The effects of the College Student Success course on the retention and academic performance of English as a second language students enrolled in developmental reading and English at Central Piedmont Community College

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects that participation in the College Student Success course had on in-term retention and academic performance of English as a Second Language students enrolled in developmental reading and English courses at Central Piedmont Community College. The College Student Success course (ACA111) is an orientation course open to all students and designed to help the novice or under prepared student navigate the academic system by providing information on how to access services such as counseling and tutoring. The general CPCC student population has been shown to benefit from successfully completing ACA111, both in terms of retention and grade performance. English as a Second Language students often enroll in ACA111. The results of the data analysis showed that there were no significant differences between the grades of the ESL students enrolled in developmental English and/or reading courses and who had enrolled in ACA111 and those ESL students enrolled in developmental English and/or reading courses and chose not to enroll in ACA111. Retention rates of ESL students in developmental reading and English courses were not affected by enrolling in ACA111. The conclusion of this study was that ACA111 had no influence on the academic performance and in-term retention of this particular group of ESL students enrolled in developmental English and reading courses at Central Piedmont Community College.