Holistic Support That Promotes Student Learning

For decades, the cost of serving college students, from community colleges to Ivy League institutions, has been a barrier that has blocked access for many who want an education. With a recent massification effort aimed at producing more college graduates for the workplace, the enrollment numbers have increased and student debt load has become a real concern. Tuition costs are often perceived as the primary factor that prevents students from graduating, particularly when they struggle to be successful early in their college years. Barriers to student success are complex and overcoming them must involve first assessing and then addressing the needs of the learner. This process can most successfully happen with a holistic approach; students are best served when they are placed in the center of multiple existing campus services. This model works especially well because teachers and other professionals share an understanding of common barriers. Not to be undervalued, this approach allows for greater success in assessing current student challenges, determining the best resources and providing continued academic support. In this article, the authors suggest a different way of considering a student's academic challenges and examine how existing services can work together to benefit the student.