HOBOKEN, NJ--(Marketwire - October 1, 2008) - While much attention is paid to acclimate
freshmen to college life, sophomores can largely feel ignored, become
detached and even drop out. Among students who drop out of college, about
two-thirds as many do so in their second year as in their first year,
according to the U.S. Department of Education. To combat this volatile
period, Clemson University, Lynchburg College and University of West
Georgia are among the first to implement a Web-based solution designed to
increase sophomore
retention
and connectedness.
EducationDynamics' latest
tool, the
Sophomore Year
Retention Program, is based upon many of the same initiatives as its
First Year Retention (FYRe™) program, but is specifically designed to
meet the needs of sophomore students. The program immerses sophomores in
engaging content, such as interactive self-tests, digital video narratives,
career development activities and social networking tools, to help students
clarify their academic, career and personal life goals.
"First-year experience programming has been widely implemented and is
reaching maturity on many college campuses. However, when sophomores return
to campus most no longer experience the same level of support they received
as freshmen," says Peter Kraft, president of the Enrollment and Retention
Services Division of EducationDynamics. "It is critical that sophomores
feel plugged in with their peers and to campus resources. The Sophomore
Year Retention Program effectively creates a virtual center for the
sophomore year experience to increase student connectedness and retention."
The Sophomore Year Retention Program is believed to be the only
comprehensive Web-based service to offer both an array of custom content
and e-community activities, as well as a reporting dashboard that provides
early warning alerts to help administrators identify sophomores at risk of
attrition. Features include:
-- Ph.D.-approved, interactive self-tests and exploratory games, known as
Heuristics™. Students who are undecided about their majors might opt to
take a quiz that poses the question -- "Are You In the Wrong Major?"
-- A series of personality tests designed to explore careers and majors
typically associated with their unique personality types.
-- UPeers™, an academic-focused purpose community comprised of other
students considering the same disciplines, as well as upperclassmen and
advisors who serve as "e-mentors" within the community.
For more information, contact Tracy Howe at 201.377.3318 or
tracy@educationdynamics.com.
About EducationDynamics
EducationDynamics, a portfolio company of Halyard Capital, is the leading
marketing and information services company dedicated to helping higher
education institutions find, enroll and retain students. Its content-rich
and highly visible education websites, including EarnMyDegree.com,
eLearners.com, GradSchools.com, StudyAbroad.com and its more than 50
special interest microsites, make EducationDynamics the premier provider of
qualified prospective students for colleges and universities. In addition,
the company offers a full suite of Web-delivered services proven to drive
enrollment growth and reduce student attrition. For more information, visit
http://www.educationdynamics.com.
Contact Information: Contact:
Nikki Martin
303.433.7020
nmartin@csg-pr.com