PROVISIONAL ADMISSION:
ENHANCING COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY
FOR ACADEMICALLY UNDERPREPARED STUDENTS
Andrew Howard Nichols, Ph.D.
Senior Research Analyst
The Pell Institute
andrew.nichols@pellinstitute.org
http://www.pellinstitute.org/
Student Financial Aid Research Network
Philadelphia, PA (June, 2011)
SESSION OUTLINE
Overview
Definition of Provisional Admission
Rationale
Design
Quantitative
Qualitative
Discussion / Recommendations
Questions and comments
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STUDY OVERVIEW
Joint venture with National Association of
College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
Funded by the Lumina Foundation for
Education
Study is complete & report to be published
later this summer (2011)
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WHAT IS PROVISIONAL ADMISSION?
A mechanism for colleges to enroll students who show
potential to succeed in college but may not meet standard or
preferred academic qualifications.
Provisionally admitted students are asked to satisfy
requirements beyond what is expected of regularly admitted
students.
Meet certain academic performance requirements,
Take specific classes or a reduced course load
Utilize or participate in special student services
Provisional admission practices also are referred to by other
names, such as conditional admission.
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THE CASE FOR PROVISIONAL ADMISSION
Initial enrollment at a 4-year college is positively
related to bachelor’s degree attainment
Programs / policies often include additional
support and structure
Help enhance institutional diversity
Relatively unexplored in the research literature
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DESIGN – MIXED METHODS APPROACH
Quantitative: 17-item survey sent to admission
office personnel at 1,263 distinct 4-year
institutions. 26% response rate.
Administered in Fall 2010 as part of NACAC’s Annual
Admission Trends Survey
Qualitative: Document analysis, interviews, &
focus group discussions during site visits to 5 fouryear campuses with provisional admission
programs / policies
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SURVEY
Sample (n = 330)
Sample was fairly representative with regard to:
Control– slightly more privates (73%)
Region – S/SW slightly underrepresented
Enrollment – smaller colleges underrepresented
Selectivity
Analysis – frequencies & percentages with
crosstabular, correlation, and mean comparison
Control, enrollment, %Pell, and selectivity
SURVEY FINDINGS
57% (148) of respondents had PA initiatives
according to our definition
PA
positively related to %Pell and acceptance rate
Average size = 104 (F2009) & 107(F2010)
Larger
at public institutions
Size positively related to enrollment
Provisional admits about 5% of full-time, first-time
admits in F2010
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SURVEY FINDINGS (CONT.)
79% of institutions DIDN’T target specific student
populations
Most selective more likely to target selected students
Public more likely to target athletes
Larger schools more likely to target racial/ethnic & 1stgen students
Only 18% of institutions conducted special
outreach
Selective more likely to reach out
SURVEY FINDINGS (CONT.)
Program components
Specific courses (62%)
Reduced course load (61%)
Minimum GPA (50%)
Orientation (48%)
Full-time attendance (63%)
70% Private, 33% Public (High %Pell were less likely to require)
Only 18% offered financial support
Required Services
Regular meetings with advisor (88%)
Mandated tutoring (67%)
Peer Mentoring (36%)
SURVEY FINDINGS (CONT.)
Evaluation & Success
72% indicated they evaluate…something
1st year GPA (84%)
1st to 2nd year retention (82%)
Cumulative GPA (58%)
4 year graduation rate (51%)
6 year graduation – Public (67%), Private (34%)
72% of students in these programs were retained to the
second year
Moderate negative relationship between %Pell and 1st year
completion
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CONCLUSIONS FROM SURVEY
Provisional admission initiatives can be expanded,
particularly at 4yr public institutions
Increase outreach & target services toward historically
underrepresented groups
Programs seem fairly successful with 1st year retention
– our data compared favorably to IPEDS & ACT data
Long-term impact of these programs needs to be
examined. Unable to obtain 6yr graduation rates
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SITE VISIT SELECTION CRITERIA
The institution must be a 4-year, bachelor
degree-granting institution within the United
States that receives Title IV funds.
The institution must exceed their respective
sector’s percent increase between 1998/99
and 2007/08 in Pell grant recipients.
26.5% for public institutions
28.9% for private institutions
SITE VISIT SELECTION CRITERIA (CONT.)
The institution’s percentage of undergraduates
receiving Pell grants must exceed their respective
sector’s representation of all Pell grant recipients
in 07/08.
30.3% for public institutions
13.6% for private institutions
The institution must have a broad academic focus.
Schools were removed if they had a specific focus
(e.g., bible colleges, medical, art, etc.)
SITE VISIT SELECTION CRITERIA (CONT.)
Started with over 1,500 institutions
Ended up with slightly over 200
6 item screening survey was sent to schools that
were NACAC member institutions
Browsed websites and made phone calls
Invited 13 schools to participate and 5 agreed
Pine Manor College (MA), California State University –
Stanislaus (CA), Fayetteville State University (NC),
Winthrop University (SC), and Notre Dame College (OH)
SITE VISIT FINDINGS & CONCLUSIONS
Discovered three PA models
Supplemental
tutoring model
Winthrop
University
Notre Dame College
Cohort-based
Pine
curricular instruction model
Manor College
Summer
bridge experience model
California
State University, Stanislaus
Fayetteville state university
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SITE VISIT FINDINGS & CONCLUSIONS
Students Benefits of PA
Provided
educational opportunity
Promoted academic success
Academic
skill building
Study and time management skills
Helped build confidence
Helped
students build relationships
Peer
friendships
Connections with faculty
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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PA INITIATIVES
No “best” provisional model
Require academic support
Clearly outline policies and requirements
Involve faculty
Establish early contact
Encourage engagement
Monitor student performance
Maintain contact
Evaluate
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COMMENTS & QUESTIONS
Andrew Howard Nichols, Ph.D.
Senior Research Analyst
The Pell Institute
andrew.nichols@pellinstitute.org
http://www.pellinstitute.org/
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