How to Recruit and Retain Higher Education Students is an invaluable resource for academic staff, administrators and policy makers involved in student recruitment and improving student retention. It offers practical advice on how universities can influence the expectations of prospective students, allowing them to make sensible decisions about careers, courses and institutions.
Many surveys of students who drop out of university show that most do so out of disappointment. Failing to understand what higher education was about quickly enough, they become confused and frustrated. Dropping out seems the best solution. This book describes a series of practices proven to encourage students to stay on, discussing the background research on student attrition. By preparing students better for their higher education experience, the practices in this book are effective not only in recruiting students but also in matching them to the right institutions and programmes. The practices described range from those reaching out in a broad way to communities of potential students, to university support for pre-entry examinations, to enhanced communication between institutions and applicants. All are described in sufficient detail to allow judgments to be made about how to use and adapt them to suit local needs.
How to Recruit and Retain Higher Education Students provides a sound theoretical foundation for research into student retention and provides the necessary underpinning for those academic staff embarking on courses and assists in preparing them for their roles in both teaching and student support.
By:
Tony Cook,
Brian S. Rushton
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 229mm,
Width: 152mm,
Weight: 498g
ISBN: 9780415990882
ISBN 10: 0415990882
Pages: 252
Publication Date: 19 August 2009
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
List of Figures List of Tables Foreword Preface Acknowledgments 1. The Roots of Attrition, Anthony Cook 2. Access and Admissions, Anthony Cook 3. Transition…From What? A Review of the Influences on the Choices and Expectations of Entrants to Higher Education, Derek Shuter 4. udecide: Helping Learners make SMART Decisions, Helen Cormack 5. The Community University of the Valleys Model: ‘Reaching the Students Other Recruitment Strategies Can’t Reach’, Colin Trotman, Rita Kop, Rhysian Jones and Alyson Jenkins 6. New Opportunities for Disadvantaged Pupils: The Step-Up Programme, Damian O’Kane, Chris Finlay and Anne Mooney 7. Progression into Higher Education via an Access Summer School, John Blicharski 8. Quality Information Available to Students Prior to Entry, Mark Davies and Anthony Cook 9. University Visit Days, Helen Richardson 10. ‘I’ll Be There For You’: The Impact of Northumbria ‘Friends’ on Recruitment and Retention, Peter Slee, Chris Watts and Martin Thomas 11. Promoting Student Retention Using Support Strategies Prior to Entry, Aine M. McKillop, Abbie McKenna and Anthony Cook 12. Student Mentoring Prior to Entry: Getting Accurate Messages Across, Dan Bennett 13. Online Pre-induction Support, Becka Currant and Neil Currant 14. Second Chances for Students: The Fresh Start Project, Debbie Loveday 15. Recruitment for Retention: A Way Forward, Brian S. Rushton List of Contributors Index
Anthony Cook is the Senior Lecturer and Director of the STAR (Student Transition and Retention) Project as well as faculty coordinator of Teaching and Learning at the University of Ulster, Coleraine. Dr Cook is a member of the Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Brian S. Rushton is affiliated with the School of Environmental Science at the University of Ulster.
Reviews for How to Recruit and Retain Higher Education Students: A Handbook of Good Practice
...A very useful addition to the literature on the recruitment and retention of students. --Australian Universities' Review Craig McInnes, University of Melbourne (Areas of expertise: Higher Education) Question: What is your assessment of the proposal: A very good proposal and should meet a growing need. If properly handled it could become a key handbook of good practice as the authors envisage. Question: Taking everything into account, in your opinion, do you feel that there is a market/need for this book? Most certainly - I am confident it would sell in the UK Europe and Australasia. Anna Round University of Northumbria (Expertise, Student Recruitment) I do feel that there is a market for this book, although as noted I am entirely unable to comment on the precise size of this. I think that many practitioners would feel that there is a 'need' for it; the demand that universities 'must provide better information' for potential students is frustrating for many staff under current limitations of resources and time, and a manual of practical and proven advice would be regarded as helpful by many people.
