Concerns with how students are taught, and whether and how they learn, has become particularly salient in higher education. This is evident in growing awareness of increases in time-to-degree and declines in attainment rates for many students, including those who are underrepresented, in our nation’s community and public and private colleges and universities. It is also demonstrated vis-à-vis recent findings that more than a third of college students evinced no noticeable improvement in critical thinking, writing, and complex reasoning skills after four years as an undergraduate. These findings suggest that while a focus on access to and participation in the nation’s colleges and universities remain a prominent goal, it is no longer sufficient given persistent disparities in post secondary student learning.
There are a few models however, from which we can distill a set of strategies for promoting not only high achievement, but also retention and completion rates. This book examines three such models in higher education — the Meyerhoff Scholars Program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County; the Opportunity Programs at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York; and the Premedical Program at Xavier University in New Orleans – with a proven record of student achievement and completion.

Too many U.S. colleges blame their mediocre completion rates on the poor preparation of their students. This book chronicles how three campuses have ditched these excuses and created programs that meet the needs of traditionally under-served students. -- Matthew M. Chingos, Fellow, Brookings Institution, Brown Center on Education Policy
Dr. Bridglall’s study underscores the value of well-researched, rigorous educational programs and how they can contribute to student achievement, post-secondary success, career advancement and a passion for lifelong learning. -- Charlotte Frank, senior adviser, McGraw-Hill Education

Beatrice L. Bridglall currently teaches at Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey. Her research areas include higher, international and comparative education; student development, engagement and persistence in K-12 and higher education; school reform; and program research and evaluation. She has co-edited several books, including Supplementary Education: The Hidden Curriculum of High Academic Achievement (Rowman & Littlefield, 2005), and Affirmative Development: Cultivating Academic Ability (Rowman & Littlefield, 2008).