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# Santa Monica College gets A+ for its failing students
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-college-gets-a-for-its-failing-students/
- Published: 2004-04-06T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T04:11:25.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Community, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*SMC, from page 1 Studying is not a priority for some SMC students*

*By JAMIE WETHERBE Special to the Daily Press*

SMC — Santa Monica College has been recognized as one of the best schools in the country when it comes to dealing with its faltering students.

SMC each year receives about 6,500 freshmen and as many as 35 percent of them earn less than a C average.

“The rate at SMC is a little high,” said counselor Esau Tovar, adding that other colleges see a rate closer to 15 percent.

In response, Tovar and others about two years ago started the “Student Enhancement and Educational Research Project,” which has included nearly 2,000 probationary students — either because of poor grades or a low completion rate of courses.

The National Council on Student Development, an affiliate of the American Association of Community Colleges, gave this year’s “Best Practice Award” to SMC’s program, citing the program’s effectiveness, quality and significance to the field and adaptability of strategies to other colleges.

“It is testimony to the value of a sound research design and well thought out intervention strategies aimed at improving student success,” Tovar said.

He added that given the success of the project, the sessions are ongoing and continue to be expanded to accommodate more students.

“Not many colleges offer programs for probationary students,” Tovar said, adding that students involved in the hour-and-a-half program get out of probation sooner. And while the seminar is offered to all probationary students, about one-third chose to attend.

During the program, counselors have sessions with groups of 10 to 15 students. The sessions are offered in the summer and winter before the fall and spring semesters. Topics of discussion include motivation, attitudes toward education, how to relate to instructors and students’ relationships with their parents and significant others, Tovar said.

Students also discuss with one another what landed them on probation.

“Sixty to 70 percent of the time, it’s reasons other than lack of study skills,” Tovar said. Often Latino and African- American students “work excessively to support their families,” and their jobs often come before school.

A year-long study of probationary students completed in fall 2003 showed the effects on students’ academic achievements. Findings included: ■ Half of the students who attended the re-orientation went off probation. ■ More than 70 percent of students involved in the program continued their studies the following semester, while 23 percent of students not involved in the project stayed in school.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 6, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/040604.pdf?ref=smdp.com)