PLYMOUTH-Many incoming freshman today struggle with the decision-making required when entering college. Declaring a major can be the most complicated and scariest time in a student’s life, but can all that change?
Plymouth State University [PSU] is taking strides to change the anxiety freshman feel when entering the University atmosphere. Robert Fitzpatrick, Dean of the Academic Experience at PSU is hoping to find a solution for incoming freshman by setting up the College of University Studies.
Fitzpatrick stated, “fifty percent of students come into college undeclared. At 18 years old, this can be very intimidating. We want students to be able to do a four year degree in four years.”
He continued with saying, “If the catalogue says four years, I think a student should be able to complete the degree in four years. It seems reasonable to me, providing that a student doesn’t change his or her major and is able to keep up with the recommended number of credits each semester.”
Many students coming into college are told to remain undeclared. But prior to Fitzpatrick’s study, this has been a problem for many students, causing them to remain in school longer than the four years they had planned for.
Kevin Carey, the author of A Matter of Degrees writes, “Even among the students most likely to succeed-those who begin their college career as full-time freshmen in four-year colleges and universities-only six out of every ten of them, on average, get a B.A. within six years.”
This problem of students graduating, or graduating on time, has been the draw for Fitzpatrick from the start.
Fitzpatrick stated, “Retention [of first year students] is a big issue. Particularly with state schools, the government is starting to ask, what we are doing about it.”
Nationally, only forty percent of students enter into college graduate in four years. In addition, sixty percent of the students who enter into college graduate within six years of first entering. Since 1997, Fitzpatrick states the six-year graduation rate has risen nationally 3.2 percent, leading teachers and administration to wonder why.
PSU’s introduction of the College of University Studies will help incoming undeclared first years find their place and major within the PSU community. The first trial studies will consist of fifty or so students starting on April 1, 2005 and finishing June 30, 2006. Fitzpatrick stated, “After their first two weeks we will begin to work with them, giving them a series of aptitude tests to help them find their place.”
Fitzpatrick continued, “If we see [the student] is stronger in language, we might steer [them] more toward the humanities or social sciences. The goal is to help deciding students find the majors that are the best matches for them – majors in which they’ll be both successful and happy.”
But the extent of the College of University Studies does not just extend to aptitude testing. There are many plans to change the whole experience for the undeclared students. They are creating a home, Fitzpatrick commented. “They are going to have special advising, special career advising. We want students to get away from the idea of college just being a vocational event.”
He continued with saying, “We also want undeclared/undecided students to be called Deciding students. It makes the students sound more active and it makes them feel more positive about their approach to school.”
This idea has lead Fitzpatrick and many other faculty members to volunteer their time in hopes of guiding students into their field of choice. Faculty will act as advisors to students or bridges to other faculty and staff that might be able to help each individual student with their needs. Faculty will also serve as a monitor to help identify “at risk” students, stated Fitzpatrick.
Plymouth State has a seventy-six percent retention rate of students who come back after their first year. But they are constantly looking for ways to make it better. The College of University Studies is the first step for students to graduate in the four years they were hoping for. Fitzpatrick concluded, “We are going to create a home for them [deciding students]. So they feel like they have a place outside of their dorm and their classes where they can go and fit in, in the community and on campus.”