Getting Ready to Achieve Degrees/Certificates

@ North Shore Community College

Kelly Sullivan, J.D.Director, Project GRAD

Project GRAD

Project GRADGetting Ready to Achieve Degrees and Certificates

• Focus on stackable career credentials• Cohort Learning• Achievement Coaches• Intrusive Advising• Online (Hybrid) Learning• Contextualized developmental courses• College success seminar (one credit)• Math review (one credit)

Program Choices

Contexualized Developmental Reading and Writing targeted to:

• Health Career Certificates/Degrees• Legal Career/Criminal Justice• Business/IT/Human Services

Certificates/Degrees ° (Fall 2012 pending approval)

Achievement Coaches

• Provide students individualized attention• Academic advising• Personal support and motivation• Career counseling

Coaches will follow students from the very beginning of their journeys until they complete their program of choice.

Online & TechnologySupported Learning

• Hybrid/Online learning through ANGEL platform in developmental Reading and Writing courses. Students are taught technology early in semester, supported by instructors.

• Utilizing Google tools (email, calendar, documents) to organize school, work, and personal lives

• Technology tutors available at no cost to the student.

Contextualized Courses

• Improve reading and writing skills• Our current developmental courses are

contextualized and designed for two career areas (health care and legal)

• Classes integrate career topics into the curriculum. Example: Introduce medical terminology into Health Career cohort

• Students read contemporary literature

Personal Growth and Transition Seminar

Curriculum developed to teach effective practices to ensure academic success:

• Time management• Stress management• Note taking techniques• Test-taking strategies• Career exploration• Life balance

Math Preparation

• Improve math skills• One credit math review course

° ALEKS online software with instructor° Students practice math at their own

personalized levels

Student Supports

• Study plan designed for the non-traditional student° 15-week program° Classes meet on Saturdays and Wednesday

evenings° Online component

• Project GRAD tutors 

• Cohort model to ensure a safe and comfortable learning environment

Project GRAD Student Schedule

• Saturdays 9:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Developmental Reading 1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. Growth & Transition 2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. Math

• Wednesday nights 5:30 p.m. – 6:20 p.m. One credit math course 6:30 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. Developmental Writing

• Total of eight credits. • Additional classes may be added for those students

who elect to carry a full-time load.

How are we doing?

– Fall 2010 cohort had 15 students• 92% of courses completed with a C or better• 87% of these students continued into the

following semester

– Spring 2011 cohort had 24 students• 88% completed the semester.• 91% of courses completed with a C or better

– Summer 2011 cohort had 8 students• 92% of courses completed with a C or better

How are we doing?• A math “boot camp” was delivered during

the semester break. 80% of these students demonstrated math proficiency for college-level coursework.

• Fall 2011 has two cohorts• Legal careers cohort started with 16 students,

down to 15 or 94%• Health careers cohort with 26 students (two

sections)• Overall retention rate at 98%, to date