Improving Student Outcomes via Comprehensive Supports

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Abstract
Community colleges are grappling with low rates of degree completion and transfer. The City University of New York’s (CUNY) Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) aims to improve graduation rates by providing a range of comprehensive support services to community college students in select majors. Using student-unit record data, we employed propensity score matching to examine short-term and 3-year outcomes from ASAP’s first cohort, as well as logistic regression to identify program factors related to graduation. We found that ASAP participation was significantly positively related to retention, credit accrual, transfer, and degree attainment. Regression analyses indicated that a key influence on graduation is participation in advisement sessions. This study provides evidence that encouraging academic momentum via structured and comprehensive support can significantly improve community college graduation rates. It also provides evidence that ongoing and intrusive advisement can encourage positive academic outcomes among community college students.

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