Freshmen getting a jump start at IUPUI

Almost half of undergraduate students enrolled in four year Indiana public colleges fail to graduate in six years. The statistics are even lower at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis .

IUPUI's priority is to retain and graduate more students sooner rather than later.

Three years ago, IUPUI began a summer math remediation program for incoming freshmen. School leaders said the results were so good that two more courses were added this year.

"People told me going to college would be a lot harder than high school," said Staci Harris, an IUPUI student.

Harris is writing an essay about her anxiety of transitioning from high school in Merrillville to college in Indianapolis.

"So far it's not as bad as you might have thought it would seem."

Two hundred incoming freshmen identified by IUPUI as "at risk" of faltering in college were invited to campus five weeks early. They are immersed in writing, math, and college introduction courses.

English professor Mary Sauer is in charge of the program.

She said, "We want them to get past that idea that the professor's up here somewhere and you can't ever talk to them."

Professor Sauer sends students out to explore campus and find the resources available, then write about what they've found.

She will recommend what English classes they should take in the fall.

Fewer than 40% of IUPUI students earn a diploma. The school's new goal is to increase that rate to 45% in five years.

Vice Chancellor Uday Sukhatme believes a 50% graduation rate is possible.

"There are other institutions which have done that with certain programs which are similar to ours,” said Sukhatme.

Now every IUPUI department is required to help every student make a college road map.

"What do they need to do? What are the courses? What are the requirements and what are the options which they have of fitting in various courses,” Sukhatme said.

David Gray is a freshman. He attended small Catholic schools and was concerned about attending a big college.

"Really, I'm glad I'm taking this because it has really helped me with stuff I've already learned, just refreshing it and making sure I know the basics and all that,” said Gray.

Most of the students quit summer jobs early to enroll, but the preparatory program is free. IUPUI said its investment is about $150,000.

IUPUI said 82% of the freshmen who took the prep program last summer made it through their first year compared with 74% who didn't take the course.

Not all students however are eligible. That's based on SAT scores, and high school GPA.