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Box 3.1How Advising and Intersessions Propelled Frank ForwardIn his mid-30s and married with children, Frank decided to enroll in night classes at the nearbycommunity college with the hope of eventually transferring to a four-year university. He hadworked in public service for more than 10 years and knew that a bachelor’s degree would berequired for him to move into management. Frank worked full time during the day and took afull-time course load in the evenings.Frank was a strong English student but struggled in math, testing into the lowest level of developmentalmath courses. Knowing that math would be a stumbling block for him, he decided totake his first developmental math course in the summer before enrolling in ASAP, hoping hecould remember some of the math he had learned in high school and ease himself back intoacademic life.Frank developed a good relationship with his adviser, who understood the unique struggles ofnontraditional students and students attending evening courses. Frank would frequently drop byafter his classes in the evening to say hello and ask questions. He talked with his adviser abouttopics such as course sequencing, how to interact with professors, finding scholarships, andplanning how to complete his associate’s degree and transfer to a four-year school. Because hesaw his career advancement as contingent on earning a degree, he wanted to stay on track.Frank’s adviser reported that it was comprehensive advising, along with the free textbooks, thatproved to be most helpful to Frank’s success in ASAP.Taking his adviser’s advice, Frank enrolled in intersessions every semester and quickly accumulatedcredits. He repeatedly made the Dean’s List, something he had not anticipated uponenrolling in school. Frank was able to graduate with an associate’s degree in just two years.After taking a break of one semester, he enrolled in a four-year school within CUNY that ishighly acclaimed for his major.Graduate QuicklyASAP: ASAP’s goal is for students to graduate with an associate’s degree within threeyears. MDRC field research found that ASAP delivered the message that students should andcan graduate within three years through written materials, program orientation, and earlydiscussions with advisers, beginning immediately when students entered the program. ASAPadvisers reported that they continued to communicate that message to students throughout theirtime in the program, both directly in conversations and indirectly through helping students mapout the courses they needed to take in order to graduate by a certain semester. Some ASAPadvisers at one of the colleges said they encouraged many students to graduate in two years bytaking advantage of the winter and summer intersessions.23