Doubling Graduation Rates: Three-Year Effects of CUNY's Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) for Developmental Education Students
Scrivener, Susan; Weiss, Michael J.; Ratledge, Alyssa; Rudd, Timothy; Sommo, Colleen; Fresques, Hannah (2015). MDRC. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED558511
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examining896Students, gradePS
Strategies for Postsecondary Students in Developmental Education–A Practice Guide for College and University Administrators, Advisors, and Faculty
Review Details
Reviewed: February 2024
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Strategies for Postsecondary Students in Developmental Education–A Practice Guide for College and University Administrators, Advisors, and Faculty Practice Guide
(findings for Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP))
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Term GPA- % with GPA >2.0 |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
1 Semester |
Full sample;
|
68.80 |
60.20 |
Yes |
|
|
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
% Enrolled at any CUNY College |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
12 Weeks |
Full sample;
|
96.40 |
93.70 |
No |
-- | |
|
% Enrolled at any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
12 Weeks |
Full sample;
|
97.00 |
94.00 |
No |
-- |
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
40.10 |
21.80 |
Yes |
|
|
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
College-level credits earned |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
42.95 |
35.18 |
Yes |
|
|
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
% Completed development requirements |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
75.20 |
57.10 |
Yes |
|
|
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Transferred to a 4-year Institution |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
25.10 |
17.30 |
Yes |
|
|
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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Female: 62% -
Urban
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New York
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Race Black 34% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 44%
Study Details
Setting
The sample was comprised of two cohorts of first-year community college students enrolled at three CUNY community colleges (Borough of Manhattan, Kingsborough, and LaGuardia) in The City University of New York community college system in the United States (total N = 896; spring 2010 cohort N = 327; fall 2010 cohort N = 569). Students were eligible for the study if had low socioeconomic status (based on family income or Pell grant eligibility), needed one or two developmental courses based on Cluny assessment tests, were a new student or continuing student with 12 or fewer credits, were New York City residents, were willing to attend college full-time, and were enrolled in an ASAP-eligible major.
Study sample
The sample of students was predominantly female (62%), predominantly Hispanic or Black (44% and 34%, respectively), unmarried (79%), and on average age 22. Most of the sample were not currently employed (69%) and currently lived with their parents (74%). Almost one-third of the sample were the first person in their family to attend college (30%) and many regularly spoke a language other than English in the home (45%).
Intervention Group
The ASAP program includes four key components: messages, course enrollment, student services, and financial support. This comprehensive program is delivered over the entire course of a student's full-time enrollment at the college (typically over the course of three years). The messages involve required full-time enrollment in each semester in which they are enrolled, encouraging students to take developmental courses early in their college careers, and encouraging students to graduate with an associate's degree within three years. The course enrollment components involve consolidated block scheduling in their first year, and a non-credit seminar in at least two semesters that covers topics such as goal-setting, study skills, academic planning, and career-related issues. The student services components involves twice-monthly student advising sessions, tutoring services offered each semester, and career and employment services offered at least once a semester. The financial supports components involves a tuition waiver each semester, free public transportation vouchers every month, and free textbooks for all classes.
Comparison Group
Control group members received the college's standard services and courses. Although details are not provided about these standard services, it is stated that these standard college services are far less intensive than those offered by the ASAP program.
Support for implementation
The program was administered by the CUNY Office of Academic Affairs and the participating colleges. An executive director oversaw the implementation of ASAP at the colleges. There were also two program coordinators who worked closely with the colleges on implementation and directors at each college. CUNY central staff and college ASAP directors met monthly and communicated frequently. In addition, a thorough implementation assessment was conducted to report on fidelity.
Additional Sources
In the case of multiple manuscripts that report on one study, the WWC selects one manuscript as the primary citation and lists other manuscripts that describe the study as additional sources.
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Scrivener, Susan; Weiss, Michael J. (2013). More Graduates: Two-Year Results from an Evaluation of Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) for Developmental Education Students. Policy Brief. MDRC.
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Scrivener, Susan; Weiss, Michael J.; Sommo, Colleen. (2012). What Can a Multifaceted Program Do for Community College Students? Early Results from an Evaluation of Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) for Developmental Education Students. MDRC.
Single Study Review
Review Details
Reviewed: January 2023
- Single Study Review (findings for Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP))
- Additional source not reviewed because it is not the primary source for the study (View primary source).
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Study sample characteristics were not reported.Practice Guide
Review Details
Reviewed: July 2021
- Practice Guide (findings for Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP))
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
% Enrolled at any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
1 Semester |
Full sample;
|
96.70 |
94.20 |
No |
-- | |
|
Enrolled in four-year institution |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
25.10 |
17.30 |
Yes |
|
|
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Years |
Full sample;
|
51.90 |
40.40 |
Yes |
|
|
|
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
2.90 |
1.10 |
No |
-- | ||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Male;
|
37.30 |
18.20 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Earned a high school diploma at baseline;
|
43.10 |
22.50 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
40.10 |
21.80 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Female;
|
41.60 |
24.30 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
5 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
29.50 |
15.30 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
7 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
42.00 |
26.30 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
8 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
45.20 |
29.90 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Did not earn a high school diploma at baseline;
|
31.30 |
19.70 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
9 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
46.60 |
32.40 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
4 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
14.70 |
8.70 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
10 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
48.20 |
36.40 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Years |
Female;
|
54.70 |
43.30 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Years |
Earned a high school diploma at baseline;
|
53.70 |
42.20 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
11 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
49.70 |
38.20 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Years |
Male;
|
45.10 |
36.20 |
No |
-- | ||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Years |
Did not earn a high school diploma at baseline;
|
40.60 |
35.40 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Bachelor's or graduate degree |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Years |
Full sample;
|
16.70 |
16.20 |
No |
-- | ||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
1 Semester |
Full sample;
|
0.00 |
0.00 |
No |
-- | ||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
2 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
0.20 |
0.00 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Number of Sessions Enrolled |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
|
6.57 |
5.38 |
Yes |
|
|
|
|
Credits earned |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
|
42.89 |
35.18 |
Yes |
|
|
|
|
% Enrolled at Any College |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
51.20 |
47.40 |
No |
-- | ||
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
% Enrolled at Any College |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
2 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
91.80 |
81.60 |
Yes |
|
||
|
College-level credits earned |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
4 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
33.24 |
26.91 |
Yes |
|
||
|
College-level credits earned |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
2 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
17.47 |
14.59 |
Yes |
|
||
|
College-level credits earned |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
25.85 |
21.34 |
Yes |
|
||
|
College-level credits earned |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
5 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
38.59 |
31.55 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Enrolled at Any College |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
77.30 |
70.20 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Enrolled at Any College |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
4 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
71.20 |
62.90 |
Yes |
|
||
|
College-level credits earned |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
1 Semester |
Full sample;
|
8.49 |
7.56 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Enrolled at Any College |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
5 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
61.90 |
55.30 |
Yes |
|
||
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
-
Female: 62%
Male: 38% -
Urban
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- B
- A
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- I
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- J
- K
- L
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- M
- N
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- Q
- R
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- V
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New York
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Race Asian 8% Black 34% Other or unknown 48% White 10% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 44% Not Hispanic or Latino 56%
Study Details
Setting
The study was conducted at three The City University of New York (CUNY) community colleges: Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), Kingsborough Community College (KCC), and LaGuardia Community College (LGCC). Students were originally randomly assigned to the study in 2010 and were followed for six years.
Study sample
Among the 896 students in the evaluation sample, 38% were male and 62% were female. At baseline, 57% of students were age 19 or younger but the average age of students was 21.5 years, and 44% of students were Hispanic. Ten percent of students were White, 34% were Black, and 8% were Asian or Pacific Islander. Moreover, 60% of students were incoming freshmen, 88% received a Pell Grant, and at least 87% of students had a developmental need in one or two classes (developmental need was unknown for 11% of students).
Intervention Group
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) was a three-year program provides wraparound supports to students; it does not aim to alter classroom instruction. ASAP had four primary components: (1) Requirements and Messages: Students were required to attend college full time and were strongly encouraged to take developmental courses early and graduate within three years; (2) Student Services: In their first year, students received advisement from an ASAP adviser at least twice per month (average: 38 meetings per student), support from an ASAP career and employment services staff member at least once per semester (average: nine meetings), and one hour per week of tutoring from ASAP staff for each developmental course taken (tutoring was also required when students' GPA fell below 2.0) (average: 24 sessions); (3) Course Enrollment: Students enrolled in blocked or linked courses in their first year (i.e., multiple courses offered back-to-back or that have connected content and keep ASAP students together in the same courses). Students could also register for courses early, and enroll in an ASAP seminar during the first three semesters which covers topics such as student skills and goal setting; and (4) Financial Supports: Students received a tuition waiver that covered the gap between financial aid and college tuition and fees (an average of $719 per semester among the small percentage of students who received the waiver). Students also received free public transportation for subway and bus travel (Metro Cards, which cost an average of $112 per month by the end of the third year of the study) and free use of textbooks (worth approximately $270 per semester). In addition, ASAP provided voluntary services to students, including access to a social work intern, a $500 per semester ASAP Transfer Scholarship to complete degrees at CUNY four-year colleges, and participation in a ASAP Student Leadership Program to develop leadership and public speaking skills. Neither of these offerings were widely used by students.
Comparison Group
Unlike ASAP, students in the comparison condition were not required to enroll full time. Students in the comparison group had access to the usual college services. On average in their first year, students in the comparison group had six meetings with an adviser, two meetings with career services, and seven tutoring sessions. Blocked or linked courses were available at two of the three colleges during the first semester, but enrollment in these courses is unknown. Some students also took a student success course or a freshman seminar during their first year. Students in the comparison group had no access to additional financial supports such as tuition waivers, free MetroCards, or free use of textbooks.
Support for implementation
ASAP was initially funded in 2007 with a three-year, $20 million grant from the New York City Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO). ASAP was jointly administered by the CUNY Office of Academic Affairs and the participating community colleges.
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) Intervention Report - Supporting Postsecondary Success
Review Details
Reviewed: August 2019
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations because it is a randomized controlled trial with low attrition.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Please see the WWC summary of evidence for Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP).
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
% Enrolled at any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
1 Semester |
Full sample;
|
96.70 |
94.20 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Enrolled in four-year institution |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
25.10 |
17.30 |
Yes |
|
|
|
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
% Enrolled at any CUNY College |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
1 Semester |
Full sample;
|
95.80 |
85.20 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Enrolled at any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
2 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
91.80 |
81.60 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Enrolled at any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
77.30 |
70.20 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Enrolled at any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
4 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
71.20 |
62.90 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Enrolled at any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
5 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
61.90 |
55.30 |
No |
-- | ||
|
% Enrolled at any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
51.20 |
47.40 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Years |
Full sample;
|
51.90 |
40.40 |
Yes |
|
|
|
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
2.90 |
1.10 |
No |
-- | ||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Male;
|
37.30 |
18.20 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Earned a high school diploma at baseline;
|
43.10 |
22.50 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
40.10 |
21.80 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Female;
|
41.60 |
24.30 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
5 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
29.50 |
15.30 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
7 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
42.00 |
26.30 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
8 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
45.20 |
29.90 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Did not earn a high school diploma at baseline;
|
31.30 |
19.70 |
No |
-- | ||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
4 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
14.70 |
8.70 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
9 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
46.60 |
32.40 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
10 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
48.20 |
36.40 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Years |
Female;
|
54.70 |
43.30 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Years |
Earned a high school diploma at baseline;
|
53.70 |
42.20 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
11 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
49.70 |
38.20 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Years |
Male;
|
45.10 |
36.20 |
No |
-- | ||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Years |
Did not earn a high school diploma at baseline;
|
40.60 |
35.40 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Bachelor's or graduate degree |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
6 Years |
Full sample;
|
16.70 |
16.20 |
No |
-- | ||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
1 Semester |
Full sample;
|
0.00 |
0.00 |
Yes |
-- | ||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
2 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
0.20 |
0.00 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Number of Sessions Enrolled |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
|
6.57 |
5.38 |
Yes |
|
|
|
|
Credits earned |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Years |
Full sample;
|
42.89 |
35.18 |
Yes |
|
|
|
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
College-level credits earned |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
4 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
33.24 |
26.91 |
Yes |
|
||
|
College-level credits earned |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
2 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
17.47 |
14.59 |
Yes |
|
||
|
College-level credits earned |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
3 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
25.85 |
21.34 |
Yes |
|
||
|
College-level credits earned |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
5 Semesters |
Full sample;
|
38.59 |
31.55 |
Yes |
|
||
|
College-level credits earned |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
1 Semester |
Full sample;
|
8.49 |
7.56 |
Yes |
|
||
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
-
Female: 62%
Male: 38% -
Urban
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- B
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- D
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- F
- G
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- V
- U
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- X
- Z
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- a
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New York
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Race Asian 8% Black 34% Other or unknown 5% White 10% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 44% Not Hispanic or Latino 56%
Study Details
Setting
The study was conducted at three CUNY community colleges: Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), Kingsborough Community College (KCC), and LaGuardia Community College (LGCC). Students were originally randomly assigned to the study in 2010 and were followed for six years.
Study sample
Among the 896 students in the evaluation sample, 38 percent were male and 62 percent were female. At baseline, 57 percent of students were age 19 or younger but the average age of students was 21.5 years, and 44 percent of students were Hispanic, 10 percent were White, 34 percent were Black, 8 percent were Asian or Pacific Islander, and 5 percent fell into the "Other" category. Moreover, 60 percent of students were incoming freshmen, 88 percent received a Pell Grant, and at least 87 percent of students had a developmental need in one or two classes (developmental need was unknown for 11 percent of students).
Intervention Group
The ASAP Intervention is a three-year program provides wraparound supports to students: it does not aim to alter classroom instruction. ASAP has four primary components: 1. Requirements and Messages: Students are required to attend college full time and are strongly encouraged to take developmental courses early and graduate within three years. 2. Student Services: In their first year, students received advisement from an ASAP adviser at least twice per month (average: 38 meetings per student during that time), support from an ASAP career and employment services staff member at least once per semester (average: nine meetings during that time), and one hour per week of tutoring from ASAP staff for each developmental course taken (tutoring was also required when students' GPA fell below 2.0) (average: 24 sessions during that time). 3. Course Enrollment: Students enroll in blocked or linked courses in their first year (i.e., multiple courses offered back-to-back or that have connected content and keep ASAP students together in the same courses). Students can also register for courses early, and enroll in an ASAP seminar during the first three semesters which covers topics such as student skills and goal setting. 4. Financial Supports: Students receive a tuition waiver that covers the gap between financial aid and college tuition and fees (an average of $719 per semester among the small percentage of students who received the waiver). Students also receive free public transportation for subway and bus travel (Metro Cards, which cost an average of $112 per month by the end of the third year of the study) and free use of textbooks (worth approximately $270 per semester). In addition, ASAP provided voluntary services to students, including access to a social work intern, a $500 per semester ASAP Transfer Scholarship to complete degrees at CUNY four-year colleges, and participation in a ASAP Student Leadership Program to develop leadership and public speaking skills. Neither of these offerings were widely used by students.
Comparison Group
Unlike ASAP, students in the comparison condition were not required to enroll full time. Students in the comparison group had access to the usual college services: On average in their first year, students in the comparison group had six meetings with an adviser, two meetings with career services, and seven tutoring sessions. Blocked or linked courses were available at two of the three colleges during the first semester, but enrollment in these courses is unknown. Some students also took a student success course or a freshman seminar during their first year. Students in the comparison group had no access to additional financial supports (i.e., tuition waivers, free MetroCards, or free use of textbooks).
Support for implementation
ASAP was initially funded in 2007 with a three-year, $20 million grant from the New York City Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO). ASAP is jointly administered by the CUNY Office of Academic Affairs and the participating community colleges.
Grant Competition
Review Details
Reviewed: February 2016
- Grant Competition (findings for Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP))
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards without reservations
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Term GPA- % with GPA >2.0 |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
Semester 1 |
Full sample;
|
0.69 |
0.60 |
Yes |
|
|
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Transferred to 4-year institution |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
Semester 6 |
Full sample;
|
0.25 |
0.17 |
Yes |
|
|
|
% Enrolled at any CUNY College |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
Main Session 1 |
Full sample;
|
0.96 |
0.94 |
No |
-- | |
|
% Enrolled at any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
Semester 1 |
Full sample;
|
0.97 |
0.94 |
No |
-- |
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
Semester 6 |
Full sample;
|
0.40 |
0.22 |
Yes |
|
|
|
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
Semester 6 |
Male;
|
0.37 |
0.18 |
Yes |
|
||
|
% Earned a degree from any college |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
Semester 6 |
Female;
|
0.42 |
0.24 |
Yes |
|
||
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cumulative college-level credits |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
Semester 6 |
Full sample;
|
42.89 |
35.18 |
Yes |
|
|
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
% Completed development requirements |
Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) vs. Business as usual |
Semester 6 |
Full sample;
|
0.75 |
0.57 |
Yes |
|
|
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
-
Female: 62%
Male: 38% -
Urban
-
- B
- A
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- I
- H
- J
- K
- L
- P
- M
- N
- O
- Q
- R
- S
- V
- U
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- W
- X
- Z
- Y
- a
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- r
- s
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- w
- y
New York
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Race Black 34% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 44% Not Hispanic or Latino 56%
Quick Review
Review Details
Reviewed: May 2015
- Quick Review
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Review in progress
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Study sample characteristics were not reported.An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
An outcome is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are attained as a result of an activity. An outcome measures is an instrument, device, or method that provides data on the outcome.
A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
The WWC reviews studies for WWC products, Department of Education grant competitions, and IES performance measures.
The name and version of the document used to guide the review of the study.
The version of the WWC design standards used to guide the review of the study.
The result of the WWC assessment of the study. The rating is based on the strength of evidence of the effectiveness of the intervention. Studies are given a rating of Meets WWC Design Standards without Reservations, Meets WWC Design Standards with Reservations, or >Does Not Meet WWC Design Standards.
A related publication that was reviewed alongside the main study of interest.
Study findings for this report.
Based on the direction, magnitude, and statistical significance of the findings within a domain, the WWC characterizes the findings from a study as one of the following: statistically significant positive effects, substantively important positive effects, indeterminate effects, substantively important negative effects, and statistically significant negative effects. For more, please see the WWC Handbook.
The WWC may review studies for multiple purposes, including different reports and re-reviews using updated standards. Each WWC review of this study is listed in the dropdown. Details on any review may be accessed by making a selection from the drop down list.
Tier 1 Strong indicates strong evidence of effectiveness,
Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).