| Although students with merit-based scholarships and strong high school GPAs typically have high retention rates, they are not immune to academic difficulty in college. Anecdotal evidence suggests many high ability students did not need to study in high school, and thus never developed effective academic skills. Unfortunately, institutions may unintentionally ignore this student population when developing retention initiatives. At a mid-sized research university, freshmen who lost their scholarships were significantly less likely to enroll for their sophomore year. This study assessed the effectiveness of a Scholarship Retention Program designed to help more students maintain scholarship eligibility. Interventions for low performing students consisted of meetings with individual students, in which a Scholarship Advisor calculated a projected GPA and the grades needed to maintain scholarship eligibility. The Scholarship Advisor also recommended academic strategies and campus academic support services based on the student's specific areas of need. Results demonstrated that mandatory interventions for students with low first semester GPAs were associated with increased final GPAs and scholarship renewal rates. However, voluntary interventions for students with low mid-term grades were ineffective. A supplemental survey indicated that students believed the interventions demonstrated the University's care for their success and helped their efforts to keep their scholarships. |
