University of Memphis University of Memphis Digital Commons Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1-1-2018 EXPLORING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ACADEMIC COACHING FOR ACADEMICALLY AT-RISK COLLEGE STUDENTS Madeline Kyle Capstick Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/etd Recommended Citation Capstick, Madeline Kyle, "EXPLORING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ACADEMIC COACHING FOR ACADEMICALLY AT-RISK COLLEGE STUDENTS" (2018) Electronic Theses and Dissertations 1869 https://digitalcommons.memphis.edu/etd/1869 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by University of Memphis Digital Commons It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of University of Memphis Digital Commons For more information, please contact khggerty@memphis.edu EXPLORING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ACADEMIC COACHING FOR ACADEMICALLY AT-RISK COLLEGE STUDENTS by Madeline Kyle Capstick A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Major: Counseling The University of Memphis May 2018 Copyright© Madeline Kyle Capstick All rights reserved ii Dedication This manuscript is dedicated to all of those who have made me who I am today and those helping shape me into who I want to become iii Acknowledgements There are so many people that deserve recognition for their support and encouragement throughout my doctoral studies and the dissertation process First, to my family I would like to thank my parents, Colleen and Larry Capstick Thank you for making my education a priority from the very start Thank you for helping me overcome academic challenges from a young age and never letting me think that I could not succeed Thank you for instilling in me a desire to be a trailblazer To my grandparents, Betty and Alfred Cowles, thank you for providing unwavering support and infinite opportunity Thank you for instilling in me a love for travel and adventure with a passion to see more, more, and be more To my siblings and their spouses, Caroline and Greg Sones and Valerie and Clayton Capstick, thank you for encouraging me and giving me my favorite role as aunt to Parker and Nicholas Sones and Turner and Harper Capstick It is because of each of you that I have gotten to where I am today Thank you to my professors, Dr Pam Cogdal, Dr Melissa Fickling, and Dr Chloe Lancaster Thank you for walking alongside me throughout my doctoral studies and for teaching, encouraging, and mentoring me over the years Thank you to my committee members for their feedback, guidance, and support throughout this dissertation process To my chair, Dr Steven West, thank you for jumping in to take on the role late in the game and the hours of conversation and “free associating” as we explored the topic together To Dr Leigh Harrell-Williams, thank you for your patience and guidance in developing the methodology and analyzing the results that helped make this study robust and impactful To Dr Rosie Phillips Davis, thank you for your years of mentorship and encouragement throughout my Master’s and doctoral degrees; your leadership has been inspiring To Dr Colton Cockrum, thank you for being a constant source of support throughout my studies and for being a role model for what living life intentionally iv resembles Thank you for allowing me to serve as an academic coach where I developed a passion for coaching and for encouraging me to dream big Thank you to my friends, mentors, and biggest cheerleaders that stood by me in the ups and downs of the past few years I am privileged to have so many kind, caring, and inspiring people in my life Thank you to Leslie, Brittany, Susan, Camille, and Kim for listening, celebrating, praying, and encouraging me all along the way I am grateful to have you as my people Thank you to my work friends at the University of Memphis, Lindsey, Ashton, Shelby, Connie D., Connie B., who encouraged me daily and listened to my ideas, thoughts, and dreams with care and excitement Thank you to my academic friends, Katherine, Jennifer, and Paul, who truly understood the doctoral process and helped me navigate the obstacles and overcome the challenges along the way with reassurance and support To my mentors, Meta, Leigh-Angela, and Sarah Lawrence, that have sat and listened with kindness, extended comfort when needed, and given wise counsel and advice over the years, thank you Thank you to all of those that shaped me into the person I am today and those that continue to help me grow into the person I want to become This process has been the most powerful learning experience of my life both academically and personally I am grateful for all of those that have walked alongside me in life v Abstract Capstick, Madeline Kyle Ed.D The University of Memphis May 2018 Exploring the Effectiveness of Academic Coaching for Academically At-Risk College Students Major Professor: Steven L West, Ph.D The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the Academic Coaching for Excellence (ACE) program for academically at-risk students over the course of five academic semesters from Spring 2015 to Spring 2017 The study utilized archival data from 1,440 undergraduate students using a cohort-based, nonequivalent groups post-tests design The students were on “academic warning”, meaning they had fallen below a 2.00 GPA in the previous academic semester and were within their first 59 credit hours of college Results from the study found that full- and part-time students who participated in academic coaching had significant GPA increases, were more likely to earn at least a 2.00 GPA in the intervention semester, completed 76-100% of course credit hours, and were more likely to be retained at the university the following semester Significant findings draw attention to non-Federal Pell Grant recipients and full-time non-traditional age (at least 25 years old) students’ academic success and persistence, as these students were found to have higher GPAs and complete more course credits compared to their Federal Pell Grant and traditional full-time student (under 25 years old) counterparts The number of sessions that students attended was also significant for students’ academic performance, persistence in course completion, and retention Implications are discussed for higher education staff and administration working with academically vulnerable populations and for the counseling community Considerations for future research and limitations are also provided vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page Introduction Background Statement of the Problem Theoretical Framework Part I Challenge and Support Theory Part II Person-Centered Theory Purpose Research Questions Significance Delimitation Assumption Definition of Terms Organization of Study 1 5 6 8 10 Review of Literature 11 College Persistence, Retention, and Graduation Higher education funding Higher education statistics Personal Variables Impacting Academic Success and Retention Immutable student demographics Tennessee Policy Academically underprepared students First-generation college students Low socioeconomic status students Racial and ethnic minority students Gender Age Mutable student demographics Mental health on college campuses Academic skills needed on college campuses Programs Utilized to Improve Retention Summer bridge programs Living-learning communities Course-based model Academic Coaching Background Academic Coaching for Excellence Theoretical implications of academic coaching Challenge and Support Theory Person-Centered Framework Conclusions and Study Significance vii 13 13 14 16 17 18 19 23 27 30 35 38 42 42 48 51 51 52 53 54 57 59 60 61 62 Methodology 64 Introduction Research Design Participants Overall Sample Procedure Description of Program Recruitment Data Collection Data Analysis Research Question One Research Question Two Research Question Three Assumptions Regarding the Program and Resulting Data Limitations Definition of Terms Results 64 65 65 65 68 68 68 69 70 70 70 71 72 73 73 76 Participants Academic Performance Change in GPA Academic Success Academic Course Progression Course Credit Persistence Academic Retention Retention Discussion 76 78 78 81 86 86 91 91 95 Introduction Student Demographics Academic Performance Change in GPA Academic Success Academic Course Progression Course Credit Persistence Academic Retention Retention Implications Academically Vulnerable Students Academic Coaching Programs Counseling in Coaching Future Research Considerations Limitations viii 95 97 102 102 103 107 107 110 110 112 113 114 115 116 119 Data Intervention Conclusions 119 119 120 References 122 Appendix 137 A IRB Approval Notice 137 ix ... Kyle Ed.D The University of Memphis May 2018 Exploring the Effectiveness of Academic Coaching for Academically At-Risk College Students Major Professor: Steven L West, Ph.D The purpose of this.. .EXPLORING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ACADEMIC COACHING FOR ACADEMICALLY AT-RISK COLLEGE STUDENTS by Madeline Kyle Capstick A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the. .. determine the effectiveness of the Academic Coaching for Excellence (ACE) program for academically at-risk students over the course of five academic semesters from Spring 2015 to Spring 2017 The study