The Effect of a First-Year Integrated Engineering Curriculum on Graduation Rates and Student Satisfaction: A Longitudinal Study.

This paper reports on the long-term results of a two-year experiment conducted in the 1994-1995 and 1995-1996 academic years in which a group of "average" engineering students was recruited for a first-year program that integrated curricula and fostered a learning community. Students who participated in the Connections program graduated at a significantly higher rate than their peers and reflected retrospectively that the program had a strong positive effect on their college careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]