Office of the president

Geoffroy: Reach out to keep college freshmen focused

Op-Ed
Appeared in the Des Moines Register, February 9, 2005

In its series on the success rate of Iowa high school graduates at the three regents universities, the Register noted that Iowa students do far better than the national average in succeeding academically in their first year of higher education ("Schools Face Heat on Students," Dec. 5-6). About 90 percent of these students make it through their first year with a C average or better, compared to only about 75 percent nationally. Iowa's teachers and administrators are to be congratulated for preparing students to achieve at this high rate.

As educators, however, our goal is not 90 percent success, but 100. The fact that 10 percent of the students do not succeed academically in the first year is a serious concern. I strongly recommend strict adherence to the generally accepted standards of four years of English and three years of math, science and social studies for college preparation study. With any less, students will not be prepared for the academic rigors of college. It is also helpful for students to complete as many Advanced Placement courses as they can.

But what about after students enroll in universities? The most critical time in a college career is the first year. More students drop out during or immediately after their first year than at any other time, with academic difficulty as the largest reason cited. But academic difficulty can be caused by many things, only one of which is preparation in high school. At the university, we need to respond quickly and effectively to early-warning signals, the most obvious of which is grades. Faculty and academic advisers are in the best position to intervene with students who are struggling, signs of which are the mid-term notices of poor performance, a final grade below a C or falling behind in their progress toward graduation.

Addressing non-academic causes of academic failure is more difficult. Most students are right out of high school and living independently for the first time. They face adult decisions about finances, relationships and consequences of choices on such issues as sex, drugs, alcohol and time management, which often result in not enough studying. At Iowa State, we found the most effective way to help students is to quickly and proactively bring them into the life of the university. They are surrounded by a circle of friends and a network of supporters who serve as a safety net and who can intervene before problems become irreversible. We break down the larger university into smaller communities, focused on individual interests and needs. These "learning communities" consist of a small number of students grouped by academic major or other interest. These students live together and learn together. Faculty and residence hall staff are more closely involved with students in learning communities, and many have upper-level students as mentors. That makes it easier to spot students who are struggling and intervene. Often, that's all it takes to save a student from academic disaster.

The results are dramatic. Learning communities have been a part of Iowa State for more than a decade. About 40 percent of first-year students enroll in one. Over the past six years, first-year retention is 6 to 9 percent higher for students in learning communities, and graduation rates are 10 to 16 percent higher. Learning communities are not for every student, but for many they can make the difference between a successful first year and dropping out. As students and parents study prospective colleges, they should look at how proactive those schools are in bringing students into the institutional "community" on a personal level. That, combined with the proper academic preparation in high school, will significantly improve a student's first-year experience and chances for success.