Students’ experiences during their first year at a higher education institution play an important role in setting them up for future success. While four-year institutions have for decades offered comprehensive services targeted to new students, two-year institutions have only more recently started to adopt these practices. This report describes the ways that these institutions do—and do not—support students during their first year of enrollment. It also highlights the extent to which these institutions specifically support high achieving students. Given that almost half (49 percent) of new students begin their postsecondary education at a two-year institution, it is critical that these students’ first year experiences are adequately supported.

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation