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Vol. 16
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No. 1
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December 2018
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Creating Pathways to Improve First-Generation Student Success
Tracey A. Glaessgen
Associate Director, Center for Academic Success and Transition
Founded in 1905, Missouri State University (MSU) is a four-year, public, comprehensive, residential institution with a public affairs designation. Out of 26,000 students systemwide, MSU’s first-generation college student population comprises about 34%, about half of whom are Pell Grant-eligible. MSU’s first-generation students have lower retention and six-year graduation rates than their continuing-generation counterparts, similar to national data. Recognizing the higher attrition rate for first-generation students, MSU’s president challenged the school to provide additional support to lessen the retention and graduation gap.
Impact on Student Success
Missouri State University
Kelly S. Wood
Interim Director, Center for Academic Success and Transition
Missouri State University
Mark M. Biggs
Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Missouri State University
Rachelle L. Darabi
Associate Provost, Student Development and Public Affairs
Missouri State University
After examining the data, the university made an important distinction between how the literature categorizes first-generation college students’ deficits in academic preparation (e.g., ACT scores, high school GPA, class rank) and the characteristics of MSU students (Pascarella, Pierson, Wolniak, & Terenzini, 2004). Analysis showed that academically, first-generation MSU students arrive nearly as well prepared as their continuing-generation peers but are retained and graduate at significantly lower rates (see Table 1). Based on recent MSU data, our first-generation students also report lower levels of engagement with faculty, staff, and students; less participation in cocurricular activities; and less overall satisfaction with their college experience. With these findings in mind, we reasoned that MSU’s first-generation students face additional challenges and need other resources to succeed at similar rates as their peers. They also may lack information because they do not have a family member to guide them through their college experience (Lohfink & Paulsen, 2005). Table 1 Demographics of Fall 2016 First-Time New-in-College Students at MSU (n = 2,956)
ACT average High school GPA
First-generation students (n = 1,117)
Continuing-generation students (n = 1,839)
23.3
24.4
3.6
3.7
Class rank - top 20%
85.0%
84.9%
Pell-eligible
50.3%
20.4%
Ethnicity underrepresented
19.7%
11.7%
Living off campus
17.7%
11.4%
Fall-to-fall retention (FA16 to FA17)
68.9%
82.4%
Note. In Fall 2016, there were 3,143 first-time students enrolled at MSU, but 187 students did not provide information to assess first-generation status.
Return to Front Page Copyright © 2018 National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience® and Students in Transition, University of South Carolina
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