University 100 Orientation Courses and Living-Learning Communities Boost Academic Retention and Graduation via Enhanced Self-Efficacy and Self-Regulated Learning

Nationwide, almost a third of 1st-year college students do not return to begin their sophomore year, and the 5-year graduation rate for undergraduates is only around 40%. It is important for universities to implement interventions, such as freshman transition courses, to help new students adjust to college life and succeed, and it is critical that such programs are evaluated to see if they are reaching their goals. The present study examined short-term self-efficacy and self-regulated learning, and long-term academic performance, retention, and graduation rates over 7 years for 1st-year students enrolled in George Mason University's “University 100” orientation courses (N = 284) and demo-graphically similar students who did not take the course (N = 299). Results indicate strong effects of University 100 course participation on academic retention and graduation—90% of University 100 students returned to school for their sophomore year whereas this was true for only 78% of comparison students. Five years later, 75% of the students involved in the orientation course were still in school or graduated compared to 60% of students not enrolled in the course. The graduation rate after 7 years for those in the orientation course was 70%, compared to 56% for comparison students. Effects on retention and graduation were even stronger for sections of University 100 that involved Living-Learning Communities. Finally, those in University 100 courses had higher academic self-efficacy and self-regulated learning and these motivational variables mediated the positive effects of the program on graduation and retention.