UNSTACK THE ODDS: ZAP THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP SO ALL STUDENTS CAN ACCESS COLLEGE--AND GRADUATE!

Students sometimes inquire, "Do I need to go to college?" Or, put another way, they ask: "Can I get a good job without a college degree?" Jacques Steinberg, a writer for The New York Times, addresses these questions in his article, dated 5/14/10, at this link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/weekinreview/16steinberg.html?pagew anted=1 79. Non-traditional College Students Many college students today are not 18 year-olds, fresh out of high school; they're over 20, work (full- or part-time), and are often parents. For these nontraditional students, earning a college degree can mean overcoming many obstacles to graduate. Read an article from USA Today on non-traditional students at this link: http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/degrees-of-difficulty.htm 82. What to Take to College Freshmen often wonder what to take to college. Some take too much, while others don't take enough. Like the three bears, aim for just right--because your space will be limited! To see an Off-to-College Checklist of The College Board, click this link: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/college-success/9763.html And don't forget: you may be able to save money on many items you'll need for your college dorm room by picking them up at yard & garage sales!

87. Retention Rate According to the National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences, a college's retention rate is "the percentage of first-time students who are seeking bachelor's degrees who return to the institution to continue their studies the following fall."

Retention rate is regarded as an important statistic relating to student success in college. To discover the retention rate of a U.S. college or university, click the link below, then type in the school's name to search for it; finally, click on "retention and graduation rates." http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/ To see the retention rates of students having differing ACT scores and admitted to colleges with varying rates of selectivity, consult the ACT report "National Collegiate Retention and Persistence to Degree Rates" at this link: http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/retain_2009.pdf 238