Student Engagement in Text Message College Advising: Perceptions of Best Practices Among Program Leaders and Advisors

• In Event: Pebbles in a Field and Other Nuggets Learned From Four Text Messaging and Advising Interventions

Abstract

Objective:
Text messaging is viewed as one of the latest panaceas to help students navigate the complicated steps to college. However, to date, many studies have ignored the intersectionality of multiple organizations committed to supporting students along their postsecondary path. This study seeks to understand the impact of an advising campaign designed and implemented collectively with two college access partners, several LEA’s and one higher education partner.
Theoretical Framework
Our theoretical framework draws from Brofenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006; Damon & Lerner, 2006) explaining how behaviors and actions vary as people interact and make meaning of the world they live and Nudge Theory (Castleman, B.L., & Page, L., 2015; Castleman, B., Schwartz, S., & Baum, S., 2015; Damgaard, M., & Nielsen, H., 2018; Page, L., & Gehlbach, H., 2017) which posits positive reinforcement and indirect suggestions in the form of nudges can influence behavior and decision making of groups or individuals.

Methods and Data Sources
College transition support was provided to 2700 rising college freshman and 800 rising college sophomores from the District of Columbia. American University (AU) graduate students replied to the automated text messages, sent through Signal Vine, and offered personalized support to rising freshman and sophomores regarding key tasks needed to remain on track for fall matriculation. Rising college freshman messaging focused on college enrollment, financial aid process (FAFSA completion, DC TAG application, financial aid award letters, scholarships, loans, tuition bills), housing, logging into their college portal, paying deposits, freshman orientation, placement tests, registering for classes, purchasing health insurance and understanding the resources available in the Office of Student Support Services. Rising college sophomores messages focused on handling and scheduling classes, social aspects of college (roommates, residential life), financial aid (FAFSA, DC-CAP Last Dollar Award, DC-TAG application, scholarships), housing, connecting with an advisor, understanding the resources available in the Office of Student Support Services, deciding on a major, and maintaining a good GPA. The AU graduate students connected the transitioning freshman and sophomore students to their DC-College Access Program (DC-CAP) advisors where more personalized support was provided.
Four sources of data were obtained: (1) anonymized student level data, (2) national student clearninghouse data, (3) five years of aggregate outcome data was obtained to allow for a year to year comparison, and (4) end of study student text message survey responses were received. These data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively.
Findings
Direct high school to college enrollment was 60% with 85.9% of students attending 4 yr institutions and 14.1% attending 2 yr institutions. 16.4% students took rigorous courses (AP, IB, Honors, or College Prep) compared to 83.6% enrolled in general course curriculm. While we are still analyzing the data, early results show a surprising number of DC seniors with high GPA’s (over 3.75) and high SAT scores (over 1500) opted not to attend college Fall 2018.

Scholarly Significance
This study contributes to the literature by adding nuance to recent texting interventions (Gurantz, O., Howell, J., Hurwitz, M., Larson, C., Pender, M., & White, B., 2019).

Authors

• Laura Owen, San Diego State University

• Jasmine Byrd, American University