The week prior to the start of the fall term, NVC students enrolled in Math 1414 attended the Math 1414 Orientation where they received one-on-one math advisement by math faculty members who volunteered their own personal time to support students.
The Math 1414 Orientation, which was held Aug. 20-21, began because of low success rates for students enrolled in Math 1414. As a result of this event, one-third of participants changed their math course. The majority changed to a math course better aligned with their academic preparedness. Many students chose to move into a Math 0320 course for more extensive preparation and some chose a Ready, Set, Go (RSG) Math 1414 course which includes a four-week review at the beginning of the semester to help better prepare students for the academic rigor of Math 1414. A few students changed to a course better suited for their major and transfer institution.
Additionally, NVC students were provided around the clock support from 7 am to 8:30 pm during the first two days of the fall term at Mini Vista Central (MVC). This event was held in Juniper Hall making it convenient and easy for students in the wrong math course to change courses. Math instructors (adjunct and full-time faculty) have proven their commitment to being student-centered as they take time on the first day to provide vital beginning of course advisement in their classes and then send students to math advisors in the MAC if there is concern about math course placement.
Math instructors also accommodate students who need to be moved into their courses as a result of the math advising. It’s important to note that Student Success is critical to these events as they handle the course changes as well as answer questions which arise such as impact on financial aid, etc. Since 2016, these events have prevented over 1,200 students from wasting valuable time and money by moving them into the correct course.
Most excitingly, we are finding that the number of course changes has been steadily dropping every term which means that other Math Paths efforts have proven to be effective as most students are in the correct math course. Also, noteworthy is that the majority of students who were recently in the wrong course had self-advised.
A big THANK YOU goes out to all who supported both events.
Contributed by April Carmona, Project Director of Title V Project Math Paths