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This paper offers a comprehensive description of the academic and social support systems for low-income, first-generation students attending a major four-year, for-profit, multi-campus university. College retention and success research has determined that effective support services succeed in retaining and graduating low-income, first-generation students by "acknowledging their backgrounds, needs, and expectations and then taking action to accommodate them" (Myers, 2003). Campuses like DeVry University do not have federal outreach such as TRIO Student Support Services, which are federally-funded programs designed to provide academic and social assistance for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Consequently, the goal of this study is to identify the kinds of academic and social support services, if any, that a for-profit education institution like DeVry University provides. While data are not yet available that can determine the effectiveness of DeVry University's recent support initiatives, the findings from this study highlight practices at DeVry that are grounded in the literature on effectively supporting low-income, first-generation students. These are practices that other for-profit institutions can look to emulate. Appendices include: (1) References; and (2) Interview Protocols. Individual sections contain footnotes. (Contains 7 tables and 14 figures.)

In 2004 ECMC Foundation published a guide called "Realizing the College Dream" (RTCD) which is designed for educators and staff to help low-income, first-generation college, middle and high school students increase their expectations of attending postsecondary education, and take steps to realize this goal. While ECMC Foundation trainings and downloads reveal who has received the guide, they cannot tell how the guide has been used by professionals as they interact with students and their families. In order to ascertain the usage, effectiveness and value of the materials, ECMC Foundation commissioned this study from The Pell Institute for the Study of Higher Education. The goal of this study is to learn how well the materials have been used since their distribution through trainings, the website, and other channels. Respondents to the ECMC Foundation/Pell Institute "Realizing the College Dream" usage survey have reached a total of nearly 30,000 students and parents, and several programs have reached over 1,000 individuals each. This evaluation demonstrates that "Realizing the College Dream" is among the timely and effective tools that contribute to a national goal of improving the American economy by improving the educational system. Appendices include: (1) Survey Instrument; (2) Telephone Interview Guide; and (3) Response Rate. (Contains 15 charts and 5 footnotes.)

This study asks the question: what are the promising practices for transferring students from two-year to four-year institutions? To answer this question, the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education conducted a study to examine the institutional characteristics, practices, and policies that might contribute to assuring that students matriculate and excel in community college and transfer to four-year institutions. The authors focused on six Texas community colleges that had higher than predicted transfer rates of low-socioeconomic status (SES) students. Their analysis identified three common themes or characteristics, each consisting of institutional programs and policies that appear to contribute to higher than expected transfer rates. They call these three characteristics: (1) A Structured Academic Pathway; (2) A Student-centered Culture; and (3) A Culturally-sensitive Leadership. All of the colleges in this study cultivate a culture of transfer. They ensure that their students are well-informed about the transfer process and supported, both academically and socially. These three characteristics and their individual components are described in this report. Appendices include: (1) Quantitative Analysis; (2) Staff & Faculty Interview Guide; (3) Student Interview Guide; and (4) Institutional Profile Matrix. (Contains 2 footnotes, 4 tables, and 5 charts.) [This report was written with the assistance of C. Adolfo Bermeo.]