Improving college graduation rates: a smarter plan

2019-04-30The low, four-year graduation rate at Redwood University is cause for concern. In 2018, it was only 14% and that is an improvement from 9% in 2016 (Redwood University website, 2019). Initiatives executed by the university have slightly increased the number of students graduating; however, there are so many different factors influencing persistence to graduation that it is difficult to create solutions that will be generalizable to 30,000 students. Focusing on First Generation College Students (FGCS) allowed the researcher to gather data from a particular student group, narrowing the vast population the campus serves. The goal of this research project was to evaluate the problem of practice, assess the influences affecting graduation rates via the Clark and Estes (2008) knowledge, motivation, and organizational gap analysis framework, and then suggest recommendations and evaluations based on qualitative data collection. More specifically, the research questions guided this study to investigate the influence degree planning tool, Smart Planner, has had on graduation rates. The results revealed that a conceptual level of understanding about degree requirements and procedural knowledge of advising and student support services can influence students’ progress toward their degree. In addition, FGCS self-efficacy and perceived value of degree planning were motivational factors revealed as important influences. Numerous organizational influences emerged as well, including, course availability and the culture of the university prohibiting progress toward change. Purposed recommendations and evaluation procedures concluded this study, introducing degree planning labs and program evaluation following the Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick New World model of evaluation (2016)