At Boston area public community colleges, which have an open-admissions policy, the issue of retention is much more difficult. With recent state and federal budget cuts, some administrators say that they are having a difficult time funding additional support services for struggling students, a problem that is not much of a concern for private institutions.
Of the 80 Boston students who graduated in 2000 and matriculated at Northeastern University — the city’s most popular private school — 82.5 percent received degrees by the spring of 2007.
Ronne P. Turner, the dean of admissions, says that the university is committed to attracting and retaining students — particularly minority students from the Boston area.
“We provide good academic and social support and we try to remove the financial barriers and make sure that our students have the academic support to transition from one level to another,” says Turner.
Turner says that targeted scholarships for Boston’s high school graduates have made Northeastern an attractive option for many local students. When students arrive on campus, there are additional support services, including centers on campus that cater specifically to the needs of Black and Hispanic students.
“It is our goal as an institution to admit and graduate students who will be successful at the university,” says Turner. “We are pleased with the work that we have done, but a lot more work still needs to be done.”
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