I am just peeking out from an exciting mountain of data to share an update on AACRAO Research and other recent higher education research. I hope you are well and continue to be so.
AACRAO Research Update
AACRAO’s Transfer Student Success Work Group completed its objective, and the association will introduce the document at its virtual Transfer Practice Summit in July. The Registrar Career Profile Survey was deployed on June 22 and will be open for a few weeks to accommodate the July 4 holiday week. In addition, AACRAO Research continues to work on the debt and equity practice with 15 institutions. Data collection is in progress, and we anticipate diving into the data in July and August. Finally, the 60-Second Survey will take an annual vacation in July and will resume in September.
Current Higher Education Research and Related Topics
Many College Graduates Do Not Feel Ready for the Workplace
A new survey from Cengage found that many recent graduates did not feel prepared for jobs. Key takeaways include:
- Many graduates felt their preparation did not meet employers’ needs as expressed in job listings.
- Only a third of graduates felt that they gained time management skills in their college experience.
- The report also explores the perceived value of a degree compared to costs.
Source: Cengage
New Report Examines Strategies to Aid Adult Learners of Color
A new report from the Community College Research Center examines a series of studies that look at actions to improve college success for adult learners of color. The three studies examined in the report include:
- Aligning Short-Term Credentials with Community College Degree Programs
- Bundling and Sequencing Student Support Services
- Culturally Sustaining Supports and Instruction
CCRC Strategies for Improving Postsecondary Credential Attainment Among Black, Hispanic and Native American Adults
The Community College Research Center (CCRC) released a report summarizing the work of three studies sponsored by Lumina Foundation on efforts to address the needs of minoritized adult learners. The foci for the three studies are short-term credentials, bundling and sequencing student support services, and supporting the needs of adults from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Study Links Wealth Inequality in Admissions to Admissions Essays
A new study published by the Stanford Center for Education Policy Analysis links the well-known wealth inequity associated with SAT scores to college admissions essays. The study examined more than 240,000 admissions essays and used a linguistic analysis. The researchers correlated the results to SAT scores, finding that wealthy students tended to write essays rated as “better.” The study concludes that college essays could be considered another wealth advantage in admissions.
Students Opinion on Vaccine Mandates Examined in New Survey
The new Student Voice Survey conducted by Inside Higher Ed and College Pulse found that a majority (69%) of college students support Covid-19 vaccine requirements for in-person learning this fall. The survey also asked the minority of students who had not been vaccinated what they would do if their college required it; nearly half said they would probably or definitely leave that institution.
New Guidance on How to Create Transfer-Friendly Websites
The National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students has created a new guide on how to build a transfer centric website. The guide is the result of a year-long study exploring how to create an ideal transfer website. The document is downloadable and includes supplemental resources such as website wireframes. Key recommendations for sites are:
- address the complete transfer transition directly;
- prioritize essential transfer content, especially planning guides, and degree/program maps;
- make asking questions and getting personalized support as easy as possible;
- involve a broad group of stakeholders in planning, designing, and testing your transfer site; and
- budget appropriate time, staff, and resources to long-term site monitoring and maintenance.
Three New Reports from The Hope Center for College, Community and Justice
The Hope Center continues to release state or system specific data from their #RealCollege Survey. The three reports are #RealCollegeSDCCD about San Diego community colleges, #RealCollegeCCCS about the Colorado Community College system, and #RealCollegeHawai'i for Hawaii.