Year-Long Learning Communities

Rethinking the Summer Bridge

Nikolas Huot, Assistant Director for First-Year Programs

Georgia State University

 Four-year, public research university  Urban environment (downtown Atlanta)  14 th most diverse (racial/ethnic and economic)  Over 32,000 students  250 degree programs

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First-Year Programs

Freshmen Learning Communities  Academic Coaching  Early Alert  First-Year Book  Peer Mentors  Success Academy  Panther Excellence Program  First-Generation Outreach

Spring Admits and Low Performance

Freshmen Spring Admits 2008-2012 (vs fall admits)  Lower feeling of belonging at Georgia State  Fewer HOPE recipients (≈ -20% )  More Pell eligible students (≈ +5%)  More first-generation students (≈ +7%)  Lower 1 semester retention rate (≈ -18% )  Lower 1 year retention rate (≈ -10% )  Lower institutional GPA (≈ -0.4 points )

100% 90% 80% 30% 20% 10% 0% 70% 60% 50% 40%

Spring Admits and Low Performance

4,00 3,80 3,60 2,60 2,40 2,20 2,00 3,40 3,20 3,00 2,80 1 Semester Ret % 1 Year Ret % HS GPA Inst GPA Spring 08 Spring 09 Spring 10

Admit Term

Spring 11 Spring 12

From Late to Early Admits

Success Academy

Purpose Goals

Provide a structured academic and co-curricular experience for first-year students whose high school GPA and/or test scores indicate additional academic and personal support would be beneficial.

Create a bridge program experience that prepares students for the full-time fall experience.

Connect students to key professional staff members during summer, fall, and spring.

Provide individualized success plans for each student.

Success Academy

 Admissions based on Freshman Index (500 x HS GPA) + SATV + SATM  Fully admitted students  Extended learning community (3 semesters)  Housing recommended, but not required  Academic requirements for fall full-time registration  Targeted individualized academic support

Success Academy Requirements

Summer (7 hours)  GSU 1010 New Student Orientation (1)  Engl 1101 English Composition I (3)  Hist 2110 or PolS 1101 Survey of U.S. History or American Government (3) – Individual Meeting with Academic Coach (twice during summer) – Individual Meeting with Peer Mentor (once during summer) – Individual Meeting with Academic Advisor (twice during summer) – Attend Supplemental Instruction sessions weekly – Attend 3-4 Workshops on Academic Success – Must earn a GPA of 2.5 during summer in order to register full time in fall

Success Academy Requirements

Fall (12-13 hours)  Engl 1102 English Composition II (3)  Hist 2110 or PolS 1101 Survey of U.S. History or American Government (3)  Math course from Core relevant to major (3)  Humanities, Social Sciences, or Science Lab (3-4) – Individual Meeting with Academic Coach (three times during semester) – Individual Meeting with Peer Mentor (twice during semester) – Individual Meeting with Academic Advisor (twice during semester) – Attend Supplemental Instruction sessions weekly – Attend 2-3 Workshops on Academic Success

Success Academy Requirements

Spring (12-13 hours)  Choice of Humanities or Social Sciences pre-selected courses (3)  9-10 additional hours based on recommendation of Academic Advisor – Individual Meeting with Academic Coach (three times during semester) – Individual Meeting with Peer Mentor (at least once during semester) – Individual Meeting with Academic Advisor (twice during semester) – Attend Supplemental Instruction sessions weekly

Success Academy Students

SA Summer Term

2012 2013 2014

Students

105 189 317

HS GPA

3.23 (-0.11) 3.06 (-0.31) 2.95

(-0.46)

SAT

931 (-162) 953 (-140) 950 (-135)

Pell Eligible%

76.2% (+22.4%) 69.3% (+16.1%) 66.9% (+15.7%)

Cohort

2012 2013

1 year Ret %

86.3% (+2.9%) 85.1% (+3.1%)

2 year Ret %

80% (+10.4%)

Cum. Inst GPA

2.90 (same) 2.90

(-0.12)

Success Academy and High Performance

Success Academy (vs fall admits)  Greater feeling of belonging at Georgia State  Fewer HOPE recipients (  -8%)  More Pell eligible students (  +16%)  More first-generation students (  +4%)  Higher 1-semester retention rate (  +2%)  Higher 1-year retention rate (  +3%)  Similar institutional GPA

100% 90% 80% 30% 20% 10% 0% 70% 60% 50% 40% Spring 08 Spring 09

Success Academy

Spring to Summer Freshmen Admits

Spring 10 Spring 11 Spring 12

Admit Term

Summer 12 Summer 13 Summer 14 4,00 3,80 3,60 3,40 3,20 3,00 2,80 2,60 2,40 2,20 2,00 1 Semester Ret % 1 Year Ret % HS GPA Inst GPA

QUESTIONS?

COMMENTS!