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Fatima Patino April 09.2012 Avid 5th Retention Research Paper Retention rates are the number of students who start school and complete it without dropping out. Retention rates can be influenced by cultural factors that lead to retention, familial personally and social factors of retention and academic and financial deficiencies are factors of low retention rates with freshmen in college. Three out four graduates arent fully prepared for college and likely to need to take at least one remedial class (Qtd. Wolfgang). An ACT chart shows that the private institutions percentage of a five year college student who earns a degree with five years of entry is about 57.9 percent (Wolfgang). These are reasons why students are not completing college and why retention rates are so low. Students have factors such as academic and financial deficiencies in their life that prevent them from being successful. Academic deficiency is one factor that is affecting retention rates because students arent fully prepared to take college level courses. In Wolfgangs article he states that only 25 percent cleared all of ACTs percent college preparedness benchmarks, while 75 percent likely will spend part of their freshman year brushing up on high school level course work (Qtd. Wolfgang). This study shows that less than half of the students who took the test will have to take remedial class in college. Another factor that causes low retention rates is financial deficiencies are that families arent having money to pay for their childs tuition which is holding them back from going to school or staying in school. As a familys inability to pay for college becomes a larger part of a students collegiate challenge (Qtd. Stuart).

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Policy or programs that are helping public schools with the retention rate issue is the No Child Left Behind (NCLB )which is a program to support of higher student achievement, stronger public schools and a better-prepared teacher workforce. This program only impacts all public schools and was created by the federal government.States need to raise their academic standards and commit to education reforms that accelerate student achievement (Qtd. Wolfgang). NCLB is to help ensure that children in every classroom enjoy the benefits of well-prepared teachers, researchbased curriculum and safe learning environments. The program is supposed to make the overall academic performance increase and will help fill in the gaps between ethnic groups. This program is supposed to help students be more dedicated to school and help them do better. This article shows that students are not taking the right classes that would prepare them for college. NCLB are meant to help students who are struggling to make it through high school and move on to college. Not just are high schools trying to improve retention rates but also colleges and universities. For example, Coppin State University has a program called Summer Academic Success Academy which makes incoming freshmen attend a six-week summer program and others are offering summer bridge programs. The SASA program helps students by making them take classes, receive tutoring and have study hall, with some recreation and cultural events, which gives them a great opportunity to make it to college and earn a degree(Stuart). At Oregon University will begin an early-alert system that identifies students with a high number of class absences or who have not done well on early assignments (Stuart). By taking part in the programs the universities before starting college it supposed to benefit the student and the school to keep them in track of graduating in four years without having to hold them back. Going to college may not be easy especially if students are not fully prepared to move from high school to a university. Yet, students should take advantage of the help schools are offering to lower

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retention rates. Students should talk to their parents/guardians if their having difficult to stay in school. If the family is having money issues they should work together to find solutions and not let money issues stop them. There is a lot of help available out there, students just need to look for it and take advantage of what the school is offering them.

Work Cited

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Hawthorne, Melissa, et al. Cultural predictors of academic motivation and achievement: a- self deterministic approach. College Student Journal 45.1 (2011): 151+. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. Nov. 2011 Stuart, Reginald. Early detention: colleges prioritize addressing academic and financial deficiencies among freshmen at the outset to improve graduation and retention rates. Diverse Issues In Higher Education 14 Oct.2010: 22+. Gale Resources In Context. Web. 18 Nov..2011 Wolfgang, Ben. Scores Show Students Arent Ready for College. Washington Times, LLC August 2011: Online