Get Your Students Hired
Hello Tiffany,
I understand exactly what you are saying. At times when students feel as though they must quit school, sometimes we as educators/retention coordinators must support their decisions. I had a young lady with a serious medical issue last grading period, and she wanted to continue, but according to doctor's orders she had to quit, therefore I had to support her decision because health is the most important. I have had to support other students' decisions based on sever financial problems,personal problems, etc. they had to quit school. I have had students to come back to school once they reshaped their lives.
Patricia
There are times when life's demands are too great for students to be able to manage all that is being required of them. I suggest that students assess their situations from a realistic standpoint to see if the timing is right for them to attend college. Once they make their assessment, I sit down with them to discuss what they decided and then I accept that. I believe that as faculty we are to encourage our students when they are feeling overwhelmed or discouraged. Pushing a student to continue when their time would be better spent reorganizing their lives so they will be more successful in the future seems to be our responsibility as well. We are to help them to be successful and sometimes that means supporting their decisions.
Hello Tammy,
At my institution whenever a committee decides that a student is not right for a particular program, normally based on academics/abilities. The committee makes recommendations for the student to switch to a different program, but the ultimate decision is left up to the student.
Patricia
Hi Joni,
Ready to quit students are always a challenge. I am the retention coordinator at my institution, and I have to always look for "red flags" once students have started school. I am real good at detecting "red flags". I tend to have other instructors as well other students talk to ready to quit students whenever I can not reach the student. We have a solid counseling and tutoring program in place as well that have saved many students.
Patricia
I like to look for those "red flags" in their admissions process. Our program is exciting and fulfilling but very challenging. I want the prospective student to be fully aware of the challenges this program will present. I put together a very detailed orientation for the students before they start the program and give them the opportunity to ask questions of current students and graduates before they make their decision. Realizing too that we will still enroll students that may at times feel everything is over their heads, we look to one on one counseling and tutoring to try to turn things around.
I think students in certain programs should be advised to sole search to the extent to decide if they really want to continue with the program and if the career path they have chosen is the right one for them. In addition, some time spent in an actual setting of this career choice may be necessary for them to make this decision.
Hi Joseph,
Retention is a constant battle! I do all sorts of personal coaching and counseling, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Nothing frustrates me more than to see a student quit. I try everything under the sun to not have studens quit, but I win some, and I lose some. My favorite motto is, "A student doesn't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." You are right being geniune is key.
Patricia
What has worked best for myself is personal coaching and counseling. I show them I'm truly interested in their success( I really am, which makes it easy for me). I've only had 1 student quit out of my class in 3 1/2 years, out of 600 students I've taught. Being genuine is key.
Hello Lisa,
The policy that your institution has adopted is good so far as allowing students who have dropped to have only one more chance to return. You must let students know that your institution does not have revolving doors, and also it teaches them that you should not want to quit every time a situation arises. The situation needs to be worked through. At my institution, we always watch for "red flags" a change in attitude, attendance, behavior, grades, etc., these are all potential signs that a student my drop out. I along with my entire team monitor retention daily because it is a constant battle. Nothing bothers me more than for a student to drop out of school. From time to time, you may have a student to fall off the face of the earth without having any red flags. My entire team begins to call, email, write letters, etc., and we do whatever needs to be done to track the student down. My overall retention rate for 2007 is 93%. If you can save one student, it makes a difference. We would love to retain all students but that is definitely a challenge.
Patricia
Our institution only allows a student who drops out to only have one other chance to return.
To eliminate the student consistently feeling the need to drop with each new crisis is that we have the instructors watch and be very aware of attendance/grades/attitude. Should any of these things begin to slide we immediately call for an intervention with out retention coordinator. Nine times out of ten the student remains in school and knows they can come to us with situations that may arise. Obviously we can't solve all issues but there may be some things that can be done.