Academic Advising Commons^™

Structures, Strategies, And Skills For Effective Math Intervention, Sean Dean, Patty Witkowsky, Jessica Contreras, Michelle Kephart

Journal of Academic Underperformance

Many factors influence students’ readiness for college math, and some students enter college unprepared for the demands of their math courses. Effective placement strategies and robust support systems are essential for student success and degree completion. This qualitative narrative case study explores the experiences of college students working with a Math Learning Strategies Specialist (MLSS) and the specific strategies taught by the MLSS. Through one-on-one interviews, three key themes emerged: learning structures, strategies, and interpersonal skills. The MLSS contributed to participants' experiences by providing structured yet flexible support, tailored learning strategies, and a positive interpersonal environment. These combined elements enabled …

Exploration Of Adventure-Based Counseling And Its Impact On The Self-Concept Of At-Risk Youth, Kendall Kern, Mary Bess Pannel, Todd Davis, Thales Barbosa

Journal of Academic Underperformance

Background: Integrating experiential therapy techniques with physical activity and nature improves aspects of self-concept: social connectedness, resilience, and healthy coping skills in the short-term for at-risk, underperforming youth (Kraft & Cornelius-White, 2020). Kraft and Cornelius-White (2020) found that wilderness therapy counselors that taught communication skills and prioritized “group cohesion in group therapy” led to positive “changes to self-concept” (p. 350-351). Purpose: The researchers hypothesize that community-based adventure therapy will have a positive impact on the self-concept in at-risk, rural youth. Methodology/Approach: The researchers utilized a quasi-experimental model to assess the impact of adventure therapy on rural at-risk youth (N~6) after …

Contingent Enrollment Initiative At A Highly Selective Public University, Sean Dufault

Journal of Academic Underperformance

When first-year students arrive on campus, they may face many challenges, such as insufficient academic preparation, conflicting obligations, social adjustment, and traversing the college landscape. This challenge is magnified for academically at-risk students leading higher education institutions to invest funds and retention efforts into student success programs. The current study was designed to investigate conditionally admitted at-risk first-year students at a highly selective public university (HSPU) concerning their perceptions of participating in the Jump Start program regarding their adjustment to the university, the program's requirements, and their sense of belonging to the university. The current study employed an inductive analysis …

Exploring The Impact Of A Brief Counseling Intervention For Improving Mental Health Factors And Learning Strategies Among College Students At An Hsi, James Ikonomopoulos, Kristopher Garza, Javier Cavazos Vela

Journal of Academic Underperformance

Abstract

This study evaluated a counseling intervention called the University Turn Around Program (U-Turn) for college students experiencing mental health issues and low academic performance. Social Anxiety, Hostility, and Alcohol Use were measured on the CCAPS-34, and Attitude, Information Processing, Selecting Main Ideas, Test Strategies, and Using Academic Resources were measured on the LASSI-3. Paired samples t-tests revealed improvement for each measure (d = 0.45 to 1.09) supporting the U-Turn program’s inclusion in university counseling centers.

Keywords: College Students, Quasi-Experimental, University Counseling Center

The Effectiveness Of Developmental Academic Advising As A Retention Intervention For First-Generation Community College Students, Valarie A. Morgan, Mary Bess Pannel

Journal of Academic Underperformance

Student retention is a primary concern for community colleges since retention rates at the community college are unquestionably lower than retention rates at four-year institutions. First-generation college students are a high-risk student group of particular concern, because they make up over thirty percent of the undergraduate population and are two times more likely to exit college at the end of the first year of enrollment when compared to students whose parent or parents have a bachelor’s degree. The results of this study indicate that neither prescriptive advising nor developmental advising made a significant difference in student retention or graduation rates …

Letter From The Editor, Rebekah Reysen

Journal of Academic Underperformance

No abstract provided.