Follow-Up Study of Santa Monica College Students: Research, Results and Policy Implications

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Follow-Up Study of Santa Monica College Students
Research, Results and Policy Implications

• Chancellors Office Mega Conference
• Monterey, California
• Peter Geltner, Steve Steinberg and Frankie Laanan
• Santa Monica College
• March 22, 1999

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Outline of Presentation

• Introduction and Background
• UCLA Follow-Up Study
• UCLA Results and Implications
• Transfer Readiness Research Grant
• Lessons Learned and Recommendations

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Introduction and Background

• SMCs Interest in Student Follow-Up
• Pilot Study (Laanan)
• UCLA Follow-Up
• Chancellors Office Grant

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Background

• Of the 107 community colleges in California,
  Santa Monica College (SMC) ranks number one in
  transferring students to the University of
  California (UC) system, as well as to the
  University of Southern California (USC) and
  Loyola Marymount University (LMU).

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Background

• SMC is located close to several major research
  universities in the Los Angeles area.
• Fact SMC transfers the most students to UCLA
  during fall.
• Little is known about SMC students prior
  experiences and their University experiences.

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UCLA Follow-Up Study Peter Geltner
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UCLA Follow-Up Study

• Fall 1997
• Survey mailed to 945 former SMC students
• Transferred between Spring 1995 and Spring 1997

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UCLA Follow-Up Study

• SMC-TSQ (3 sections)
• Academic experiences (SMC UCLA)
• Student service-related experiences (SMC UCLA)
• Open-ended questions

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Results

• 292 students responded to the survey
• Response Rate 31
• Statistics based on 292 students
• Final Sample (N310)

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SMC Experiences Course Work
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SMC Experiences Transfer/Counseling Center
Percent Responding Helpful/Very Helpful
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SMC Experiences Faculty
Percent Responding Often/Very Often
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SMC Experiences Writing
Percent Responding Often/Very Often
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SMC Experiences Learning and Study Skills

• Agree - Agree Strongly
• Writing skills 68
• Problem-solving skills 57
• Research skills 53
• Speaking skills 50
• Computer skills 24

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SMC Experiences Overall Opinions
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Reasons for Transferring to UCLA
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UCLA Experiences General Perceptions
Percent Responding Agree/Strongly Agree
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UCLA Experiences Adjustment Process
Percent Responding Agree/Strongly Agree
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Open-Ended Question

• What made you successful at SMC?
• Good teaching
• Self-Discipline
• Small classes
• Diversity of students and staff
• Good counseling center

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Open-Ended Question

• What might SMC have done to enhance your success
  or ease the transition to UCLA?
• Follow and complete IGETC
• Awareness of the quarter system
• More computer experience
• Require more research papers

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Open-Ended Question

• If you could give some advice to SMC students who
  will be transferring to UCLA, what would that
  advice be?
• Stay on top of studies - difficult to catch up to
  the quarter system
• Study and work hard
• Complete IGETC before transferring
• Prepare for big class size

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Open-Ended Question

• What have we NOT asked you that you would like us
  to know about your experience at SMC or UCLA?
• Prepare students for quarter system
• SMC was always encouraging
• Some of SMC courses are more challenging than
  UCLAs
• SMC should emphasize research papers

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Implications for Community College Faculty Steve
Steinberg
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Implications for Faculty

• Steve

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Transfer Readiness Research Project Frankie S.
Laanan
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Current Research Endeavors

• Background
• Grant from State Chancellors Office
• Transfer Readiness Research
• Purpose
• Build from Pilot Study

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Current Research Endeavors

• Research Design
• Collaborate with local public and private
  four-year institutions
• Formalize relationship
• Request for student data
• Significance of the Study
• Benefit to both SMC and Four-Year Institutions

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Current Research Endeavors

• Research Design
• T-5 Transfer Institutions
• Cal State Northridge (CSUN)
• Loyola Marymount (LMU)
• Mount St. Marys College (MSMC)
• Pepperdine University (PU)
• University of Southern Cal (USC)

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Current Research Endeavors

• Methodology
• T-5 Transfer Institutions
• Transfer Students Questionnaire (TSQ)
• Post-Card Inviting Students to Participate
• Letter from the President
• First Wave
• Second Wave

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Target Population

• Data Gathering
• Cohorts Spring 1998, Fall 1997, Spring 1997,
  Fall 1996, Spring 1996
• TSQ Background characteristics, community
  college and University experiences

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Transfer Students Questionnaire (TSQ)

• SMC Experiences
• Course Work
• Transfer-Counseling Center
• Experiences with Faculty
• Experiences in Writing
• Learning and Study Skills
• Opinions about SMC

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Transfer Students Questionnaire (TSQ)

• University Experiences
• Reasons attending four-year
• General Perceptions
• Adjustment Process
• College Satisfaction
• Estimate of Gains

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Transfer Students Questionnaire (TSQ)

• General Information
• Degree aspiration
• Major
• GPA
• Demographic Information
• Open-Ended Questions

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Preliminary Results

• Sample N300
• CSUN n 150 (50)
• USC n 84 (28)
• Response Rate ___ (to date)

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SMC Experiences Course Work
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SMC Experiences Faculty Percent
Responding Somewhat Agree/Strongly
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How well did you like SMC? I
like it somewhat/I really liked SMC
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If you could start your community college
experience over again, would you choose SMC over
4-year for the first year or two?
39
Because of my academic preparation at SMC, I was
confident that I would be successful at 4-yr.
40
Important Reasons Attending 4-Year
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Adjustment Process at 4-Year
Percent Responding Agree/Strongly Agree
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General Perceptions of 4-Year
Percent Responding Agree/Strongly Agree
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College Satisfaction at 4-Year
Somewhat Satisfied/Very Satisfied
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Major at University
45
Did either of your parents graduate from college?
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Current Research Endeavors

• Implications for Study
• Develop Transfer Readiness Model
• Develop methodology for other colleges to employ
• Program Improvement and Evaluation
• Faculty
• Student Affairs

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Lessons Learned and Recommendations

• Research Design
• Conduct Focus Groups / Interviews
• qualitative information
• Longitudinal Study (Pre-Post)
• Modified survey questions

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Lessons Learned and Recommendations

• Recommendations
• xxx
• xxx

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Thank you for your attention