Prairie View works to improve retention rate

It is every college student's dream to get into the university of their choice, gain knowledge, and enjoy the freedom to not only express themselves, but enjoy this time.
This is a time when students are no longer in their parents' home, under their authority, and therefore they have choices.
Students have the choice between waking up for an 8 a.m. class or getting a little more shut eye.
Students have the choice between going to a Kappa party or studying for an exam that is scheduled the next day.
Students also have the choice to graduate on time.
Most degree plans allow for students to graduate in four years, but now the average is five years.
Prairie View A&M University was ranked 24th in 2007 among historically black colleges and universities with a graduation rate of 38 percent, according to the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education.
The university's rating is 35 percent this year according to Black College Search, but Prairie View is not the only HBCU with a low rating. Universities such as Alabama State, Coppin State, Texas Southern, and Fort Valley State University fall below the 25 percentile.
The following HBCUs are currently the top 10 with high graduation rates: Spelman College, Howard University, Morehouse College, Hampton University, Fisk University, Xavier University of Louisiana, Tuskegee University, Clatlin University, Dillard University, and Florida A&M University.
There are two reasons why these rankings occurs: funding and acceptance. Spelman is a historically black, all women college with a graduation rate that competes with elite predominantly white institutions, resting at 78 percent. Spelman is selective when accepting students and they have private funding.
Well over 90 percent of Prairie View's students depend on financial aid.
Many students come from families where neither parents nor grandparents, attended college and/or they come from low income families.
Another factor is some African American students do not come to college with strong study habits. This leads to many students being placed in remedial courses, therefore delaying graduation even further.
Although students take the courses they need, taking 12 hours a semester does not bring a student closer to graduation either. However, enrolling in 15 hours a semester, 30 hours a year, for four years will permit a student to graduate in four years.
Universities are focusing on acceptance rates while setting the focus of graduation rates aside. With acceptance comes retention and if a university cannot produce well-rounded individuals, that university will not graduate well-adjusted students.
Prairie View's retention rate, according to Black College Search, is 67 percent. With the incoming freshmen, and transfer students, that is related to academics and finances.
According to an article in The Texas Tribune, one of the challenges many Texas universities face is the disjuncture between the K-12 system and higher education.
Universities are improving on advising students and allowing them to feel more connected to the university, therefore, helping with this problem.
Senior education major Alex Brewer said that students need to take more initiative in their studies and focus more on passing their classes than going to the parties.
State Representative Dan Branch, chairman of the House Higher Education Committee, said, "There are not enough intervention programs, or the online tools aren't available."
Prairie View has a writing center, tutoring center, math lab, retention programs, and some professors work on Saturdays to help students.
Special programs coordinator Isis McCraw has started a program with the Panther Ambassadors called One Down. This program focuses on sophomores and influences them to take more responsibility with academics and life.
"When students come into the UC, they get help with everything from schedules to classes and so forth," said McCraw. "But when they come out of the UC, they are left to do things on their own and that's where One Down helps the students to be more responsible and independent."