PhD thesis,
Assessment, advisement, and placement practices, and student satisfaction with class placement at a two-year private college: A case study
State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, PhD Thesis, (2002)
Abstract
This evaluative, descriptive case study was conducted to determine if the assessment, advisement, and placement practices at Villa Maria College of Buffalo, New York (VMC) were appropriate and to investigate student satisfaction or dissatisfaction with these practices. The participants consisted of 156 students who were enrolled in VMC during the fall of 1998 and were assessed, advised, and placed into classes through the use of standardized reading and arithmetic tests and an in-house writing sample. Results from this study revealed that if students persevered to completion in both remedial and non-remedial classes, they had above a 90\% rate of success. This study did not account in any way for students who dropped out of the first semester. Interviews were conducted of students who perceived class placement was correct, but received a poor or failing grade and of students who perceived the placement as incorrect. Interviews revealed factors affecting their academic performance and faculty interviews added collateral support to the students' responses. This study indicates the need to review the purpose and structure of some remedial classes regarding appropriate placement decisions, and the possibility of instituting student inventories to have students identify non-academic factors that impede success.
