Student Success

Fall 2005 Graduates
Fall 2005 Honors Students

Does AAC make a difference?

Approximately 8,000 CSU students are eligible for AAC each year who are from low income and/or first generation backgrounds or are students with disabilities. Institutional data shows that in comparison to the entire CSU population, they have lower rates of retention and graduation, lower GPA's and take fewer credits per semester. The most dramatic difference is in the 5-year graduation rates. For instance, in the Fall of 2000, the 5-yr graduation rate for all University students who entered as freshmen was 57%; for low-income and first generation students who entered as freshmen, it was 28%.

Now let's look at AAC participants, the great majority of whom are low income and/or first generation students. Comparisons of academic data have consistently shown that as a group, students who participate at AAC do at least as well as the general CSU population, and usually better. Their 5-year graduation rate often exceeds that of the general CSU population, and their 6-year rate consistently exceeds it by 8 - 10 percentage points.

In addition, new freshmen who use services at Academic Advancement are retained to their third semester at higher rates than their peers. For example, compared to 82% of all CSU freshmen, and 80% of other low-income, first-generation freshmen, from 83% to 91% of AAC students who entered CSU as first-time freshmen each fall are still enrolled the following fall, their third semester.

Yes, AAC does make a difference. Those who actively participate at AAC do well academically are more likely than other CSU students to graduate with their bachelor's degree.