Coaching college students who have expressed an interest in leaving: A pilot study

ABSTRACT Coaching programmes have become increasingly popular among institutions seeking to increase retention rates. The purpose of this experimental study is to examine the effects of a brief coaching intervention. Participants included first-year students thinking about leaving the institution within the first four to six weeks of school. When comparing the control (n = 45) and treatment groups (n = 46), findings showed the treatment group did not significantly improve retention or GPA. Although low participation may be a factor, discussions and implications are shared to improve coaching models and programmes for students who have expressed an interest in leaving their institution.