The BioCORE Scholars Program, a Cohort Model, Improves the Academic Attainment of Biology Undergraduates of Color

Using an algorithm incorporating high school GPA and SAT scores, we can predict a student’s grade point average in biology at the end of our introductory undergraduate sequence. A disproportionate number of underrepresented minority students were predicted to have lower grades. This finding sparked our new, comprehensive approach to retain them. While scholarship programs promoting diversity often select the candidates with the highest SAT scores, our aspirational BioCORE Scholars program selects the students predicted to fail. Its interventions include study cohorts, peer mentors, community role models, and research participation. By the end of their first year, our scholars outperformed students with similar predicted grades, irrespective of ethnicity (p = 0.001) and were more likely to complete the gateway biology sequence (p < 0.001). Significant improvements persisted beyond freshman year. Our data suggest early career interventions are crucial to student success.