Higher education is failing to effectively prepare underserved students for success. A critical component of a complete learning experience includes the development of non-cognitive skills, which include adaptive mindsets that promote greater resilience and engagement. Drawing from a leading online university, we highlight non-cognitive skills as a foundation for success.
Higher education, despite its best intentions, falls short in preparing historically underserved students for academic success. While low-income, first-generation, and minority students have more access to postsecondary programs than ever, institutions have been slow in identifying college readiness solutions that are proven to increase key outcomes, such as persistence, retention, and completion rates for these learners.
New research from a college-readiness program launched by a leading nonprofit online institution makes a strong case for a two-pronged approach to readiness: Pairing credit-bearing academic curriculum with non-cognitive skills (also referred to as social-emotional learning) concepts—such as growth mindset training— to instill confidence and resiliency. Among the findings from an analysis that compared On-time Progress (OTP) of more than 1,000 graduates from the college readiness program who progressed to enroll at its parent institution with students of similar backgrounds who directly enrolled at the institution:
- Graduates of the college readiness program who were first-generation college students achieved a first-term OTP (the university’s indicator of a student’s progress towards graduating on time) that was substantially higher than first-generation students who did not attend the college readiness program.
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Minority graduates of the college readiness program achieved first-term OTP at a statistically significant higher percentage than their counterparts who did not attend the college readiness program.
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The OTP for all graduates from the college readiness program in the sample was 8.7% higher during their first term at the parent university compared to students who did not attend the college readiness program. Even after accounting for gender, military affiliation, first-generation status, minority status, and number of transfer credits, the odds of achieving first-term OTP were substantially increased for graduates of the college readiness program versus students who did not attend the college readiness program.
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For students who had attended the parent university long enough to progress to their second term, graduates of the college readiness program achieved a Term 2 OTP that was statistically significant higher than those who did not attend the college readiness program. students.
As evidence-based approaches like this emerge and demonstrate effectiveness at closing the achievement gap, it is imperative that we expand upon them, quickly build on their efficacy, and support institutions and systems to fully scale them to serve more students. By doing so, we can not only increase equitable access and drive better outcomes among historically underrepresented populations, but also support state-funded initiatives focused on improved access and completion—such as promise programs—by helping them realize better ROI through boosted retention and graduation rates at a critical time as local governments work with leaner budgets while rebounding from the pandemic.
Join college readiness and non-cognitive skills experts for an engaging session, including a five-minute growth mindset exercise for attendees, to learn more about:
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Why growth mindset training is an important building block for many underserved students, including data that backs it up.
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College readiness outcomes observed by one of the nation’s leading online, nonprofit universities—and what it means for the broader higher education ecosystem.
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How to integrate non-cognitive skills training intro college readiness approaches—at scale and affordably.