The social emotional and psychological factors that influence college persistence are complex, especially for low-income, first-generation college-students. However, preparation for the social and emotional complexities of college are rarely a focus of college preparation programs in high school settings. When students can develop non-cognitive competencies such as articulating aspirations and expectations, forming and maintaining strong peer and adult relationships, motivation, goal-setting, and self-regulatory skills in order to persist in college, they are developing a college going identity (CGI). This research effort employed a cluster-level quasi-experimental design to explore the impact of CGI curriculum on students’ growth mindset. The full research report was successfully submitted to ERIC, and is projected to be posted in July 2025. The results will be valuable to education leaders, curriculum designers, college counselors, and universities seeking to increase student enrollment and persistence.
This research was conducted in partnership with Copia Consulting.