Over the following few articles, we will explore these themes in a three-part series that delves into the strategies and best practices that higher education and enrollment professionals can employ to improve student success and retention. The articles will reference foundational publications, and incorporate new studies, while also infusing real strategies and experience from my own work, and the work of my colleagues, as student success and enrollment management professionals. In the section below we focus on Identifying and Addressing Barriers to Student Success.
As higher education professionals, we know that the journey from K-12 to college enrollment and through graduation is not always easy for students. Many factors can impede their academic progress and success, from financial constraints and academic preparedness to a lack of support systems. Too frequently the blame for these barriers has been placed directly on students rather than recognizing how our systems and institutions create or contribute to said barriers (Harper, 2010). This article explores some of the common barriers that students encounter and provides strategies for identifying and addressing them.
Common Barriers to Student Success
It is well documented that some of the most significant barriers for students are financial pressures, academic preparedness, social integration, and faculty and staff support (Purnell, et al., 2019; Tinto, 2012), and for first-generation students, navigating unfamiliar and complicated institutional systems can be an especially important factor (Pascarella, et al., 2004).
At James Madison University, we have found similar trends. The top four non-transfer reasons identified by students for withdrawing during 2017-2021 were psychological, leave of absence, fit/belonging, and health. In our qualitative analysis, it becomes clearer that many students may be stating they are leaving because they are transferring to their preferred school, but because they cite a lack of social integration and a poor sense of belonging, the root cause for their ultimate decision to transfer may in fact be more closely tied to social integration rather than simply them wanting to transfer to their preferred school.
Early Student Success System and Targeted Interventions
One strategy for addressing barriers to student success is through the use of an Early Student Success System. This system is designed to proactively identify students not meeting their goals and offer targeted interventions to support them. For example, we piloted the use of micro-surveys directly to students via text message. We acted on the data from these check-in surveys by connecting students individually with support while leveraging at-scale programming for larger demonstrated student need. These and other interventions are part of a larger initiative that is designed to close the equity gaps among students at JMU.
However, the system is not only designed to support students who are in trouble academically, but most importantly to help students achieve their full potential. For example, the system can help identify students who are doing well in the classroom but may not be challenged academically or have not found their home on campus. With these data-informed insights, staff and faculty can connect students with high-impact practices like undergraduate research opportunities
, learning communities, and on-campus employment positions (
Chamely-Wiik, D., 2023)
.
Academic Support Services
As a necessary component to the Early Student Success System, academic support services are critical in helping students overcome academic challenges, get connected with peers, and stay on track to graduation. Peer-assisted learning, for example, has been found to be a powerful and emerging high-impact practice, particularly for underrepresented minorities (URM) in higher education (Dawson, 2014). Peer education is particularly impactful for student learning and a sense of belonging because of the near-peer relationship. Students can ask questions, be vulnerable, and take learning risks that they otherwise might not in the classroom or with a faculty member (Anaza, et al, 2023). The Learning Centers at JMU offer peer educator-based support across science, math, writing, communication, and multilingual support. Programs like the Communication Center, Peer Assisted Study Sessions, and Science & Math Learning Center have collected evidence of the positive impact they have on student academic performance.
Building a Holistic & Supportive Campus Culture
Another important strategy for improving student success and retention is through building a supportive campus culture that fosters student engagement and a sense of belonging through an equity-minded holistic approach. This includes co-curricular programming, mentorship programs, and inclusive pedagogy. However, it is important to design a system that takes into account the whole student, including the academic outcomes as well as the health and well-being, career outcomes, and other aspects of student success.
Institutions will need to plan and implement a design that accounts for the whole student experience. This includes academic outcomes as well as health and well-being, career outcomes, and other aspects of student success. For example, a highly effective holistic system may include intentional partnerships between student success offices and offices that specialize in mental health resources, career counseling, financial aid resources, and academic support services. Writing formal agreements between these offices that describe the scope of work, particularly as it relates to data sharing, will be helpful to stay focused on the purpose and desired outcomes of the projects. These agreements between units within the same institution lay an important foundation of trust and collaboration to pursue important research questions. By providing a comprehensive support system, institutions can positively impact student success and retention while also developing a stronger sense of student belonging because the institution is demonstrating that the institution cares for them as a whole person.
In conclusion, addressing institutional barriers is crucial for ensuring that all students have the opportunity to achieve their full potential in higher education. By utilizing an Early Student Success System, offering academic support services such as peer-assisted learning, and building a supportive campus culture, we can create an environment where students are empowered to succeed. As enrollment managers and higher education professionals, we must prioritize these strategies in order to make a positive impact on student success and retention.