Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

From Doom To Bloom: The Effects Of Pre-Major Coaching On Undecided Student Persistence, Lisa Dianne Wycoff

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Student retention is a persistent dilemma in higher education because it is how student success is measured. Universities invest resources in retaining vulnerable populations and provide additional support measures because they are most at risk of dropping out. The premise of this study is that students who enter college without a major are considered vulnerable, as they are highly prone to drop out. Numerous studies have found that entering college with an “unknown/undecided” status negatively impacts retention, well-being, and motivation due to a lack of clearly defined educational goals. However, students and families often lack adequate information about the importance …