Issues: Higher Education

Student Services

MDRC is investigating programs that integrate traditional instruction with such services as academic and nonacademic counseling, course preparation assistance, and career guidance to help students stay in school and succeed academically, while managing the competing demands of school, work, and family.

The Latest

Report

Pathway to College Achievement

Research literature is rich with theories about the challenges faced by male students of color who strive to achieve college success and completion. This report provides the first causal estimates of the effects of a college program targeting male students of color on academic outcomes.

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Full

Commentary

How to Help Texas College Students Complete Their Degrees

In this commentary originally published in Community College Daily, Lena Novak and DeShawn Preston describe the Texas Completion Repayment Grant program, which provided financial support to college students at risk of dropping out during the pandemic. When coupled with comprehensive student support services, this strategy could help more students complete college.

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Key Documents

Report

Serving Community College Students on Probation

Four-Year Findings from Chaffey College’s Opening Doors Program

This program included a “College Success” course and offered enhanced counseling. A change from optional to required services led to increased program participation, and the new program decreased the percentage on academic probation after the two program semesters. Nevertheless, after four years, the program had no discernible effect on academic outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions About CUNY’s Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP)

MDRC’s evaluation of CUNY’s ASAP, which showed that the program is doubling the graduation rate of students who start with developmental needs, has gained a lot of attention. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions we’ve received about ASAP and the study — as well as their answers.

Additional Testimony on Opportunities to Improve Student Success in the Higher Education Act

Submitted to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Following up on testimony delivered before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on August 5, 2015, Lashawn Richburg-Hayes submitted additional information on opportunities for innovation in financial aid and student support services in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act.

The Texas Transfer Grant Pilot Program Focus Area: Developmental Education Financial Aid Student Services Population: Young Adults Locations: Texas	Evaluation of Management Leadership for Tomorrow’s Turn Pro Program Focus Area: Student Services Population: Young Adults Locations: Arizona, Dist. of Columbia, Kentucky	College Completion Fund Project Focus Area: Developmental Education Financial Aid Institutional Reform Student Services Instruction and Curricula Population: Young Adults Populations with Barriers to Employment Populations with Low Incomes
Tools for Postsecondary Schools (TfPS) Focus Area: Student Services Population: Young Adults Intervention: Student Services Locations: California, Hawaii, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas	An Intervention Return on Investment Tool for Community Colleges Focus Area: Student Services Financial Aid Developmental Education Population: Young Adults Intervention: Student Services, Tutoring, Learning Communities, Counseling/Advising, Financial Incentives, Financial Aid, Curricular/Instructional Reforms, Developmental Education	Income Share Agreements and Related Programs to Finance College or Career Training Focus Area: Financial Aid Student Services Financial Incentives Job Retention and Advancement Population: Young Adults Intervention: Sectoral Training, Student Services, Tutoring, Mentoring, Career & Technical Education, Counseling/Advising, Financial Incentives, Job Training
Applying the Evidence in a Higher Education System Focus Area: Financial Aid Student Services Developmental Education Population: Young Adults Intervention: Student Services, Counseling/Advising, Financial Aid Locations: Minnesota	Evidence to Action Focus Area: Developmental Education Financial Aid Student Services Institutional Reform Population: Young Adults Locations: Indiana, Montana, Virginia	Rural Higher Education Initiative Focus Area: Institutional Reform Financial Aid Student Services Population: Young Adults Intervention: Student Services, Career & Technical Education, Counseling/Advising, Financial Aid
The Higher Education Randomized Controlled Trial Focus Area: Developmental Education Instruction and Curricula Student Services Financial Aid Population: Young Adults Intervention: Student Services, Tutoring, Learning Communities, Counseling/Advising, Financial Incentives, Financial Aid, Curricular/Instructional Reforms, Developmental Education, Accelerated Programs Locations: Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, Washington	Men of Color College Achievement (MoCCA) Project Focus Area: Student Services Population: Young Adults Intervention: Student Services, Tutoring, Mentoring, Counseling/Advising, Curricular/Instructional Reforms Locations: Maryland	Scaling Up College Completion Efforts for Student Success (SUCCESS) Focus Area: Financial Aid Student Services Financial Incentives Population: Young Adults Intervention: Student Services, Counseling/Advising, Financial Incentives, Financial Aid Locations: California, Indiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio
The Cascades Job Corps College and Career Academy Pilot Evaluation Focus Area: Youth Employment Student Services Job Retention and Advancement Young People Who Leave High School Before Graduation Population: Young Adults Children and Schools Populations with Low Incomes Intervention: Sectoral Training, Student Services, Classroom Services, Career & Technical Education, Counseling/Advising, GED Completion, Job Training, Employment Services Locations: Washington	Latino Academic Transfer and Institutional Degree Opportunities (LATIDO) Project Focus Area: Student Services Population: Young Adults Intervention: Student Services, Counseling/Advising Locations: California	College Promise Success Initiative Focus Area: Financial Aid Student Services Population: Young Adults Populations with Low Incomes Intervention: Student Services, Counseling/Advising, Financial Incentives, Financial Aid Locations: California, Michigan, Oregon, Rhode Island
Text Ed Demonstration Project Focus Area: Transition to Postsecondary Student Services Population: Young Adults Intervention: Student Services, Behavioral Interventions, Counseling/Advising	Detroit Promise Path Focus Area: Financial Aid Student Services Population: Young Adults Intervention: Student Services, Counseling/Advising, Financial Incentives, Financial Aid Locations: Michigan	Evaluating the Impact of Integrated Planning and Advising for Student Success (iPASS) Focus Area: Institutional Reform Student Services Population: Young Adults Intervention: Student Services, Counseling/Advising Locations: California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania
Comparative Case Study of Winning Talent Dividend Cities Focus Area: Institutional Reform Financial Aid Student Services Population: Young Adults Intervention: Student Services, Counseling/Advising, Financial Aid, Developmental Education, Accelerated Programs Locations: Florida, Nebraska, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Virginia	Evaluating Replications of CUNY’s Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) Focus Area: Developmental Education Financial Aid Student Services Population: Young Adults Intervention: Student Services, Tutoring, Learning Communities, Counseling/Advising, Financial Aid, Curricular/Instructional Reforms, Developmental Education, Accelerated Programs Locations: New York, Ohio	The Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness (CAPR) Focus Area: Developmental Education Instruction and Curricula Student Services Population: Young Adults Intervention: Student Services, Counseling/Advising, Curricular/Instructional Reforms, Developmental Education
Addressing Students' Remedial Needs: The Evaluation of CUNY Start and Other Strategies Focus Area: Developmental Education Student Services Instruction and Curricula Population: Young Adults Intervention: Student Services, Tutoring, Counseling/Advising, Curricular/Instructional Reforms, Developmental Education Locations: New York	Community College to Career–California Focus Area: Student Services Population: Young Adults Intervention: Counseling/Advising Locations: California	Evaluation of Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) for Developmental Education Students Focus Area: Developmental Education Financial Aid Student Services Population: Young Adults Intervention: Student Services, Tutoring, Learning Communities, Counseling/Advising, Financial Aid, Curricular/Instructional Reforms, Developmental Education, Accelerated Programs Locations: New York
Opening Doors Focus Area: Financial Aid Student Services Developmental Education Instruction and Curricula Financial Incentives Population: Young Adults Intervention: Student Services, Tutoring, Learning Communities, Counseling/Advising, Financial Incentives, Financial Aid, Curricular/Instructional Reforms, Developmental Education Locations: California, Louisiana, New York, Ohio

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