1

Let’s talk about it: First-Year Student Retention Rates

Kassandra Santos, Omar Ramirez, Caleb Conley, Aik Paung Seinn

Higher Education and Student Affairs, Northern Illinois University

HESA 522: College Student Development Theory

Dr. Quortne Hutchings

November 14, 2021

 2

Introduction

In today’s college environment there has been an issue that all universities have faced in

their long history. The issue the colleges have faced is keeping their retention rates at a high level

for first-year college students where the first-year college students start and finish at the school.

The first year of college is a very stressful time for all students that many don’t think critically

about when it comes to having a smooth transition for their first year of college.

Many first-year students face a variety of challenges when it comes to making a

successful transition from high school to college. These students are transitioning from high

school to college and they face a variety of challenges. One of the challenges students may face

is relating to their financial ability to pay for college. Colleges will accept students and provide

financial aid packages that hold information and a general breakdown of costs. In the end, it is up

to the student to do their research, ask questions, and apply for financial aid as needed. With

these efforts, it is assumed that they will make a conclusion as to whether they have the finances

to be able to attend the school of their choice.

Many universities face the uphill battle of upholding their retention rates and attempting

to provide resources and programs to help first-year students. Universities hold the responsibility

to make sure all first-year students make it to their second year of college and ultimately

graduate from the university. Many universities have different programs in place that aim to help

first-year students be successful in their first year as college students.

An effort that can be acknowledged are the University (UNIV) 101 courses that

universities/community colleges have at their institution. At Elgin Community College they offer

a similar class to what a university 101 class consists of and what they aim to accomplish for the

students taking the class. Elgin Community College’s website provides the following
 3

information on their UNVI 101 course, “College 101: Student Success”. This course helps guide

new students in learning effective strategies and identifying resources that will assist and

contribute to their college success. Key components of the course include responsibility for

learning, self-awareness, success skills, and college resources” (Elgin Community College,

2021). These types of courses offered to first-year students provide an opportunity to gain and

learn resources that are available on campus for them to utilize. The resources are important

because they offer student assistance for first-year students.

First-year retention programs are imperative for universities and retention efforts. As

addressed before, this is a stepping stone in retention efforts. An example of this comes from

Dataverse who collected data from institutions common set for 2020-2021. One of the interesting

data they shared came from Boise State University who in 2019 had a freshmen retention rate of

80% and of those students, only 29% ended up graduating (Dataverse, 2017). The question that

may be asked is why did 51% of students not graduate from the university. Universities must

acknowledge where they, as an institution, failed those students, what practices need to be

implemented, and what practices need to be improved. This leads to more students graduating

from the institution but more importantly students feel that the university supports their academic

success.

The goal of this paper is to provide a better understanding of retention rates for first-year

students and provide recommendations on what current practices could be improved as well as

provide recommendations on new programs and practices that could be implemented at the

institution.

Introducing the Center for Academic Success & Excellence (CASE)

 4

As a group, we have decided to create the Center for Academic Success & Excellence

(CASE). CASE will serve the students, faculty, and staff at Indiana University-Bloomington

(IU). Founded in 1820, Indiana University welcomes innovation, creativity, and academic

freedom (Indiana University, 2021). Home to approximately 42,000 students, CASE will serve

as a center that connects the Hoosier community and assists in bridging resource gaps. This

center will be a branch off of the Division of Student Affairs at Indiana University. CASE’s

mission is to serve students (specifically first-years) and ensure their transition into the IU

system is as smooth as possible. Despite their main focus on first-year students, CASE is open to

all faculty, students, and staff.

Over time, there have been efforts to “reduce stigma, increase help seeking and train

communities of people about mental health” (Ezarik, 2021). The toll on mental health is caused

by one and many external factors that have not been accounted for in proper research and

initiatives. Student affairs practitioners recognize the mental health of the college students is like

a domino effect. An example of this may be that Student A realizes mid semester that their

scholarships did not cover their full cost of attendance. Being a first year student, they do not

know who to ask or where to begin their search. Student A begins to stress out and begin to face

financial insecurity. In order to pay for the remaining bill, they have to get a job, rearrange their

entire schedule, and make sacrifices in order for them to register for next semester’s classes. The

unfortunate reality is that many first-year college students face these spirals and do not know

where to begin their initiatives.With prominent promotion of their services, CASE can take quick

action and assist students directly.Students are able to meet with a representative of the office

and they will have a more direct and clear process. Outside of CASE, students would have to go

in person, call, or email the office they are needing assistance from to just set up an appointment.
 5

With CASE, students are able to meet with a representative and schedule appointments as

needed via our specialized representatives.

The Center for Academic Success and Excellence is constructed of culturally competent

individuals that not only are but exhibit it through their methods of work and comprehension for

the students they serve. In this office you will find the director, assistant director, success

coaches (6), and the administrative assistant. While these individuals are specifically found in

this office, CASE has an appointed individual in every student support/service office across

campus. Each member of the team is vital to the success of the office and the students served.

The administrative assistant will be the first point of contact to assist with the flow of

traffic in the office. They will supervise all secretarial work, keeping and managing all files

utilized in the office. In addition, they will redirect questions to the proper figures in the office

after discussing the needs that are asked to be met.

The success coaches have an array of responsibilities and work together to meet a

common goal of assisting their students. Three of the coaches work with connecting students to

community resources, and the other three work with connecting students to on campus resources.

Success coaches are the heart of the office. They listen to the needs of the students and connect

them directly to the resources, and avoid losing the student during their search. If a student is

needing assistance with an “on-campus matter”, success coaches will direct the students to the

CASE representatives in the corresponding office of need. For example, if a student needs

assistance understanding their financial aid, they would go to CASE. After a success coach meets

with the student, the coach will schedule an appointment with the assigned financial aid CASE

representative. The student saved time and frustration in this case because the CASE coach was

able to listen, assist, and direct the student directly. CASE wants to ensure the students of IU are
 6

able to receive assistance on the spot without having them search for support in another office on

the large campus.

Quite often at predominantly white institutions (PWI), students from underrepresented

communities feel a sense of discouragement when seeking help. CASE aims to break this stigma

by having staff that come from different marginalized communities. Staff must undergo an

annual diversity, equity, and inclusion training established by the institution and an outside

source. This will bring awareness of the student demographics they serve, but also promote

resources to better serve them. CASE acknowledges that representation matters, but a continuous

education on how to be culturally competent is critically important.

Theoretical Framework

This paper will apply the transition theory established by Schlossberg. By understanding

the 4S’s systems, higher education institutions can better understand and address the issue that

first-year college students encounter during their transition and can maintain retention rates.

Transitions are described as “any event, or non-event, that results in changed

relationships, routines, assumptions, and roles (Anderson et al., 2012, p. 39).” An event is

defined as something that can cause an individual to change. Schlossberg et al. (1995) describe

three types of transitions such as anticipated, non-anticipated or non-events. First, anticipated

transitions can be ones that are predictable. Secondly, unanticipated transitions can be ones that

do not happen predictably. Finally, non-events are transitions that are supposed to happen but do

not (Schlossberg et al.,1995).

Transitioning from high school to college is an anticipated event for first-year college

students. There are three phases that mark transition processes: moving in, moving through, and

moving out (Kortegast and Yount, 2016). First-year students moving into college could face a
 7

larger campus than expected and a high cost to attend their institution. The transition phase of

moving through could be an example of students finding new networks and support systems in

their new environments….and moving out could be that they may be looking for a job after

finishing their program. Kortegast and Yount (2016) also state that the type, contexts and impact

of a transition are taken into consideration in order to recognize the meaning of an experience

that individuals make.

The theory also identifies four factors known as “the 4S’s”: situation, self, support, and

strategies (Patton and Davis, 2014) that have an influence on the ability of an individual to cope

with a transition (Anderson et al., 2012). This “the 4S’s” system can be used to identify first-year

students' transition experience. When it comes to Situations, the following factors are considered:

trigger, timing, control, role change, duration, previous experience, concurrent stress, and

assessment (Kortegast and Yount, 2016). Kortegast and Yount (2016) state that there might be

differences in the experience of a student of the situation. Therefore, the experience of being a

high school student will be different from that of being a college student. For example, students

may have to learn a new college system, find resources to fund their tuition, deal with

homesickness and depression, and understand how to engage actively and do well in college-

level courses. Understanding the situations of first-year students will help institutions to address

specific issues in the transition process that may be the root causes for dropping out of

universities.

Self is identified into two categories such as personal and demographic characteristics

and psychological resources (Anderson et al., 2012, as cited in Kortegast and Yount, 2016 ). First

year students can be traditional students, students of color, first generation students, and students

from low-income families. Moreover, students may not be well prepared for their transition and
 8

academically competent because they may think they are the first person to go to college, and

they may be from the background of disadvantage. Higher education practitioners need to gain

an understanding of how “self’’ impacts the transition process.

Support is categorized into type, function, and measurement (Kortegast and Yount,

2016). There are four types of support such as intimate relationships, family units, networks of

friends, and institutions and communities (Anderson et al., 2012, as cited in Kortegast and

Yount, 2016). First year students may receive financial aid from family or institutions while

other students may not have any support or know available resources. Exploring the needs of

first-year college students in the transition process, institution leaders can create and provide

support that meets students’ needs.

Strategies are how individual responses to cope in order to take care of a transition

situation, and three responses are outlined such as modifying the situation, controlling the

meaning of the problem, and managing the stress after the transition (Anderson et al., 2012, as

cited in Kortegast and Yount, 2016). If higher education administrators understand the strategies

first-year students utilize, they could gain an understanding of how they could prepare students

in their transition to college ( Kortegast and Yount, 2016).

Intervention

Institutions should have welcoming initiatives for first-year college students. IU can

create a theoretical initiative that supports first-year students like CASE. This office would offer

students resources, a sense of belonging, support with adjusting to college, and help those at risk

of dropping out. Students at risk consider dropping out of college because of financial insecurity,

inability to fit in, homesickness, and depression. These add a layer of stress for first-year students

navigating college and discourages students from completing their degrees.

 9

CASE will include faculty and staff to guide them through their first-year. The faculty

and staff will comprise members from different college offices such as counseling and

consultation center and academic advising. Students will be able to collaborate with faculty and

staff to have the opportunity to gain connections for other resources on campus. Students that

face depression or homesickness will be connected to counseling services. Faculty and staff can

connect students with professional development opportunities that include conferences. A

recommendation for a professional development opportunity is to have a conference for students

to connect first-year students with peers to foster a community. According to a 2017 study by the

University of South Carolina's National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and

Students (FYS) in Transition (NRC), 73.5% of all colleges surveyed had sampled an FYS.

Depending on the institution, the FYS can be a mandatory part of orientation or a required

conference (Solomon, S., 2021, August 18). A conference will be an all-day event with a

mandatory attendance that will include opening and closing remarks. On the day, students will

break out into groups with a faculty member leading the discussion on first-year experiences and

available resources.

A policy a university can put into place is with their bursar’s office. They could flag

down students with large sums of money or with students close to missing payment deadlines.

They can then alert the dean or CASE head to discuss with that student on their struggles and

how to best support those students. They can strategize options with those students to be

financially able to stay in college, assess their needs, and do their research to apply for financial

aid.

A university can assess its retention rates through intervention outcomes. The outcome

for first-year college students is for them to continue in college and complete their degrees. After
 10

students learn the available resources, they will be capable of committing themselves to college

success. Students will change their perspective on their inability to complete their degree to have

knowledge and resources to finish their degree. The likelihood of a student re-enrolling in

college after they have dropped out is low, with only 30% returning to finish a degree (Hanson

M., 2021, September 14).

Establishing an office could be tied back to the Self-Authorship theory. First-year

students come into college to explore a new environment. Student’s that come from small-towns

or predominantly white communities might be triggered by seeing more students or students that

don’t appear like them. Confusion can set into these students, and it will make it overwhelming

for students to process. In a university 101 class, the instructor can mention the office to help

those students who are overwhelmed and confused find a haven or support.

In evaluating the intervention, there will be entrance and exit interviews for first-year

students. Questions faculty and staff will ask students in the entrance interviews are their

perceived struggles and the need for resources and connections. The professional staff will

follow up with an exit interview after those students graduate. Interviews will look for

improvements CASE can use to help students feel supported. Findings could be used for the next

incoming class of students to support their entire experience. These findings could help students

not only in their first-year but in every step in their college experience.

Conclusion

Colleges play a critical role in the success of their students while at their institution.

Institutions must continue to provide the best programs and initiatives for their students and

improve their practices to find the best solution to serve their students. As up-and-coming

practitioners, we must do our best to put forth the best practices in our institutions. Higher
 11

Education practitioners play a role for our future students and in their success. In other words, if

we want to see change happen, we must do our part in pushing for change in higher education to

occur and advocate for our students.

 12

References

Anderson, M., Goodman, J., & Schlossberg, N. K. (2012). Counseling adults in transition:

Linking Schlossberg’s theory with practice in a diverse world (4th ed.). New York, NY:

Springer.

College Success (COL) - Elgin Community College. (2021). Elgin.edu.

https://catalog.elgin.edu/course-descriptions/col/

Ezarik, M. (2021, April 14). Students struggle but don’t seek colleges’ help. Inside Higher Ed.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/04/14/students-struggling-not-seeking-campus-

mental-health-support

Indiana University. (2021). About. Indiana University Bloomington.

https://www.indiana.edu/about/index.html

Kortegast, C., & Yount, E. M. (2016). Identity, Family, and Faith: US Third Culture Kids

Transition to College. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 53(2), 230-242.

doi:10.1080/19496591.2016.1121148

Hanson M. (2021, September 14). College Dropout Rates. Educational Data Initiative.

https://educationdata.org/college-dropout-rates

Patton, L. D., & Davis, S. (2014). Expanding Transition Theory: African American Students'

Multiple Transitions Following Hurricane Katrina. Journal of College Admission, 222, 6-

15.

Schlossberg, N.K., Walters, E.B., and Goodman, J. 1995. Counseling adults in transition (2nd

ed.). New York: Springer.

Solomon, S. (2021, August 18). Why All Students Should Take a First-Year Seminar. Best

Colleges. https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/why-take-a-first-year-seminar/ ‌
 13

Trivette, M. (2017, August 3). Retention and Graduation Rates. College Transitions; College

Transitions. https://www.collegetransitions.com/dataverse/retention-and-graduation-rates