<p>Career Assistance for Undecided Students Project – Data Use to Improve Student Services Summary</p><p>Prepared by Dr. Chandra Bell, Director of Career Services, Columbus State Community College</p><p>Purpose</p><p>The overarching purpose of the Career Assistance Project was to reduce the overall pool of 2500-3000 undecided students and provide support to students who had not declared a program of study by the end of their first quarter. </p><p>Deliverables</p><p>Deliverables for this project included the development and implementation of an intrusive counseling intervention, development of a career web portal, and data analysis and outcomes for undecided students.</p><p>Results</p><p>The preliminary result of the intrusive counseling intervention pilot shows a reduction in the overall pool of undecided students. For example, since the inception of the intervention a total of 3276 were identified as undeclared. Among the 3276 students a total of 1716 (52%) students have declared a major. </p><p>The web based tool Career Coach was successfully launched in autumn 2011. The usage report indicates high student usage. For instance, the usage report reflects approximately 13,000 visits, over 800 education conversions, and over 4700 job posting conversions. Results</p><p>Academic and demographic data was gathered for AU09-AU10 (undeclared compared to declared) and AU10-AU11 (undeclared compared to declared) students to measure the effectiveness of the intrusive counseling intervention. The results indicate that declared students performed at a higher rate than undeclared students across all student success measures. For example, among the AU09-AU10 cohort, the declared AU09 students course completion was 86 % compared to 81% of undeclared AU09 students. In terms of academic progress, the average grade point average (GPA) for declared AU09 students was 2.58 compared to 2.39 for undeclared AU09 students. The GPA at or above 2.0 for declared AU09 students was 77% compared to 73% of undeclared AU09 students. Finally, the AU09 to AU10 retention of declared AU09 students was 71% compared to 14% for undeclared. </p><p>Improved Services</p><p>Overall the pilot of the intrusive counseling intervention for “new first quarter undecided” students has shown increased learning results across all student success measures. The next step included extending this line of inquiry to “continuing undecided” students. Pre- radiography students not accepted into the Radiography Program after three years, earned a grade, and received financial aid served as the “continuing undecided” pilot. A total of 556 students met the criteria and received a restriction WI12. Data collection and analysis for the pre-radiography students will follow. </p>