le v e l

was s e t

with t h e observed l e v e l

being

at

the

.137,

al pha

.05

level.

i t may be assumed

78

t h a t CAAP s tu d e n t s in both groups d id not d i f f e r on t h i s q u e s tio n
a f t e r completing freshman and sophomore y e a r s .

T h e r e f o r e , t h e null

h y pothesis was not r e j e c t e d .

Table 1 4 . --"On a s c a l e o f 1-4, how importa nt do you t h i n k f i n a n c i a l
aid has been in deter mining your academic success ?"

Expe ctation

Size

Mean

Standard
Deviation

58

3.56

1.17

34

3.23

1.10

2 - T a il e d
Probability

t

Inflated
F in ancia l Aid

t = 1 .9 8
t= 1.6 9
- 1 . 98<1.69<1.98

.137

Accurate
F inancial Aid

In Table 15, d a t a a r e d i s p l a y e d t h a t i n d i c a t e CAAP s t u d e n t s in
both groups pe rc eive d "Tutoring"
"Important"

as being " S l i g h t l y

in terms o f academic s u r v i v a l

between

Important" to
the

time

they

e n t e r e d c o l l e g e and a f t e r completing freshman and sophomore y e a r s .
The p r o b a b i l i t y l e v e l was s e t a t t h e al pha .05 l e v e l .

T h e re f o re ,

with t h e observed le v e l a t .465, i t may be assumed CAAP s t u d e n t s in
both groups did not d i f f e r on t h i s q u e s ti o n a f t e r completing t h e i r
freshman and sophomore y e a r s .
rejected.

Thus,

t h e n u ll

h y p o th e s is was not

79

Table 15.--"On a scale of 1-4, how Important do you think tutoring
has been in determining your academic success?"

Ex pectation

Size

Mean

Standard
Deviation

58

2.81

1.03

34

2.98

.969

2-Tailed
Probability

t

Inflated
Tutor ing

.465

t-1.98
t — .73
1 .98< -.73< 1.98

Accurate
T utoring

In Table 16, d a t a a r e d is p lay ed t h a t i n d i c a t e CAAP s t u d e n t s in
both groups per ce ived "Academic Counseling" as being "Important" in
terms o f academic s u r v i v a l between t h e time th ey e n t e r e d c o l l e g e and
a f t e r t h e i r freshman and sophomore y e a r s .
s e t a t th e alpha .05 l e v e l .

The p r o b a b i l i t y l e v e l was

Th e ref o re , with th e observed l e v e l a t

.259, i t may be assumed t h a t t h e two groups o f CAAP s t u d e n t s did not
d iffer

on t h i s

sophomore y e a r s .

question

after

com pleting

th eir

freshman

and

Thus, t h e n u ll h y pothesis was not r e j e c t e d .

In Table 17, d a t a a r e d i sp la y e d t h a t i n d i c a t e CAAP s t u d e n t s in
b o th g r o u p s p e r c e i v e d

" P o o r S tudy H a b i t s "

as

being

"S lig h tly

Important" t o "Important" in terms o f academic s u r v i v a l between th e
time th ey e n te r e d c o l l e g e and a f t e r completing t h e i r freshman and
sophomore y e a r s .
level.

Th e ref o re ,

The p r o b a b i l i t y l e v e l was s e t a t t h e alph a
with

the

observed

le v e l

at

.553,

it

.05

may be

assumed t h a t CAAP s t u d e n t s in both groups d i d not d i f f e r in terms o f

80

their perceptions on this question after completing their freshman
and sophomore years.

Thus, the null hypothesis was not rejected.

Table 1 6 . --"On a s c a l e o f 1-4, how important do you t h i n k academic
co unsel in g has been in determ ining yo ur academic
success?"

Expe ctation

Size

Mean

Standard
Deviation

58

3.10

.831

34

3.29

.676

t

2 - T a ile d
Probability

Inflated
Academi c
Counseling

t= 1.9 8
t — 1.14
- 1 . 9 8 < - l . 14<1.98

.259

Accurate
Academic
Counseling

Table 1 7 . - "On a s c a l e o f 1-4, how important do you t h i n k poor study
h a b i t s has been in deter mining your academic su cc ess? "

Expectation

Size

Mean

Standard
Deviation

58

2.91

1.18

34

3.05

1.01

t

2 - T a ile d
Probability

Inflated
Poor Study
Habits

Accurate
Poor Study
Habits

t= 1.9 8
t=-.60
- 1.98<-.6 0< 1.98

.758

81

In Table 18, d a t a a r e d is p lay ed t h a t i n d i c a t e CAAP s t u d e n t s in
both groups perceiv ed "Problems Taking Exams" as being "Important"
t o "Very Important" in terms o f academic s u r v iv a l between t h e time
th e y e n t e r e d c o l l e g e and a f t e r t h e i r freshman and sophomore y e a r s .
The p r o b a b i l i t y l e v e l was s e t a t t h e alpha

.05 l e v e l .

With th e

observed l e v e l a t .071, i t may be assumed t h a t CAAP s t u d e n t s i n both
groups d id not d i f f e r in terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p ti o n s on t h i s q u e s ti o n
a f t e r completing t h e freshman and sophomore y e a r s .

T h e re f o re ,

th e

n u ll h y p o th e s i s was not r e j e c t e d .

Table 1 8 . --"On a s c a l e o f 1-4, how important do you t h i n k problems
ta k i n g exams has been in determ ining your academic
success?"

Ex pect at io n

Size

Mean

Standard
Deviation

58

2.87

1.12

34

3.29

.906

t

2 - T a ile d
Probability

Inflated
Problems
Taking Exams

Accurate
Problems
Taking Exams

t= 1.9 8
t = - l .83
- 1 . 98<- 1 . 83<1.98

.071

82
Hypothesis 3
Hypothesis

3 stated

in

n u ll

form t h a t

College

Achievement

Program s t u d e n t s who have a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f
t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA and s t u d e n t s who have i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f
t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA w i l l not d i f f e r in terms o f changes in t h e i r
academic p e r c e p t i o n s over t h e two-year p e r i o d .

Data were o b tain ed

on t h e q u e s ti o n ,

"How importa nt do you t h i n k each o f t h e f oll ow ing

w ill

been

be

or

has

in

determ inin g

your

academic

success:

(a)

f i n a n c i a l a i d , (b) t u t o r i n g , (c) academic c o u n s e l in g , (d) poor study
h a b i t s , and (e) problems with t e s t ta king?"
s c o re s

between

in-coming

and

The r e s u l t s o f t h e mean

follow-up

groups

and

the

Z-tests

i n d i c a t e d t h a t s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s did e x i s t on c e r t a i n f a c t o r s
in t e r m s o f c h a n g e s

i n C o l l e g e A c hievem ent Program s t u d e n t s ’

academic p e r c e p t i o n s ov er th e two-year p e r i o d .

These d e s c r i p t i v e

d a t a a r e r e p o r t e d in Tables 19 through 28.
Hypothesis 3 i s
Achievement

Program

s t u d e n t s on th e

a test

for

students

on

the differen ces
the

In-coming

Follow-up S u r v e y -- p e rc e p tio n

between College
Survey

changes

and

CAAP

on s e l e c t e d

academic, s o c i a l , and personal f a c t o r s over a two-y ear p e r i o d .
In Table 19, d a t a a r e d i s p la y e d t h a t

i n d i c a t e CAAP s t u d e n t s

with i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA in both in-coming
and follow-up survey groups d i f f e r e d in terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s
o f t h e importance o f " F in an cial Aid" in de ter m in in g t h e i r academic
success.

The p r o b a b i l i t y l e v e l was s e t

a t the

alp ha

.05 l e v e l .

T h e re f o re , with a c r i t i c a l val ue o f Z « 1.96 and an observed Z -sco re
of

- 2 .5 0 ,

it

may

be

assumed

that

CAAP s t u d e n t s

with

inflated

83

expectations

differed

on t h i s

q u e s tio n

over

a

two-year

period.

T h e re f o re , t h e null hyp o th esis was r e j e c t e d .

Table 1 9 . --"How im po rta nt do you t h i n k f i n a n c i a l aid w i l l be o r has
been in dete rminin g your academic success?"

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

64

3.06

1.03

58

3.56

1.17

I n f l a t e d Group

Z

In-comina
F inancial Aid

Z=1.96
Z=-2.50
-1. ,96<-2.50<1.96

Fo 11 o w -U d

F inancial Aid

In Table 20, d a t a ar e d is p la y e d t h a t

indicate

CAAP s t u d e n t s

with a c c u r a t e or c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA
in both in-coming and fo llo w -up survey groups did do not d i f f e r in
terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e importance o f " F in an cial Aid" in
determining t h e i r academic s u c c e s s .
a t t h e alp ha .05 l e v e l .
1.96

and

an observed

The p r o b a b i l i t y l e v e l was s e t

T h e re f o re , with a c r i t i c a l
Z-score

of

.077,

it

may

be

v alu e o f Z =
assumed

CAAP

s t u d e n t s with a c c u r a t e e x p e c t a t i o n s d i f f e r e d on t h i s q u e s t i o n over a
two-year p e r i o d .

Thus, t h e n u ll h y pothesis was n o t r e j e c t e d .

84

Table 20.--"How important do you think financial aid will be or
has been in determining your academic success?"

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

36

3.25

1.05

34

3.23

1.10

Accurate Group

Z

In-comina
F in a n c ia l Aid

Z=1.96
Z=.077
- 1 . 96<. 077<1.96

FoIIow-ud

F in a n c ia l Aid

In Table 21, d a t a ar e d isp la y e d t h a t

i n d i c a t e CAAP s tu d e n t s

with i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA in both in-coming
and follow-up survey groups d i f f e r e d in terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s
o f t h e importance o f "Tutoring" determ ining t h e i r academic s u c c e s s .
The p r o b a b i l i t y lev el was s e t a t t h e alph a .05 l e v e l .

T h e re f o re ,

with a c r i t i c a l valu e o f Z = 1.96 and an observed Z- s co re o f 3 . 8 8 ,
it

may be assumed t h a t

CAAP s tu d e n t s

with

inflated

d i f f e r e d on t h i s q u e s ti o n over a two-year p e r i o d .
h y p o th e sis was r e j e c t e d .

expectations

Thus, th e nul l

85
Table 21.--"How important do you think tutoring will be or has been
in determining your academic success?"

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

64

3.43

.687

58

2.81

1.03

I n f l a t e d Group

Z

In-comina
Tutoring

Z-1.96
7_o oo
-1.96<3.88<1.96

Follow-Up
Tutoring

In Table 22, d a t a a r e d is p la y e d t h a t i n d i c a t e

CAAP s tu d e n t s

with a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA
in both
terms

in-coming and follow-up survey groups did not d i f f e r

of

their

perceptions

on

the

dete rminin g t h e i r academic s u c c e ss .
a t th e alp ha .05 l e v e l .

importance

of

in

The p r o b a b i l i t y l e v e l was s e t

Th e re fore , with a c r i t i c a l

1.96 and an observed Z-s core o f 3 . 3 3 ,

"Tutoring"

in

v alu e o f Z =

i t may be assumed t h a t CAAP

s t u d e n t s with a c c u r a t e e x p e c t a t i o n s d i f f e r e d on t h i s q u e s ti o n over a
two-year p e r i o d .

Thus, t h e nu ll h y pothesis was r e j e c t e d .

In Table 23, d a t a a r e d i s p la y e d t h a t

i n d i c a t e CAAP s tu d e n t s

with i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA in both in-coming
and follo w-up survey groups d i f f e r e d in terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s
of the

im portance o f

academic s u c c e ss .
level.

"Academic C o u n s e l i n g "

determ ining

th eir

The p r o b a b i l i t y l e v e l was s e t a t t h e alpha .05

T h e re f o re , with a c r i t i c a l val ue o f Z - 1.96 and an observed

86

Z-sco re o f
expectations

- 4 .0 6 ,

it

differed

may be assumed CAAP s tu d e n t s with
on t h i s

q u e s ti o n

over

a

inflated

two-year

period.

Thus, t h e nul l h y po th esis was r e j e c t e d .

Table 2 2 . --"How important do you t h i n k t u t o r i n g w i l l be o r has been
in determ ining your academic success ?"

Accurate Group

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

36

3.36

.723

34

2.98

.969

Z

In-comina
Tutoring

Z=1.96
Z=3.33
- 1 . 96<3. 33<1.96

Fo11 ow-Ud
Tutoring

Table 2 3 . --"How important do you t h i n k academic couns eling w il l be
o r has been in deter mining your academic su cc ess? "

I n f l a t e d Group

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

64

2.56

.614

58

3.10

.831

Z

In-comina
Academic Counseling

Follow-Up
Academic Counseling

Z-1.96
Z=-4.06
- 1.96< -4.06< 1.96

87

In Table 24, d a t a a r e d i s p la y e d t h a t

i n d i c a t e CAAP s tu d e n t s

with a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA
in both in-coming and follow- up survey groups d i f f e r e d in terms o f
their

perceptions

of the

importance o f

dete rminin g t h e i r academic s u c c e ss .
a t t h e alp ha .05 l e v e l .

"Academic Counseling"

in

The p r o b a b i l i t y l e v e l was s e t

T h e re fore , with a c r i t i c a l

1.96 and an observed Z-sco re o f - 4 .6 4 ,

val ue o f Z =

i t may be assumed t h a t CAAP

s t u d e n t s with a c c u r a t e e x p e c t a t i o n s d i f f e r e d on t h i s q u e s ti o n over a
two-year p e r i o d .

T h e re fore , th e n u ll hy poth esi s was r e j e c t e d .

Table 2 4 . --"How important do you t h i n k academic couns elin g w i l l be
o r has been in deter mining your academic su cc ess? "

Accurate Group

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

36

2.58

.604

34

3.29

.676

Z

In-comina
Academic Counseling

Z=1.96
Z=-4.64
-1.96<-4.06< 1.96

Fo11 ow-Ud
Academic Counseling

In Table 25, d a t a a r e d i sp la y e d t h a t

i n d i c a t e CAAP s t u d e n t s

with i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA in both in-coming
and

follow-up

survey groups

perceptions of the

did

not

differ

in

terms

importance o f "Poor Study Habits"

t h e i r academic s u c c e ss .

of

their

deter mining

The p r o b a b i l i t y l e v e l was s e t a t t h e alpha

88

.05 l e v e l .

T h e re f o re , with a c r i t i c a l

observed Z -sco re o f - 1 . 3 6 ,

it

valu e o f Z -

1.96 and an

may be assumed CAAP s t u d e n t s with

i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s d i d not d i f f e r on t h i s q u e s t i o n over a twoyear period.

Thus, t h e null hypothesi s was not r e j e c t e d .

Table 2 5 . --"How important do you t h i n k poor study h a b i t s w i l l be o r
have been in d eterm ining your academic s uc ce ss ?"

I n f l a t e d Group

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

64

2.62

1.16

58

2.91

1.18

Z

In-comina
Poor Study Habits

Z=1.96
Z = - l .36
- 1 . 96<-1 . 36<1.96

Follow-Up
Poor Study Habits

In Table 26,, d a t a ar e d i sp la y e d t h a t

indicate

CAAP s t u d e n t s

with a c c u r a t e or c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA
in both

in-coming and follow- up survey groups d i d n o t d i f f e r

in

terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s on t h e importance o f "Poor Study Ha bits"
in det er m in ing t h e i r academic s u c c e s s .
s e t a t t h e alpha .05 l e v e l .

The p r o b a b i l i t y l e v e l

was

T h e re f o re , with a c r i t i c a l val ue o f Z =

1.96 and an observed Z -sco re o f - 1 . 0 2 , i t may be assumed t h a t CAAP
s tu d e n t s with a c c u r a t e e x p e c t a t i o n s did not d i f f e r on t h i s q u e s tio n
over a two- ye ar p e r i o d .

Thus, t h e nu ll hypothesi s was not r e j e c t e d .

89

Table 26.--"How important do you think poor study habits will be or
have been in determining your academic success?"

Accurate Group

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

36

2.80

1.03

34

3.05

1.01

Z

In-comina
Poor Study Habits

Z=1.96
Z=-1.02
-1.96< -1.02<1.96

Fo11 ow-Ud
Poor Study Habits

In Table 27,

d a t a a r e d i s p la y e d t h a t

i n d i c a t e CAAP s tu d e n t s

with i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA in both in-coming
and

follow-up

survey

groups

did

not

differ

in

terms

of

their

p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e importance o f "Problems Taking Exams" determining
t h e i r academic s u c c e s s .
.05 l e v e l .

T h e re f o re ,

The p r o b a b i l i t y lev el was s e t a t t h e alpha
with a c r i t i c a l

value o f Z = 1.96 and an

observed Z -sco re o f .156, i t may be assumed t h a t CAAP s t u d e n t s with
i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s d i d not d i f f e r on t h i s q u e s t i o n over a twoyear period.

Thus, t h e n u ll hypo th esi s was not r e j e c t e d .

In Table 28,

d a t a a r e d i s p la y e d t h a t

i n d i c a t e CAAP s tu d e n t s

with a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA
in both in-coming and follow- up survey groups d i f f e r e d in terms o f
t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e importance o f "Problems Taking Exams" in
dete rminin g t h e i r

academic s u c c e s s .

a t t h e alp ha .05 l e v e l .

The p r o b a b i l i t y

T h e re f o re , with a

l e v e l was s e t

c r i t i c a l value o f Z =

90
1.96 and an observed Z-sco re o f - 3 .7 3 , i t may be assumed t h a t CAAP
s tu d e n t s with a c c u r a t e e x p e c t a t i o n s d i f f e r e d on t h i s q u e s ti o n over a
two-year p e r i o d .

Thus, t h e nu ll hyp oth esi s was r e j e c t e d .

Table 2 7 . --"How important do you t h i n k problems t a k i n g exams w i ll
be o r has been in determ ining yo ur academic succ es s?"

I n f l a t e d Groups

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

64

2.90

.99

Z

In-comina
Problems Taking
Exams

Z=1.96
Z-.156
- 1 . 96<. 1 56<1.96

Fo 11o w -Ud

Problems Taking
Exams

58

2.87

1.12

Table 2 8 . --"How im po rta nt do you t h i n k problems t a k i n g exams w i l l be
o r has been in deter minin g your academic su cc ess? "

Accurate Group

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

30

2.58

.604

34

3.29

.906

Z

In-comina
Problems Taking
Exams

Fo 11 o w -Ud

Problems Taking
Exams

Z=1.96
Z—3.73
■1.96<-3.73<1.96

91
Hypothesis 4
Hypothesis 4 s t a t e d in nul l form t h a t a t t h e beginning o f t h e i r
j u n i o r y e a r , College Achievement Program s tu d e n t s who have a c c u r a t e
o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA and s tu d e n t s
who have
differ

inflated

in

terms

expectations
of

academic programs.

their

of th e ir

p e r c e p ti o n s

Program s tu d e n t s

a c ad em ic

and

guidance

S ervices

advisem ent,
S ervices

(b)

of the

GPA w i l l

val ue

of

not

selected

Data were obt ai ne d from t h e q u e s tio n t h a t asked

College Achievement

S upportive

first-term

counseling

in

the

to

provided

follow ing

career/em ploym ent

im p r o v in g

overall

indicate
by

the

quality

of

the

O ffice

of

areas:

(a)

advisem ent,

development,

(d)

(c)

a c ad em ic
Supportive

degree

to

which

S upp ortive S e r v ic e s has helped you achieve your e d u catio n al go als in
present

status,

and

(e)

degree

Supportive

S e r v ic e s

has

helped

improve your GPA.
The r e s u l t s o f t h e mean sc o re s and th e t - t e s t s
s ig n ific a n t differences
value

of

first-term

academic

did not e x i s t

programs

between

GPA and s t u d e n t s with

on t h e

p e r c e p tio n s

CAAP s t u d e n t s

accurate

indicate th a t

with

first-term

o f the
inflated

GPA a t

the

beginning o f t h e i r j u n i o r y e a r .
Hypothesis 4 i s a t e s t f o r t h e d i f f e r e n c e s in t h e p e r c e p t i o n s
o f t h e val ue o f academic programs f o r College Achievement Program
s tu d e n t s with i n f l a t e d f i r s t - t e r m GPA and s t u d e n t s with

a c c u r a t e or

c o n s e r v a t i v e f i r s t - t e r m GPA a t t h e beginning o f t h e i r j u n i o r y e a r .
In t e s t i n g Hypothesis 4, s tu d e n t s were asked t o respond t o t h e valu e
o f academic guidance and couns elin g on a f i v e - p o i n t s c a l e , with 1

92

being

"Poor"

and 5 being

"O utst andin g."

Stude nts were asked t o

respond t o t h e importance o f Supportive S e r v ic e s in improving t h e i r
academic development

on

a

four-point

scale,

Important" and 4 being "Very I m p o r ta n t. "
respond t o

with

1 being

"Not

S tu dents were asked t o

th e degree OSS helped them ac hiev e t h e i r

g o a l s and improve t h e i r GPA on a f i v e - p o i n t s c a l e ,

e d u catio n al

with

1 being

"None" and 5 being "Great Degree."
Table 29 p r e s e n t s d a t a t h a t
groups

per ce ived

"Outstanding"

"Academic Counseling"

CAAP s tu d e n t s

in

provided by OSS as

in terms o f academic s u r v iv a l

t h e i r ju n io r year.
level.

indicate

at

th e

both
being

beginning

of

The p r o b a b i l i t y l e v e l was s e t a t th e alpha .05

With th e observed l e v e l

a t alpha .304,

i t may be assumed

t h a t CAAP s t u d e n t s did not d i f f e r in terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n of
t h e q u a l i t y o f academic counsel in g a t t h e beginning o f t h e i r j u n i o r
year.

T h e re fore , t h e n u ll hy poth esi s was not r e j e c t e d .
In Table 30, d a t a a r e d i s p l a y e d t h a t i n d i c a t e CAAP s t u d e n t s in

both groups perc eived "Career/Employment Advisement" as being "Above
Average"

to

"Outstanding"

in

beginning o f t h e i r j u n i o r y e a r .
t h e alp ha .05 l e v e l .

terms

of

academic

survival

at

th e

The p r o b a b i l i t y l e v e l was s e t a t

With t h e observed le v e l a t alp ha .366, i t may

be assumed t h a t CAAP s t u d e n t s did not d i f f e r

in

terms

of th eir

p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e q u a l i t y o f academic couns elin g a t t h e beginning
of

their

rejected.

junior

year.

T h e re f o re ,

the

n u ll

hyp o th esis

was

not

93
Table 29.--"On a scale of 1-5, indicate the quality of academic
counseling provided by the Office of Supportive
Services."

Expectation

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

58

4.34

1.13

34

4.11

t

2 - T ail ed
Probability

Inflated
Academic
Counseling

t= 1.9 8
t= - 1 . 0 3
- 1 . 98<- 1 . 03<1.98

.304

Accurate
Academic
Counseling

.808

Table 3 0 . - - "On a s c a l e o f 1-5, i n d i c a t e t h e q u a l i t y o f c a r e e r /
employment advisement provided by th e O f f i c e o f
Supportive S e r v i c e s . "

Expectation i

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

58

3. 94

1.38

34

3.73

t

2 - T a il e d
Probability

Inflated
Career/Emp.
Advisement

Accurate
Career/Emp.
Advisement

.864

t-1.98
t=-.91
- 1 . 98<-. 91<1.98

.366

94
In Table 31, d a t a a r e d is p l a y e d t h a t i n d i c a t e CAAP s t u d e n t s in
both

groups

p er ceiv ed

"Improvement

of

Development/OSS"

as

being

"Important" t o "Very Important" in terms o f t h e i r academic s u r v i v a l
a t t h e beginning o f t h e i r j u n i o r y e a r .
s e t a t t h e alpha .05 l e v e l .
be assumed t h a t

The p r o b a b i l i t y l e v e l

was

With t h e observed l e v e l a t .528, i t may

CAAP s tu d e n t s did not d i f f e r

in

terms

of

their

p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e val ue o f s u p p o rtiv e s e r v i c e s in improving t h e i r
ac a d e m ic d e v e l o p m e n t

at

the

beginning

of

th eir

junior

year.

T h e r e f o r e , th e n u ll hypothesi s was not r e j e c t e d .

Table 3 1 . --"On a s c a l e o f 1-5, how important was t h e O f f i c e o f
S upp ortiv e S e r v ic e s counsel in g in improving your o v e r a l l
academic development?"

E xpectation

Standard
Deviation

N

Mean

58

3.27

.933

34

3.14

.958

2-Tailed
Probability

t

Inflated
Improvement o f
Develop./OSS

t = l .98
t — .63
- 1 .98<-.63<1.98

.528

Accurate
Improvement o f
Develop./OSS

In Table 32, d a t a a r e d i s p l a y e d t h a t i n d i c a t e CAAP s t u d e n t s in
both groups p er ceiv ed "Degree OSS Helped Achieve Educational Goals"
as

being

"Great

Degree"

in

terms

of

academic

survival

at

the

95
beginning o f t h e i r j u n i o r y e a r .
alp ha .05 l e v e l .

The p r o b a b i l i t y was s e t

at

With t h e observed p r o b a b i l i t y a t al pha .784,

may be assumed t h a t

at

t h e beginning

of t h e i r

th e
it

j u n i o r y e a r CAAP

s tu d e n t s d i d not d i f f e r in terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e value
o f t h e O f f i c e o f Su pp or tiv e
ed u c a ti o n a l g o a l s .

S e r v ic e s

h e lp in g

them achiev e

their

T h e re f o re , t h e n u ll h y p o t h e s is was not r e j e c t e d .

Table 3 2 . --"To what degree has t h e O f f i c e o f Supporti ve S e r v ic e s
helped you achieve or t r y t o achieve your ed u c a tio n a l
g o a l s in your p r e s e n t s t a t u s ? "

E xpectation

N

Mean

Standard
Deviation

57

4.50

.889

34

4.55

.746

2 - T a il e d
Probability

t

Inflated
Degree OSS
Help Achieve
Educ. Goals

t= 1.9 8
t — .28
- 1 . 98<- . 28<1.98

.784

Accurate
Degree OSS
Help Achieve
Educ. Goals

In Table 33, d a t a a r e d i s p l a y e d t h a t i n d i c a t e CAAP s t u d e n t s in
both groups p er ce iv ed "Degree OSS Helped Improve GPA" as being "Very
Much"

to

"Great

Degree"

in

terms

beginning o f t h e i r j u n i o r y e a r .
t h e alp ha .05 l e v e l .

of

academic

survival

at

the

The p r o b a b i l i t y l e v e l was s e t a t

With t h e observed p r o b a b i l i t y a t .883, i t may

be assumed t h a t a t t h e beginning o f t h e i r j u n i o r y e a r , CAAP s tu d e n t s

96

did not differ in terms of their perceptions of the value of
supportive services in helping them improve their GPA.

Therefore,

the null hypothesis was not rejected.

Table 3 3 . --"On a s c a l e o f 1-5, t o what degree do you p e r c e i v e th e
O f f i c e o f Suppo rtive S e r v ic e s has helped you improve your
GPA?"

E xp e ctatio n

N

Mean

57

3.91

34

3.88

Standard
Deviation

t

2 - T a ile d
Probability

Inflated
Degree OSS
Helped
Improve GPA

.892

t=1.98
t=-.15
- 1 . 98<- . 1 5<1.98

.883

Accurate
Degree OSS
Helped
Improve GPA

1.00

In t h e fo llowin g c h a p t e r , t h e f in d i n g s based on th e s tu dy ar e
presented.
results.

The r e s e a r c h e r ana lyze s t h e f i n d i n g s and i n t e r p r e t s th e

CHAPTER V
FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
In tr o d u c t i o n
The purposes
provide
(a)

of

this

study were

in formation concerning

Do e n t e r i n g

students

the

four-fold.

fo llowing

who have

They were

research

accurate

or

to

questions:

conservative

e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA and s t u d e n t s who have i n f l a t e d
expectations

of

expectations

and

their

first-term

p e r c e p t io n s

GPA d i f f e r

on

selected

in

terms

academic,

personal f a c t o r s as c o n t r i b u t o r s t o academic succ ess?
were (1)

financial

study h a b i t s ,

aid,

of

social,

and

These f a c t o r s

(2) problems with ta k i n g exams,

(4) academic c o u n s elin g ,

their

and (5) t u t o r i n g ;

(3) poor
(b)

Do

s tu d e n t s who have a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r
f i r s t - t e r m GPA and s tu d e n t s who have i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r
f i r s t - t e r m GPA d i f f e r in terms o f t h e i r academic p e r c e p t i o n s a f t e r
completing t h e i r
Achievement

freshman and

Program s t u d e n t s

sophomore y e a r s ?
who

have

accurate

(c)
or

Do College
conservative

e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA d i f f e r in terms o f changes in
t h e i r p e r c e p tio n s o f t h e importance o f t h e s e f a c t o r s over a two-year
per io d? and (d) At t h e beginning o f t h e i r j u n i o r y e a r , do s tu d e n t s
who have a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m
GPA and s tu d e n t s who have i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m

97

98
GPA d i f f e r in terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s o f th e val ue o f programs
o f f e r e d by t h e O f fic e o f Supportive S er v ic es?
The

sam ple

hypotheses.
1.

population

was

surveyed

according

to

four

The f our hypotheses e v a lu a te d in t h i s study were:

College Achievement Program s tu d e n t s who have a c c u r a t e or

c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA and s t u d e n t s who
have i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA w i l l not d i f f e r
in

terms

of

their

p e r c e p tio n s

of

selected

factors

related

to

academic success a t t h e time they e n t e r th e u n i v e r s i t y .
2.

College Achievement Program s tu d e n t s who have a c c u r a t e or

c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA and s tu d e n t s who
have i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA w i l l n o t d i f f e r
in terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e s e same f a c t o r s a f t e r completing
t h e i r freshman and sophomore y e a r s .
3.

College Achievement Program s tu d e n t s who have a c c u r a t e or

c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA and s t u d e n t s who
have i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA w i l l not d i f f e r
in t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e s e same f a c t o r s between t h e time they
e n t e r and t h e time they reach j u n i o r s t a t u s .
4.

At t h e beginning o f t h e i r j u n i o r y e a r , College Achievement

Program s t u d e n t s who have a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f
t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA and s tu d e n t s who have i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f
t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA w ill not d i f f e r in terms o f t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s
of

the

value

of

a c ad em ic

Supportive S e r v ic e s .

progra ms

offered

by t h e

O ffice

of

99
S e l e c t i o n o f Stud en ts
The s u b j e c t s f o r t h i s study were s e l e c t e d from a p o p u la tio n o f
293 freshmen College Achievement Program s tu d e n t s who were c u r r e n t l y
in t h e i r j u n i o r y e a r .

From th e t o t a l

pop u latio n o f 293 s t u d e n t s ,

t h e r e s e a r c h e r randomly chose 100 s tu d e n t s who r e t u r n e d
coming Student Survey t o p a r t i c i p a t e in t h e stu dy.

the

In­

The 100 s t u d e n t s

were d i v id e d i n t o two groups based on t h e i r e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r
f i r s t - t e r m grade p o i n t average.

The f i r s t

group (64%)

comprised

s tu d e n t s who had i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA and
the

second

group

(36%)

c o m p r is e d

students

with

accurate

or

c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA.
Data C o l l e c t i o n and S t a t i s t i c a l Treatment
The

data

were

o b ta in e d

from

resp on dents

to

Student Survey during t h e 1983 summer o r i e n t a t i o n

the

In-coming

program.

Data

were a l s o o btained from re sp on den ts t o t h e Follow-up Stu den t Survey
and t h e Supplemental J u n i o r Survey du rin g t h e f i r s t term o f t h e i r
junior year.

The d a t a were analyzed using t h e t w o - t a i l e d t - t e s t s

f o r s i g n i f i c a n t mean d i f f e r e n c e s
differences

between

Hypotheses

and Z - t e s t
1 and 2.

f o r s i g n i f i c a n t mean
An alysis

of

the

data

p er m it te d t h e r e s e a r c h e r t o r e j e c t o r not r e j e c t a n u ll h y p o t h e s i s .
The l e v e l

o f confiden ce f o r determ ining t h e r e j e c t i o n o f th e

null h y p o th e sis was s e t a t t h e .05 l e v e l .

Significant differences

in changes between e x p e c t a t i o n s on th e In-coming Stu den t Survey, th e
Follow-up Stu de nt Survey, and p e r c e p t i o n s on t h e Supplemental J u n i o r

100
Survey were determined by comparing means using t w o - t a i l e d t - t e s t
and Z - t e s t f o r s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s .
Findings
A t - t e s t and Z - t e s t f o r s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s o f group means
were employed t o t e s t t h e f o u r hypotheses in t h i s s tu d y .
no

significant

differences

between

the

two

groups

There were
in

terms

of

f r e s h m a n C o l l e g e Achievem ent Program s t u d e n t s * p e r c e p t i o n s and
e x p e c t a t i o n s with r e s p e c t t o academic, s o c i a l , and personal f a c t o r s
r e l a t e d t o academic success a t th e time th ey e n t e r e d t h e u n i v e r s i t y .
Student mean r es po nses t o

the

In-coming Studen t

Survey f o r

both

i n f l a t e d and a c c u r a t e groups suggested t h a t f i n a n c i a l a i d , academic
c o u n s e lin g , and t u t o r i n g were pe rce ived t o be " im portan t" t o "very
important" in d eter mining academic s u c c e s s .

Furthermore, problems

with " t a k i n g exams" and "poor study h a b i t s " were p e r c e iv e d as being
" s l i g h t l y im portant" t o "im portant" in terms o f keeping them from
reaching academic s u c c e s s .
There were no s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s between t h e two groups o f
College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s ’ p e r c e p t i o n s with r e s p e c t t o
changes

in

the

same

selected

freshman and sophomore y e a r s .

factors

upon

completion

of

their

The mean r es pon ses o f both groups

from t h e Follow-up Stu den t Survey i n d i c a t e d t h a t academic co u n s elin g
was p er ceiv ed t o be " im portan t"
Finan ci al
exams

aid,

were

tutoring,

perceived

in de te rm in ing academic s u c c e s s .

poor study
to

have

habits,

been

and problems

"slightly

"important" in det er m in ing academic s u c c e ss .

ta k i n g

im portant”

to

101
There were s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s between th e two groups of
College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s '

p e r c e p t i o n s with r e s p e c t

to

t h e same f a c t o r s r e l a t e d t o academic succ es s between t h e time t h e
s t u d e n t s e n t e r e d and when the y achieved j u n i o r s t a t u s .
b o th t h e

in flated

and t h e

a c c u ra te groups

Z -s core s of

surveyed

indicated

d i f f e r e n c e s between e n t e r i n g CAAP s tu d e n t s and t h o s e same s t u d e n t s
as j u n i o r s .
aid,

The s tu d e n t s d i f f e r e d on th e importance o f f i n a n c i a l

tutoring,

academic c o u n s e l in g ,

and problems t a k i n g exams

in

r e g a r d s t o academic s u c c e ss .
S pecifically ,
inflated

C ollege

expectations

Achievem ent

differed

in

Program

th eir

students

perceptions

with

on

the

importance o f f i n a n c i a l a id between t h e i r freshman and j u n i o r y e a r s .
There were no s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s

in th e College Achievement

Program s t u d e n t s with a c c u r a t e grade e x p e c t a t i o n s with r e s p e c t to
t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s concerning th e importance o f f i n a n c i a l

aid durin g

th e same time p e r io d .
S i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s e x i s t e d in both i n f l a t e d and a c c u r a t e
survey groups

between t h e

concerning t h e

in-coming

importance o f t u t o r i n g

and follow-up

CAAP s tu d e n t s

and academic co u n s elin g

in

c o n t r i b u t i n g t o academic s u c c e s s .
There were

no s i g n i f i c a n t

differences

between

the

inflated

incoming and follow-up survey groups and t h e a c c u r a t e in-coming and
f ollow-up survey groups with r e s p e c t t o t h e i r

perceptions

on th e

importance o f poor study h a b i t s determ ining academic s u c c e ss .
College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s with i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s
in both

in-coming and follow- up survey groups did not d i f f e r

in

102

t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s concerning th e importance o f problems in ta k in g
exams as

a factor

sig n ifican t

in deter mining

differences

expectations

in

both

between

in-coming

academic s u c c e ss .

There were

CAAP s t u d e n t s

with

and

survey

follow -up

accurate
groups

concerning t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s o f th e importance o f problems ta k in g
exams det er m in ing academic su cc es s.
There were no s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e s between t h e two groups of
College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s ’ p e r c e p tio n s o f t h e value o f
academic programs o f f e r e d by th e O ffi ce o f Suppo rtive S er v ic es a t
t h e beginning o f t h e i r j u n i o r y e a r .

Mean re spons es o f both groups

from t h e supplemental j u n i o r survey i n d i c a t e d th e q u a l i t y o f th e
O ffice

of

Supportive

career/em ploym ent

S ervices

advisem ent,

and

in

aca dem ic

im p ro v in g

overall

development as "above average" t o " o u t s t a n d i n g . "
OSS counsel in g as "importa nt"
development.

advisem ent,
ac adem ic

Students perc eived

in improving t h e i r o v e r a l l

academic

Both groups per ce ived t o a " g r e a t degree" t h a t OSS

helped them achieve t h e i r ed uca tional goals in t h e i r p r e s e n t s t a t u s ,
and f e l t

t h a t OSS helped them improve t h e i r

GPA "very much" to

a " g r e a t d e g r e e ."
I n t e r p r e t a t i o n s o f Findings and Conclusions
The

results

of

Hypothesis

1

indicated

that

there

was

no

s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e between th e two groups o f College Achievement
Program

students’

expectations

and

p e r c e p t io n s

on

the

selected

v a r i a b l e s r e l a t e d t o academic success a t th e time th ey e n t e r e d th e
university.

In g e n e r a l ,

C o l l e g e Ach ieve me nt Program s t u d e n t s

103

expected t h a t problems t a k i n g exams, poor study h a b i t s , and academic
c o u n s elin g were
academic

"slightly

success.

important"

These

to

perceptions

"important"

are

consistent

s t u d e n t s ’ prev ious s u c c e ss e s in high s cho ol.
r eco rd s

and f r e q u e n t

couns elin g

sessions

in

terms

with

of

these

An a n a l y s i s o f CAAP

indicated

that

students

e n t e r i n g th e program were th o s e who e i t h e r had high gr ad e p o i n t
aver ages in high s ch o o l,

l i t t l e o r no problems with t a k i n g exams,

and perceived themselves as having good study h a b i t s in r e l a t i o n t o
t h e i r grades r e c e iv e d on t e s t s .
Freshman College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s

in both groups

perceived o r expected f i n a n c i a l aid and t u t o r i n g t o be "importa nt"
t o "very important" in terms o f academic s u c c e s s .

This r e s e a r c h e r

i n t e r p r e t e d t h e need f o r f i n a n c i a l aid t o be d i r e c t l y r e l a t e d t o t h e
fact

that

the

majority

of

College

Achievement

Program

students

e n t e r i n g Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y were r e c r u i t e d from urban c i t i e s
and had lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
and Muskegon,

Michigan,

are

cities

D etroit,

heavily

F lint,

recruited

Saginaw,
and

m i n o r i t i e s make up most o f t h e b l u e - c o l l a r work f o r c e .

where

However,

when re c o g n iz in g t h a t more than 60% o f Michigan S t a t e s t u d e n t s do
r e c e i v e f i n a n c i a l a i d , t h e importance o f t h i s v a r i a b l e t o academic
s uccess becomes even more u n d e rsta ndable.
The

results

of

Hypothesis

2

indicated

that

there

was

no

s i g n i f i c a n t d i f f e r e n c e between th e two groups o f College Achievement
Program s t u d e n t s ’
sophomore y e a r s .

perceptions

after

completing

the

freshman

and

College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s e n r o l l e d in

104
th e

O f fic e

of

Suppo rtive

Servic es

tended

to

attribute

slightly

g r e a t e r importance t o f i n a n c i a l a id as th ey began t h e i r j u n i o r y e a r .
This p e r c e p tio n

is

c o n s i s t e n t with

the

interpretations

ex pressed

e a r l i e r in t h i s c h a p te r concerning t h e i r socioeconomic s t a t u s
s uggests
status,

that
th ey

as

s tu d e n t s

become

m atriculate

increasingly

aware

from
of

freshman

the

high

to

and

junior

cost

of

an

e d u c a ti o n , much o f which i s unseen b e fore e n t e r i n g t h e u n i v e r s i t y ,
i.e .,

personal

expenses,

supplies,

billings

from dropping courses

e a r l y , and so on.
College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s in both groups co ntinued
t o p e r c e i v e t u t o r i n g as

"important" t o academic succ es s but t o a

s l i g h t l y lower degree as they reached j u n i o r

s ta n d i n g .

co unsel in g was i n d i c a t e d as being "im portant" t o
and

seemed

to

rank

higher

than

tutoring.

Academic

"very important"
This

researcher

i n t e r p r e t e d t h e s e r e s u l t s t o mean t h a t College Achievement Program
students,

after

relatio n sh ip

their

between

freshman and sophomore y e a r s ,
a c ad em ic

counseling

and

realized

success

the

w hile

d i s c o v e r in g t h a t t u t o r i n g only supplements academic couns eling and
does not g u ar an tee s uc ce ss in tough c o u r s e s .

College Achievement

Program s t u d e n t s ranked poor study h a b i t s as " s l i g h t l y important" t o
"important" and per ce ived problems with t a k i n g exams as "important"
t o "very important" in terms o f academic s u c c e s s .

I t is interesting

t h a t as s tu d e n t s i n c r e a s e d t h e ranking o f importance o f t e s t - t a k i n g
s k i l l s , th o s e s tu d e n t s who had a c c u r a t e o r c o n s e r v a t i v e e x p e c t a t i o n s
o f t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m GPA perceived t h i s ar ea as being more important
than th o s e s tu d e n t s in t h e i n f l a t e d group.

105

The r e s u l t s o f t h e t e s t o f Hypothesis 3 i n d i c a t e d t h a t College
Achievement Program s tu d e n t s

with

inflated

expectations

of th e ir

f i r s t - t e r m GPA and s t u d e n t s with a c c u r a t e e x p e c t a t i o n s d i f f e r e d
their

perceptions

on

some

selected

s uccess over t h e two-year p e r io d .
1.

factors

related

to

in

academic

The r e s u l t s were as fo ll o w s :

All CAAP s t u d e n t s in both groups per ce ived f i n a n c i a l aid as

im portant t o academic success but in d i f f e r e n t p e r s p e c t i v e s .

In­

coming CAAP s tu d e n t s r a t e d f i n a n c i a l aid as l e s s importa nt than th ey
did a f t e r r eaching j u n i o r s t a t u s ( follow-up s u rv e y ) .

As mentioned

e a r l i e r , once s tu d e n t s a r e e n r o l l e d , t h i s p e r c e p t i o n change may be
due t o exp e r ie n c in g t h e high c o s t o f an ed u c a ti o n .
CAAP s t u d e n t s

with

follow -up

groups

importance

of

accurate

expectations

had s i m i l a r means

financial

aid.

or

A fter

in

both

In c o n t r a s t ,
in-coming

no d i f f e r e n c e s

reviewing

the

and

on t h e

records

of

s t u d e n t s with a c c u r a t e e x p e c t a t i o n s , t h e r e s e a r c h e r ’ s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n
suggested t h a t t h e d i f f e r e n c e between th e two groups was due t o th e
f a c t t h a t most CAAP s t u d e n t s with a c c u r a t e e x p e c t a t i o n s had p a r e n t s
with

college

experience

or

bachelor’s

degrees.

T h e ir

college

e x p e r ie n c e s as well as c u r r e n t p r o f e s s i o n a l p o s i t i o n s would help in
under st an ding and communicating t h e r e a l i s t i c c o s t s o f an e d u c a t i o n .
Furthermore,

many o f

these

s tu d e n t s

were

refused

financial

a id

because o f th e p r o f e s s i o n a l p o s i t i o n s t h e i r p a r e n t s have; t h e r e f o r e ,
p l a c i n g a high c o s t burden d i r e c t l y on t h e p a r e n t s , which i s s u r e l y
d i s c u s s e d b efore e n r o llm e n t .

106
2.

Both i n f l a t e d and a c c u r a t e incoming survey groups p erceived

" t u t o r i n g " as " i m p o r t a n t , " and a f t e r reaching j u n i o r s t a t u s ( follow up survey)
"slightly

th e y changed t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s o f
important."

"tutoring"

The r e s e a r c h e r i n t e r p r e t e d

this

as being
change as

being r e l a t e d t o improved study h a b i t s .
3.

In both i n f l a t e d and a c c u r a t e in-coming survey gro ups, CAAP

s t u d e n t s p er ceiv ed academic co un seling as being " s l i g h t l y important"
compared t o t h e i r r a t i n g
after

re a c h in g j u n i o r

attitudes

changed,

o f academic couns elin g being "important"

status

however,

(follow-up s u rv e y ) .
after

working with

CAAP s t u d e n t s ’
their

d e s ig n a te d

c o u n s e l o r , who a s s i s t e d them with t h e s e l e c t i o n o f c o u r s e s , dropping
and

adding

classes,

and

selecting

career

majors

or

identifying

career alternatives.
4.

CAAP s t u d e n t s in both i n f l a t e d and a c c u r a t e survey groups

had s i m i l a r p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e importance o f
being

related

inflated

and

to

academic

accurate

s u c c e ss .

expectations

h a b i t s " as " s l i g h t l y important"

"poor study h a b i t s "

In-coming
group

until

students

p er ceiv ed

in

"poor

th e
study

th ey reached j u n i o r s t a t u s .

T h e ir mean s c o r e s on t h e Follow-up Student Survey suggested t h a t t h e
freshm an-

and

sophomore-year

experiences

fostered

a

greater

awareness o f t h e importance o f developing and un dersta nding pro p er
s tudy h a b i t s t o a s s u r e academic s u c c e s s .

The r e s u l t s o f t h e t e s t o f

Hypothesis 3 i n d i c a t e d t h a t with many f i r s t - y e a r s t u d e n t s e n r o l l e d
in College Algebra and Trigonometry along with Chemistry o r Natural
Science and American Thought and Language, s t u d e n t s who p r e v i o u s l y
s t u d i e d p e r i o d i c a l l y over a 15-week se mester now had t o l e a r n t o

107

study d a i l y t o keep up with a 10-week term system.
ac hieving proper study h a b i t s
time-management s k i l l s .

is

Included

in

l e a r n i n g and understandin g good

A f t e r freshman and sophomore y e a r s ,

CAAP

s tu d e n t s r e a l i z e d t h a t both s k i l l s were h ig h l y r e l a t e d when th e y
c ons id e re d t h e time spe nt in classrooms and in most ca s e s working in
r e l a t i o n t o org an izin g time f o r stu dy .
lim ited v ariab les,
groups

p erceiv ed

Therefore, considering these

i t i s und er st an dab le t h a t CAAP s t u d e n t s in both
"poor study

habits"

as

"impo rta nt"

to

academic

s uccess a f t e r reac hing j u n i o r s t a t u s .
5.

There

were

significant

differences

in

CAAP s t u d e n t s ’

p e r c e p t i o n s on t h e importance o f "problems t a k i n g exams."
inflated

in-coming

and

follow -up

survey

groups,

In th e

low

ratin g s

suggested t h a t CAAP s tu d e n t s pe rc eive d themselves as h ig h ly s k i l l e d
in t h i s a r e a .

Stud ents in t h i s group per ce ived t h i s as a " s l i g h t l y

l e s s important" f a c t o r in t h e i r in-coming and follow-u p survey.

In

c o n t r a s t , CAAP s t u d e n t s with a c c u r a t e e x p e c t a t i o n s in both in-coming
and follow- up groups d i f f e r e d in t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e importance
o f "problems t a k i n g exams."

In-coming s t u d e n t s

in

the

accurate

group perceiv ed l e s s o f a problem in t h i s a r e a than i n f l a t e d survey
in-coming s t u d e n t s .

However, a f t e r a c c u r a t e survey group s tu d e n t s

reached j u n i o r s t a t u s ,

they ra te d

"problems ta k i n g

exams"

as

"important" t o determ ining academic s u c c e s s .
The r e s e a r c h e r ’ s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n suggested a number o f r ea so ns
for th is difference.

F i r s t , in r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e school d i s t r i c t s

where t h e m a j o r i t y o f CAAP s t u d e n t s ar e r e c r u i t e d

(D etroit,

Flint,

108
Saginaw), t e s t i n g i s l e s s d i f f i c u l t f o r t h e s e s t u d e n t s in comparison
t o many suburban d i s t r i c t s .

T h e re fore ,

u n i v e r s i t y without t e s t - t a k i n g
they a r e d e f i c i e n t in t h i s

CAAP s tu d e n t s

strategies

area.

enter

or t h e r e c o g n i t i o n

Second,

th e
that

s tu d e n t s with a c c u r a t e

e x p e c t a t i o n s were more r e a l i s t i c in terms o f t h e number o f c r e d i t s
c a r r i e d and t h e type o f cou rse s taken t h e i r freshman and sophomore
years.

Even though th ey met t h e i r

first-term

expectations,

they

r e a l i z e d and understood t h e problems r e l a t e d t o why th e y were not
doing b e t t e r .

Perhaps t h i s e x p l a in s why t h e i r p e r c e p t i o n s changed

a f t e r re ac hing j u n i o r s t a t u s , and th e y r a t e d "problems t a k i n g exams"
as

"im portant"

t o academic s uccess .

T hird,

in c o n t r a s t

t o CAAP

s t u d e n t s with a c c u r a t e e x p e c t a t i o n s , a review o f u n i v e r s i t y r e c o r d s
indicated

th at

CAAP s t u d e n t s

in

inflated

groups c o n s i s t e n t l y

p r o j e c t e d u n r e a l i s t i c e x p e c t a t i o n s o f th em se lves .
but was not
enrollm ent
selection
which

lim ited

to,

in majors

such

number o f

as

that

led

in

to

this

not

credits

taken

and

b u s in e s s ,

en g in e e r in g

of inappropriate courses.

CAAP s t u d e n t s

mistake s

the

This

in cl uded ,
per

term,

and

the

A complete u ndersta nding o f

group

consistently

accomplishing

their

made

g o a ls

the

escaped

same
the

r e s e a r c h e r and w a r ra n ts f u r t h e r r e s e a r c h .
No s i g n i f i c a n t

differences

were

found

in

terms

of

College

Achievement Program s t u d e n t s ’ p e r c e p t i o n s o f t h e v a lu e o f academic
programs o f f e r e d by t h e O f f i c e o f S upp ortiv e S e r v i c e s .

An a n a l y s i s

o f t h e r e s u l t s showed program s tu d e n t s ranking academic c o u n s e lin g ,
career/e m p lo y m en t ad v ise m e n t, s u p p o r t i v e s e r v i c e s in improving
overall

development,

the

degree

to

which OSS h e l p e d

achieve

109

ed u c a ti o n a l g o a l s ,

and t h e degree t o which OSS helped improve GPA

between "above average" and " o u t s t a n d i n g . "
th at

students

placed

a

h ig h

value

The r e s u l t s

on t h e

various

indicated
retention

s t r a t e g i e s o f f e r e d by th e O f fic e o f Supportive S e r v i c e s .
By t h e beginning o f t h e i r j u n i o r y e a r , CAAP s t u d e n t s r e a l i z e d
the b e n e fits o f early

academic cou nseling

that

assisted

them in

cour se s ch ed u lin g , r e f e r r a l s t o a p p r o p r i a t e i n s t r u c t o r s , and c a r e e r
exploration.

CAAP s tu d e n t s

appeared t o

appreciate

early

career

e x p l o r a t i o n t h a t a s s i s t e d them with s e l e c t i n g t h e major t h a t matched
th eir interests,

values,

and needs.

Knowledge o f on e’ s a b i l i t i e s

and c a r e e r o p p o r t u n i t i e s can keep a good s t u d e n t from ta k i n g course s
in an u n r e a l i s t i c major where poor performance could cause r e c e s s a l
or d i s m is s a l from th e u n i v e r s i t y .
College Achievement Program s tu d e n t s seemed t o s uggest a c l o s e
bond t o t h e O f f ic e o f Supportive S e r v ic e s .

I t was t h i s r e s e a r c h e r ’ s

experie nce t h a t as a r e s u l t o f a s s i g n in g every program s t u d e n t a
c o u n s e lo r in h i s / h e r freshman y e a r , CAAP s tu d e n t s i d e n t i f i e d e a r l y
a t l e a s t one f a c u l t y member committed t o t h e i r
The continuous formal and informal
and

sophomore y e a r s

provided

an

i n t e r a c t i o n thro ug hou t freshman
excellent

modeling and p e r s o n a l / s o c i a l c o u n s elin g .
S e r v ic e s

is

academic s u c c e s s .

o p p o r tu n i t y

for

The O f f ic e o f Su pp or tiv e

a unique u n i t on MSU’ s campus in terms o f t h e

academic programs o f f e r e d .

role

free

For t h e s e r e a s o n s , s tu d e n t s c o n t in u e t o

rank t h e program high f o r t h e c o n s i s t e n t s e r v i c e s i t p r o v id e s.

110
A nalysis
indicated

of

that

the

data

freshman

from

the

In -c o m in g

College Achievement

Student

Program s t u d e n t s

Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y tended t o o v e r e s t i m a t e ,

with

Chapter I I I .

the

finding

of

McComb,

at

by a p o i n t , what

t h e i r f i r s t - t e r m grade p o i n t average would be.
consistent

Survey

These r e s u l t s a r e

previously

mentioned

in

Meadows (1981) noted t h a t " j u s t as h i g h e r grade p o i n t

averages ar e pe rce iv ed as important t o th e s uc ce ss o f s t u d e n t s a t
pr edominantly
enrolled
point

in

white
the

averages

undergraduate

institutions,

Supporti ve S e r v ic e s
as

im po rta nt

to

so

the

Program p e r c e i v e

their

s uc ce ss

at

students

high

grade

Michigan

State

U niversity."
Along with e s t i m a t i n g high f i r s t - t e r m GPA, College Achievement
Program s t u d e n t s

tended

p o s t b a c c a l a u r e a t e programs.

to

have

aspiration s

of

en ro llin g

in

Within t h e i n f l a t e d e x p e c t a t i o n s group,

56.9% i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e m a s t e r ’ s degree was t h e h i g h e s t degree th ey
planned

to

obtain,

whereas

55.6% o f

the

s tu d e n t s

e x p e c t a t i o n s planned t o r e c e i v e t h e m a s t e r ’ s de g r e e .

with

accurate

These r e s u l t s

suggested t h e importance o f s p e c i a l program s t u d e n t s r e c e i v i n g e a r l y
couns eling and (a) p r e p a r a t i o n f o r t h e Graduate Records Examination,
(b)

info rm ation

on a v a i l a b l e

v a r i o u s g r ad u ate programs,
students

with

knowledge

financial

and

(d)

aid,

(c)

in fo rm ation

entrance c r i t e r i a .

concerning

graduate

school

on

Providing
entrance

req uirem en ts would help them s e l e c t t h e r i g h t courses dur in g t h e i r
junior

and s e n i o r y e a r s .

T h is

effort

should

increase

c o m p e titiv e l e v e l and improve t h e i r chances f o r acc ep tan ce .

th eir

Ill

The review o f l i t e r a t u r e in Chapter I I r e v e a l e d a s u b s t a n t i a l
amount

of

m is und er stan ding

of

or

lack

of

importance

given

to

w r i t i n g , math, and s tu dy s k i l l s by t h e s t u d e n t s in S pecial S e r v ic e s
programs.

The emphasis on t h e development o f t h e s e

sk ills

in

a

p r e c o l l e g i a t e s e t t i n g i s paramount t o s t u d e n t s ’ su ccess durin g t h e i r
freshman

year.

illustrated

that

Anal ysis

of

students

in

the
th e

follow-up

and

junior

sample e v e n t u a l l y

importance o f w r i t i n g , math, and study s k i l l s .

surveys

realized

the

For t h i s r easo n , th e

r e s e a r c h e r per ce ived t h a t th e need o f s p e c i a l " q u a l i t a t i v e " a d v is i n g
by s t a f f
This

in

the

qualitative

s c h e d u lin g ,

but

university
a d v is i n g
should

un derg rad uate d i v i s i o n
should

not

take

the

is
form

essential.
of

in c l u d e some f u r t h e r examination

cour se

into

th e

s t u d e n t ’ s academic background, high school c u r ric u lu m , and r e f e r r a l
t o p r o f e s s o r s who a r e good with i n d i v i d u a l i z e d i n s t r u c t i o n .
When viewed from a p o s i t i v e p e r s p e c t i v e , m i n o r i t y s t u d e n t s (a)
ar e c r e a t i v e and tend t o excel in a r e a s r e l a t e d t o t h e i r i n t e r e s t s ,
(b) w i l l work hard on a t a s k when th ey can see some r e l e v a n c e f o r
them se lves ,

(c)

relationships,

have a deep
and (d)

capacity

for

friendly

and

personal

have s e l f - c o n c e p t i o n s about t h e i r

academic

a b i l i t y t h a t may be d i f f e r e n t from t h o s e o f t h e m a j o r i t y p o p u l a ti o n
but ar e not n e c e s s a r i l y poor.
Reflections
As mentioned in Chapter I ,

t h e r e s e a r c h e r has worked in th e

Michigan S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y Special S e r v ic e s Program f o r seven y e a r s
as

an

academic

guidance

counselor.

As a

result

of

continu ou s

112
i n t e r a c t i o n s with high

school

co u n s e l o rs

durin g

recruitm ent,

th e

r e s e a r c h e r has become aware t h a t CAAP s t u d e n t s ’ academic p e r c e p t i o n s
a r e developed

as

a result

o f high

academic achievement

school and t h e c o n s t a n t p r a i s e o f t h e i r
parents,

faculty,

and f r i e n d s .

intellectual

Furthermore,

in

high

ability

from

many m in o r i t y

and

disa dvanta ged s t u d e n t s who have acquired high academic s t a n d a r d s and
leadership

recognition

in

high

school

resent

being

labeled

"developm ental," o r t h a t an i n s t i t u t i o n o f h i g h e r e d u catio n should
i n t i m a t e t h a t th e y a r e s t i l l not q u a l i f i e d f o r r e g u l a r adm ission.
The r e s e a r c h e r ’ s experience and a review o f Special

S e r v ic e s

Programs record s i n d i c a t e d t h a t many in t h e program do f a i l because
o f u n r e a l i s t i c e x p e c t a t i o n s based on t h e i r high school p r e p a r a t i o n .
Special
attitudes

S e r v ic e s
and

Program co u n s elo rs

perceptions

of

should

first-term

be

consciou s

freshmen

toward

of

the

Special

S e r v ic e s Programs and recognize t h e importance o f conveying t o them
t h a t the special

s e r v i c e s should not be viewed n e g a t i v e l y .

These

i s s u e s need t o be addr essed e a r l y in o r d e r t o de sig n a program t h a t
w ill

i n c r e a s e t h e studen ts * p e r s i s t e n c e r a t e .

A successful

term GPA i s im portant not only f o r academic r e a s o n s ,

first-

but a l s o

in

terms o f developing a p o s i t i v e s e l f - c o n c e p t f o r t h e new s t u d e n t .
The r e s e a r c h e r ’ s couns elin g e x p e r ie n c e s suggested t h a t because
o f a l a c k o f p r e c o l l e g i a t e c o u n s e l in g , freshman College Achievement
Program s t u d e n t s in t h i s

study r a r e l y co n s id e red

t h e high school

curri culu m , l a c k o f s c h o l a r l y pe e r c o m p e t itio n , a n d / o r l o c a t i o n o f
high school

as being r e l a t e d t o academic s ucc es s in a u n i v e r s i t y .

In r e g a rd t o t h e f i n d i n g t h a t both i n f l a t e d and a c c u r a t e in-coming

113

s u r v e y g r o u p s ch an g ed t h e i r
"tu to rin g ,"

the

perceptions

of the

r e s e a r c h e r ’s experience

im portance of

indicated

that

after

s t u d e n t s r e c e i v e t u t o r i n g , th ey r e a l i z e t h a t t u t o r i n g i s s l a t e d t o
help them b e t t e r understand conc ep ts , while an i n c r e a s e in course
performance r e s t s with improved study h a b i t s ,

time management,

and

t e s t ta k i n g s k i l l s .
The r e s e a r c h e r p erceived t h a t t h e change in both i n f l a t e d and
accurate

in-coming

survey groups

on th e

importance

of

"academic

coun seling " and "poor study h a b i t s " was r e l a t e d t o t h e i r p e r c e p t io n
o f themselves as s tu d e n t s o f high c a l i b e r who do not need s p e c i a l
academic a s s i s t a n c e because o f t h e i r p a s t high school performance.
Once a g a in ,

th e

researcher’s

ex per ien ce

attributed

the

incoming

s t u d e n t s ’ " s l i g h t l y important" a t t i t u d e t o p a s t high school s u c c e s s ,
which

included

p raise

from c o u n s e l o r s

and p a r e n t s ,

receiving

academic achievement awards, and so on.
Recommendations
It
research

is

this

researcher’s

into reten tio n

intention to

strategies

he lp f u r t h e r

f o r s tu d e n t s

Supportive S er v ic es and Special Programs.

implement

in programs l i k e

Furthermore, i t i s hoped

t h a t f u t u r e r e s e a r c h on r e t e n t i o n w il l provide i n form ation t h a t can
be g e n e r a l i z e d t o a l l

students

in h ig h e r e d u c a t i o n .

rec o m m e n d a t io n s were d e r i v e d from a s p e c i f i c

k in d

Since t h e s e
of student

p o p u l a t i o n , th e recommendations should be a s s o c i a t e d with s tu d e n t s
in t h e s e types o f programs.

These recommendations a r e as fo llo w s :

114
1.

Develop and implement a s u p p o rtiv e s e r v i c e s summer program.

The o b j e c t i v e would be t o provide program s tu d e n t s with an e a r l y
o p p o r t u n i t y t o a d j u s t t o t h e new environment, a t t e n d s u r v i v a l s k i l l s
workshops, and meet i n f l u e n t i a l f a c u l t y and s t a f f b e f o re t h e s t a r t
o f a new academic y e a r .
2.

I d e n t i f y f a c u l t y mentors f o r m i n o r i t y s t u d e n t s - - f a c u l t y who

w ill be a v a i l a b l e t o s t u d e n t s in and out o f classroom s e t t i n g s .

It

would not be d i f f i c u l t t o have a l i s t o f such i d e n t i f i e d f a c u l t y a t
hand and t o r e f e r s tu d e n t s t o them.
for

their

services.

Emeritus

Such f a c u l t y should be rewarded

professors

would

also

be

a good

resource fo r students.
3.
special

The u n i v e r s i t y should support a r e q u i r e d co urse f o r a l l
services

fin an cial

aid,

first-term
study

freshmen,

sk ills,

time

a d d r e ss in g
management,

the

issues

and

of

career

o p p o r t u n i t i e s , r e s o u r c e s , and r e f e r r a l s .
4.

Role modeling i s c r i t i c a l l y important f o r s t u d e n t s in t h e s e

kinds o f programs; t h e r e f o r e , sponsoring some o f t h e more s u c c e s s f u l
s e n i o r s t o go back t o t h e i r former high schools with t h e r e c r u i t m e n t
o f f i c e r s t o t a l k about t h e i r experie nce should prove t o be use ful
and b e n e f i c i a l .
5.

U n i v e r s i t i e s should r e c r u i t and h i r e more m in o r i t y f a c u l t y ,

a d m i n i s t r a t o r s , and s t a f f t o s e rv e as models o f achievement and t o
be r e s o u r c e s t o a s s i s t s tu d e n t s with t h e i r problems.
6.

Minority s t u d e n t s

should r e c e i v e

an o r i e n t a t i o n

to

the

u n i v e r s i t y t h a t helps them understand t h e academic e x p e c t a t i o n s o f
t h e u n i v e r s i t y and l e a r n e a r l y - o n how t o go about s a t i s f y i n g t h o s e

115

e x p e c t a t i o n s ; plan personal g o a l s , which may be in keeping w i th , or
in a d d i t i o n t o th e g o a ls o f t h e u n i v e r s i t y ; and l e a r n how t o l o c a t e
resources

th at

can

be

us ed

to

satisfy

academic,

so cia l,

p s y c h o lo g i c a l, and economic needs.
Recommendations For F u r th e r Research
1.

An i n - d e p th

study

is

needed

to

determine

why College

Achievement Program s t u d e n t s do not t a k e advantage o f t h e s e r v i c e s
o f f e r e d t o them a t an e a r l i e r time.
2.

Further research

College Achievement

needs t o

be conducted t o d i s c o v e r why

Program s tu d e n t s

durin g t h e i r freshman y e a r .

e x p er ien ce

academic

trouble

This inform ation would prove b e n e f i c i a l

in i n c r e a s i n g r e t e n t i o n e f f o r t s .
3.

Conduct r e s e a r c h t o see what majors College Achievement

Program s tu d e n t s a r e a t t r a c t e d t o , why th ey a r e a t t r a c t e d t o them,
and how s u c c e s s fu l th ey a r e in th o s e majors.
4.

Conduct r e s e a r c h

on disa dva ntaged

s tu d e n t s

from c e r t a i n

h ig h s c h o o l s o f p r e d o m i n a n t r e c r u i t m e n t t o e n h a n c e u n i v e r s i t y
a d m i n i s t r a t o r s * knowledge o f t h e i r s o c i a l and c u l t u r a l e x p e c t a n c i e s .
5.

Expand r e s e a r c h a c t i v i t i e s

on freshman e x p e c ta n c ie s

and

p e r c e p tio n s o f r e g u l a r admits f o r c r o s s - a n a l y s i s w ith s p e c ia l
program s t u d e n t s .

Sim ilar

results

would

add c r e d i b i l i t y

to

generalize reten tio n s tr a te g ie s to all students.
6.

Conduct r e s e a r c h on College Achievement Program s t u d e n t s

who have grad uat ed

from Michigan

State

University

and

obtained

116
p r o fe s s io n a l

employment.

This in fo rm ation would a s s i s t

e f f o r t s and c a r e e r development f o r new program s t u d e n t s .

re te n tio n

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A
IN-COMING STUDENT SURVEY

117

OFFICE OF SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
INCOMING STUDENT SURVEY

1.

Name

Student Number

2.

Date of Birth:

month _ _ _ _ day

year _ _ _

FOR QUESTIONS 3-8, PLEASE CIRCLE THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE.
3.

Your sex is:
1 - female
2 - male

4.

When did you make the decision to attend college?
1
2
3
4
5
6

5.

- I have always planned to attend college
- Before the seventh grade
- Eighth or ninth grade
- Tenth or eleventh grade
- Twelfth grade
- 1 don't remember when I made the decision

What do you estimate your average grade will be for the first term of your
freshman year?
1 - 4.0
2 - 3.5
3 - 3.0
4 - 2.5
5 - 2.0
6 - 1.5
7-1.0

8
6.

-

0.0

Do you plan on getting a degree from MSU or another school?
1 - MSU
2 - Other (please specify if known) ______________________________________
3 - No degree

7.

What is the highest academic degree that you intend to obtain?
1
2
3
4
5
6

- Associate degree
- Bachelor degree
- Master degree
- Doctoral degree
- Professional/Technical degree, i.e.:
- 1 plan not to get a degree

lawyer, medical technician, etc.

118

8.

How
1
2
3
4
5

long do you chink ic will cake you co gee Che amounc of educaclon you desire?

less chan four years
four years
five co six
years
- seven Co eighc years
- nine years or more

FOR QUESTIONS 9-11, PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING RESPONSE CHOICES:
1
2
3
4
5

-

grammar school or less
some high school
high school graduace
some college
college graduace

Place Che number of Che appropriace response on Che blank following Che quescion.
9.

Whac is che highesc level of formal educaclon
(leave blank if noc applicable Co you)?

obtained by your facher
‘_____________________ ___________

10.

Whac is Che highesc level of formal educaclon
(leave blank if noc applicable Co you)?

obcained by your mocher

11.

___________

Whac is Che highesc level of formal educaclon obcained by your oldesc
brocher/siscer (leave blank if noc applicable Co you)?
___________

Quescions 12-20 asks you co Cell us HOW IMPORTANT EACH OF THESE FACTORS WERE IN
INFLUENCING YOUR DECISION TO ATTEND COLLEGE. Please CIRCLE Che mosc appropriace
response.
Very
Imporcanc

Imporcanc

Slighcly
Imporcanc

Noc
Imporcanc

12.

Guidance

1

2

3

4

13.

Friends

1

2

3

4

14.

Parents

1

2

3

4

15.

Teachers

1

2

3

4

16.

Ocher adulc acquaintances

1

2

3

4

17.

College recruiters

1

2

3

4

18.

Financial aid

1

2

3

4

19.

Upward Bound Program

1

2

3

4

20.

Talent Search

1

2

3

4

119

Are there ocher factors chat influenced you to attend college?
them here:

Please list

Questions 21-30 ask HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK EACH OF THE FOLLOWING WILL BE IN
DETERMINING YOUR ACADEMIC SUCCESS. Please CIRCLE the most appropriate response.
Very
Important

Important

Slightly
Important

Not
Important

21.

Financial aid

2

3

4

22.

Personal motivation

2

3

4

23.

Parent encouragement

2

3

4

24.

Friends' encouragement

2

3

4

25.

Instructors' encouragement

2

3

4

26.

Academic counseling

2

3

4

27.

Tutoring

2

3

4

28.

Living conditions

2

3

4

29.

Hard work

2

3

4

30.

Self-confidence

2

3

4

Questions 31-36 ask HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK EACH OF THE FOLLOWING WILL BE IN
KEEPING YOU FROM REACHING ACADEMIC SUCCESS. Please CIRCLE the most appropriate response.
Very
Impo tant

Important

Slightly
Important

Noc
Important

31.

Problems in math courses

2

4

32.

Problems with writing

2

4

33.

Problems in reading

2

4

34.

Problems in science courses

2

4

35.

Problems with caking exams

2

4

2

4

36.

Poor study habits

120

Questions 37-45 ask WHAT IS YOUR BEST GUESS AS TO THE CHANCES THAT YOU WILL DO
THE FOLLOWING. Please CIRCLE the most appropriate response.
Good
Chance

Some
Chance

Little
Chance

No
Chance

37.

Change your major field of study

1

2

3

4

38.

Change career choice

1

2

3

4

39.

Fail one or more courses

1

2

3

4

40.

Repeat one or more courses

1

2

3

4

41.

Drop out of college

1

2

3

4

42.

Transfer to another college/university

1

2

3

4

43.

Join the Armed Forces

1

2

3

4

44.

Work part-time while attending college

1

2

3

4

45.

Get married while in college

1

2

3

4

Questions 46-53 ask HOW IMPORTANT EACH OF THE FOLLOWING CAREER CHARACTERISTICS ARE
TO YOU. Please CIRCLE the most appropriate response.
Very
Important

Important

Slightly
Important

Not
Important

46.

High income

1

2

3

4

47.

Opportunity to help others

1

2

3

4

48.

Opportunity to use special talents

1

2

3

4

49.

Being respected on my job

1

2

3

4

50.

Having job security

1

2

3

4

51.

Doing original work

1

2

3

4

52.

Having power to influence decisions

1

2

3

4

53.

Enjoying my work

1

2

3

4

Are there other factors of importance to you in your career choice?
list them here.

Please

121

Whac is your career goal, if you have decided on one?

Please lisc here.

Questions 54-63 ask you Co indicate Che IMPORTANCE TO YOU PERSONALLY OF EACH OF
THE FOLLOWING. Please CIRCLE Che most appropriace response.
Very
Imporcanc

Important

Slightly
Important

Noc
Important

54.

Having an active social life

2

3

4

55.

Helping others who are in difficulty

2

3

4

56.

Having a variety of friends

2

3

4

57.

Being respected by others

2

3

4

58.

Developing a philosophy of life

2

3

4

59.

Living as my parents expect

2

3

4

60.

Influencing social values

2

3

4

61.

Being well off financially

2

3

4

62.

Never being obligated to people

2

3

4

63.

Keeping up-to-date with politics

2

3

4

Questions 64-69 ask HOW IMPORTANT EACH OF THE FOLLOWING ARE IN CHOOSING YOUR CAREER.
IF YOU HAVE NOT CHOSEN A CAREER, HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK THEY WILL BE IN YOUR
EVENTUAL CHOICE. Please CIRCLE the most appropriate response.
Very
Important

Important

Slightly
Impo cant

Noc
Important

64.

Influence of family

65.

Influence of person

in that field

4

66.

Special talent that

I have

4

67.

Work experience

4

68.

Career counseling

4

69.

The mass media (TV & Radio)

4

122

From the following list of undergraduate majors ac Michigan Seace Universicy,
indicate Che four which you would mosc likely pursue. If you have already declared
a major preference, mark your major plus chree ochers of greatesc interest to you.
Please place Che code number of the major in the blank.
70.

Your first choice or chosen major

71.

Your second choice

72.

Your third choice

73.

Your fourth choice

Accounting and Financial
Administration........... 01
Agriculture and Natural
Resources ................ 02
Agricultural Engineering ....03
Agricultural Technology .... 04
Anthropology............... 03
Art ....................... 06
Audiology and Speech
Sciences ................. 07
Biochemistry............... 08
Biological Science ......... 09
Business Administration .... 10
Business Law, Office and In­
surance Adminiscracion ....11
Chemical Engineering....... 12
Civil Engineering .......... 13
Communication.............. 14
Communication Arts-Mass
Media .................... 15
Computer Science ........... 16
Criminal Justice ........... 17
Economics .................. 18
Electrical Engineering ..... 19
Elementary and Special
Education................ 20

_____

Engineering ............... 21
Engineering Arcs .......... 22
Engineering Sciences ...... 23
English ...................24
General Science ........... 25
Geography .................26
German and Russian........ 27
Health, Physical Education
and Recreation.......... 28
History ...................29
Hotel, Restaurant and
Institutional Management .30
Human Ecology ............. 31
James Madison College..... 32
Journalism ................ 33
Justin Morrill College .... 34
Labor and Industrial
Relations ............... 35
Linguistics, Oriental and
African Languages ....... 36
Lyman Briggs College ...... 37
Management ................ 36
Marketing and Transpor­
tation ..................39
Mathematics and Statistics .40
Mechanics .................41

Mechanical Engineering..... 42
Medical Technology ......... 43
Music ..................... 44
Natural Resources .......... 45
Natural Resources and Environ­
mental Education......... 46
Nursing ................... 47
Philosophy .................48
Physical Sciences .......... 49
Political Science .......... 50
Pre-professional ........... 51
Pre-veterinary ............. 52
Psychology ................ 53
Racial and Ethnic Studies ...54
Religious Studies .......... 55
Romance Languages .......... 56
Secondary Education........ 57
Social Science Multi­
disciplinary ............. 58
Social Work ................59
Sociology ..................60
Television and Radio ....... 61
Theatre ....................62
Urban and Metropolitan
Studies ..................63
Urban Planning and Land­
scape Architecture ....... 64

APPENDIX B
FOLLOW-UP STUDENT SURVEY

123

OFFICE OF SUPPORTIVE SERVICES
FOLLOW-UP STUDENT SURVEY

1.

N a m e ________________________________

Student Number

FOR QUESTIONS 2-8, PLEASE CIRCLE THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE.

2.

Your sex is:
1 - female
2 - male

3.

When did you make the decision to attend college?
1
2
3
4
5
6

4.

- I have always planned to attend college
- Before the seventh grade
- Eighth or ninth grade
- Tenth or eleventh grade
- Twelfth grade
- 1 don't remember when I made the decision

Was your first term C.P.A. higher,

lower or what you expected?

1 - higher than expected
2 - lower than expected
3 - what I expected
5.

Do you plan on getting a degree from MS U or another school?
1 - MSU
2 - Other
(please specify if known)
3 - No degree

6-

What is the highest academic degree that you intend to obtain?
1
2
3
4
5
6

7.

__________________________________________

- Associate degree
- Bachelor degree
- Master degree
- Doctoral degree
- Professional/Technical degree,
- 1 plan not to get a degree

i.e., lawyer, medical technician, etc.

Is the degree that you now intend to obtain higher,
you intended to obtain when you entered college?
J - higher
2 - lower
3 - the same ievel

lower or the same degree

124

8.

How long do you Chink it will take you to get the amount of education you desire?
1
2
3
4
5

-

less than four years
four years
five or six years
seven to eight years
nine years or more

Questions 9-17 ask you to tell us HOW IMPORTANT EACH OF THESE FACTORS WERE IN
INFLUENCING YOUR DECISION TO ATTEND COLLEGE. Please CIRCLE the most appropriate
response.
Very
Slightly
Not
Important Important Important Important
9.

Guidance Counselor

1

2

3

4

10.

Friends

1

2

3

4

11.

Parents

1

2

3

4

12.

Teachers

1

2

3

4

13.

Other adult acquaintances

1

2

3

4

14.

College recruiters

1

2

3

4

3

4

15. Financial aid

1

2

16.

Upward Bound Program

1

2

3

4

17.

Talent Search

1

2

3

4

18.

Are there other factors that influenced you to attend college?
them here:

Please list

Questions 19-28 ask HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK EACH OF THE FOLLOWING HAVE BEEN
IN DETERMINING YOUR ACADEMIC SUCCESS. Please CIRCLE the most appropriate response.

125
Very
Slightly
Not
Important Important Important Important
1
2
3

19.

Financial aid

20.

Personal motivation

1

2

3

21.

Parent encouragement

1

2

3

22.

Friends' encouragement

1

2

3

23.

Instructors' encouragement

1

2

3

24.

Academic counseling

1

2

3

25.

Tutoring

1

2

3

26.

Living conditions

1

2

3

27.

Hard work

1

2

3

28.

Self-confidence

1

2

3

Questions 29-34 ask HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK EACH OF THE FOLLOWING WILL BE IN
DETERMINING YOUR ACADEMIC SUCCESS. Please CIRCLE the most appropriate response.
Very
Important

Slightly
Not
Important Important Important

29. Problems in math courses

1

2

2

30. Problems with writing

1

2

3

31. Problems in reading

1

2

3

32. Problems

in science courses

1

2

3

33. Problems

with taking exams

1

2

3

34. Poor study habits

1

2

3

Questions 35-43 ask WHAT IS YOUR BEST GUESS AS TO THE CHANCES THAT YOU WILL DO
THE FOLLOWING. Please CIRCLE the most appropriate response.

35. Change your major field of study

Good
Chance
1

Some
Chance
2

Little
Chance
3

Have
Already
Done

No
Chance
4

5

36. Change career choice

1

2

3

4

5

37. Fail one or more courses

1

2

3

4

5

38. Repeat one or more courses

1

2

3

4

5

39. Drop out of college

1

2

3

4

5

40. Transfer to another college/university

1

2

3

4

5

126
41. Join the Armed Forces

1

2

3

4

5

42. Work part-time while attending college

1

2

3

4

5

43. Get married while In college

1

2

3

4

5

Questions 44-51 ask HOW IMPORTANT EACH OF THE FOLLOWING CAREER CHARACTERISTICS ARE
TO Y O U . Please CIRCLE the most appropriate response.
Very
Slightly
Not
Important Important Important Impo tant
44. High Income

2

3

45. Opportunity to help others

2

3

46. Opportunity to use special talents

2

3

47. Being respected on my job

2

3

48. Having job security

2

3

49. Doing original work

2

3

50. Having power to Influence decisions

2

3

51. Enjoying my work

2

3

52— Are there other factors of Importance to you In your career choice? Please
list them here.

53— What is your career goal, If you have decided on one? Please list here.

Questions 54-63 ask you to indicate the IMPORTANCE TO YOU PERSONALLY EACH OF THE
FOLLOWING. Please CIRCLE the most appropriate response.

Very
Slightly
Nott
Important Important Important Important
54. Having an active social life

1

2

3

4

127

55. Helping others who are in difficulty

1

2

3

4

56. Having a variety of friends

1

2

3

4

57. Being respected by others

1

2

3

4

58. Developing a philosophy of iife

1

2

3

4

59. Living as my parents expect

1

2

3

4

60. Influencing social values

1

2

3

4

61. Being well-off financially

1

2

3

4

62. Never being obligated to people

1

2

3

4

63. Keeping up-to-date with politics

1

2

3

4

Questions 64-69 ask HOW IMPORTANT EACH OF THE FOLLOWING ARE IN CHOOSING YOUR
CAREER. IF YOU HAVE NOT CHOSEN A CAREER. HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK THEY WILL
BE IN YOUR EVENTUAL CHOICE. Please CIRCLE the most appropriate response.
Very
Slightly
Not
Important Important Important Important
64. Influence of family

1

2

3

4

65. Influence of personin the field

1

2

3

4

66. Special talent that

1

2

3

4

I have

67. Work experience

1

68. Career counseling

1

69. The mass media (TV &

Radio)

1

2
2
2

3

4

3

4

3

4

APPENDIX C
SUPPLEMENTAL JUNIOR SURVEY

1 9 8 5 - 8 6 JUNI OR SURVEY

Using Che following scale, please indicate the quality of academic guidance

and

counseling assistance provided by the Office of Supportive Services in

the following areas. Please use key below:

KEY:

1
2
3
4
5

■
“
■
~
>■

Outstanding
Above Average
Average
Below Average
Poor

1._______ Academic Advisement
2.

_____ Career/Employment Advisement

3.

_____ Financial Aid Counseling

4.

_____ Personal/Social Counseling

5.

_____ Other Academic Referral Resources

6.

_____ Tutorial Assistance

7.

_____ Other University Student Affairs

8.

_____ University Structure

9.

_____ Overall rating of your Academic Guidance Counselor's genuine

Resources

concern.

10. How

many times during your freshmen and sophomore years did you see

Academic Guidance Counselor ?
11. How

important

was

Very Important
_____

Important

_____ Slighty important
_____ Not Important

________

supportive services counseling

overall academic development ?

your

in improving

your

129
Workshops
How Important were each of the following workshops in helping you academically
attain junior status?

Please use the following scale.
l.Very important
2 . Imporcanc
3 Slighty important
A.Noc important
5.Did NoC Attend
Very
Important

Important

Slightly
Important

Not
Importanc

Did Not
Attend

12.

Financial Aid

1.

2.

3.

A.

S.

13.

Library Usage

1.

2.

3.

A.

5.

1A.

Test Taking Skills

1.

2.

3.

A.

5.

15.

Time Management

1.

2.

3.

A.

5.

16.

Values Clarification

1.

2.

3.

A.

5.

17.

Study Skills

1.

2.

3.

A.

5. '

Tutorial Assistance
18.

How many different classes were you tutored in ?______

19.

In general,

how important was tutoring in helping you to improve your

grades ?
Very Important
Important
Slighty Important
Not Important

/

Did Not Recieve Tutoring

130
20. To what degree did you find tutorial assistance helpful ?
______ A large amount
______ A medium amount
A Small amount
______ None

Student Assistants
The

Office

of

Supportive Services provides student

counselors)

to

assist freshmen students with their

assistants
adjustment

(peerto

university.

21.

Did you have interaction with a Student Assistant ?
yes

no

if so how many times ? ______

Rate your Student Assistant in the quality of service provided or
in the following areas.

Please use key below:

1.=
2.*
3.4.»
5.**

22.

______

Outstanding
Above Average
Average
Below Average
Poor

Career Guidance

23._________ Academic Advisement
24.

______ Tutorial Assistance

25._________ Providing information on Workshops
26._________ Providing information on Student Group Meetings
27._________ Encouraging you to remain in school
28.

______ Helping you to adjust socially to college

life

referral

the

131
GENERAL
29.

Whac is your GPA ?
4 . n o - 3.5!_____

2.00 - 1.51_____

3.50 - 3.01_____

1.50 - 1.01_____

3.00 - 2.51_____

1.00 or below_____

2.50 - 2.01_____

30.

Is your GPA lower.higher or what you originally expected ?
_____ Lower

31.

To

what

______ higher

_ _ _ _ _ What I expected

degree has the Office Of

Supportive

Services

helped

you

achieve or try to achieve your educational goals in your present status ?
_____ Great Degree
_____ Very Much
Some
_____ Very Little
None

32.

To

what degree do you feel the Office Of Supportive Services has helped

you improve your GPA ?

Great Degree
Very Much
Some
Very Little
None

How

Important

were each of the following factors in helping

academically eligible in order to continue in school ?

you

to

remain

132
1234-

very Important
important
slightly important
not important

Very
Important
The Supportive Services Program

Slightly
Important Important

1

2

3

4

Your Academic Guidance Counselor

1

2

3

4

Your Student Assistant

1

2

3

4

Tutoring

1

2

3

4

Study Skills Workshops

1

2

3

4

Time Management Workshops

1

2

3

4

Test Taking Workshops

1

2

3

4

Academic Scheduling

1

2

3

4

Instructors Encouragement

1

2

3

4

Financial Aid

1

2

3

4

Friends Encouragement

1

2

3

4

Parents Encouragement

1

2

3

4

Hard Work

1

2

3

4

3

4

Selection of the right major for you

1

2

Self Confidence

1

2

3

4

Living Conditions

1

2

3

4

Personal Motivation

1

2

3

4

Gaining a better perception of your

1

2

3

4

chosen major through summer internships

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Key t o C o l l e g i a t e