National retention rates dropping

Most four-year schools are experiencing a declining retention rate, according to a survey conducted by ACT, Inc., but UCF isn't one of them.

The outcome of the survey conducted by the independent nonprofit has shown that college retention rates — the percentage of first-year, full-time students who return to the same institution for their second year of college — have dropped to their lowest in 27 years.

According to the ACT survey sent to more than 2,500 schools, the retention rate at four-year colleges has been trending down from 75 percent in 2005 to 72 percent currently.

In contrast, UCF has maintained a stable number of first-year students that keep coming back for their sophomore year.

According to Associate Vice President of Student Development and Enrollment Services DeLaine Priest, UCF's current retention rate is 87 percent from 6,400 freshmen students each year, 15 percent higher than the rate in the survey.

"The retention rate here at UCF is very promising because one of the primary things that we really focus on in terms of retention is the success of our students," Priest said.

She said she believes that understanding students from their initial arrival is important in order to provide a rich college experience that will extend beyond the classroom.

"We work very diligently to make sure that as we bring new students to the university, we connect with them early before orientation," Priest said. "It's important to have a very structured program in place when students arrive here for the first time. We are always collaborating with other programs on campus to make sure we can offer the best services for students to come back."

Both Priest and research by ACT have cited the economy as the biggest factor in students not returning to school after their freshman year, but they say that grades factor into this, too.

"Some of the students did indicate that they had lost their Bright Futures so they needed to move back home, but by far, it was the economy," Priest said.

UCF employs several methods to connect with students on a personal level in hopes of keeping them in school.

One important program for student retention at UCF is First Year Advising and Exploration, a program that's role is to serve freshmen students with a smooth transition from high school to college.

Director of First Year Advising and Exploration Stephen O'Connell thinks that a successful retention story is one where the student finds UCF to be the chosen university to stay after the first year.

According to O'Connell, there are plenty of obstacles that he sees among freshmen students that contribute to the small percentage of those who decide to leave after their first year.

"We have lots of obstacles that contribute to an unsuccessful transition from high school to college," O'Connell said. "There are parental expectations, some students don't like that. Other issues involve realizing [how overwhelming it is] to balance the freedom of becoming independent. Accepting the role of adulthood is very tough at first."

Priest and O'Connell both mentioned that part of having a prosperous retention is connecting with people on campus. Whether it's communicating with a professor or an advisor, they believe that connecting with the appropriate resources is extremely important if students have trouble adjusting to the college life.

Berlyn Duclair, a freshman molecular biology and microbiology major, said her experience at UCF so far has been interesting because she has learned about herself.

"Being a member of different organizations, I've been able to meet great friends and also learned leadership skills," Duclair said.

Duclair said UCF provides good options for students having trouble adjusting, but that they aren't marketed properly.

"If students want to stay at UCF, they should attend workshops, but I also feel UCF should promote these better because I know some people that don't know the amount of help offered on campus," Duclair said. "I know some freshmen don't know how to cope with their first year."