|
At-Risk
Students |
|
Martha Maxwell (1997, p.2) defines at risk as those
who have “skills, knowledge, motivation, and/or
academic ability that are significantly below
those of the ‘typical’ student in the college or
curriculum in which they are enrolled.” Ender and Wilkie
(2000, p.134-135) report that at-risk students are
likely to possess any number of other characteristics
such as |
|
|
 |
low academic
self-concept, |
|
|
|
unrealistic
grade and career expectations, |
|
|
|
unfocused
career objectives |
|
|
|
extrinsic
motivation |
|
|
|
external locus
of control |
|
|
|
low
self-efficacy, |
|
|
|
inadequate
study skills for college success |
|
|
|
a belief that
learning is memorizing and a history of passive learning |
|
There are many reasons why students can be considered
at-risk for achieving academic success in higher
education. At-risk students may have made poor decisions
that have had a negative effect on their academics or
they may be an adult learner who returns to education
after an extended absence. Jones and Becker (2002)
suggest that advisors be aware that this group of
students benefit from more personal attention from
individual advising sessions that focus on the student’s
development of self-confidence and developing sound
decision-making skills. In order to
serve at-risk students advisors must become
experts in counseling, problem solving, and referrals.
|
