Student Success Series: Attendance and Participation

Posted on by mlaverdi
Students sit with their laptops at desks in a classroom and smile.

By: Dr. Louis Frisenda, Assistant Vice President, Academic Affairs Enrollment Initiatives, Marymount University

Welcome to the Student Success Series

This article launches a three-part series focused on one simple truth: showing up consistently is one of the strongest drivers of student success. Across higher education, attendance is closely tied to course performance, and steady performance is one of the clearest pathways to retention and on-time degree completion.
Family support early in a student’s first term can make a real difference – not by managing college for them, but by helping them build the routines, confidence, and decision-making habits that lead to independence. A calm weekly check-in, encouragement to ask for help, and reinforcement of healthy choices (sleep, time management, planning) help students practice the adult skills they will rely on long after graduation.
In Part 1, we focus on attendance and participation. In Parts 2 and 3, we will build on these habits to develop strategies that strengthen connection, persistence, and progress toward completion.

Show Up, Speak Up: Attendance & Participation Are the Quiet Drivers of Success

Consistent attendance and active participation are two of the most reliable habits linked to academic performance—and families can help students build both by setting routines, checking attendance/grades weekly, and responding early to missed days.

Key takeaways for families

  • Attendance is one of the strongest predictors of course performance. 
  • Participation builds understanding, confidence, and connection to the class.
  • Small misses can snowball—early support helps students reset quickly.

Why attendance matters (more than students think)

College courses move quickly. Missing a single class can mean missing a key concept, an in-class practice activity, or an announcement that never makes it into the syllabus.
Large-scale research consistently finds that attendance is strongly related to both course grades and overall GPA.

What participation looks like

Participation does not mean being the loudest voice in the room. It usually means showing evidence of preparation and engaging in ways that fit the course design.

  • Asking one clarifying question each week
  • Contributing in small groups or labs
  • Posting in discussion boards when required
  • Completing low-stakes practice work consistently
  • Visiting office hours early in the term (not only when there is a problem)

How families can help—without becoming the attendance police

  • Focus on routines: consistent sleep, a realistic weekly schedule, and protected study blocks.
  • Normalize help-seeking: encourage your student to contact the instructor and use support services early.
  • Use recovery planning: if an absence happens, ask for a catch-up plan rather than an explanation.
  • A large randomized experiment found that repeated, personalized information to parents reduced chronic absenteeism by 10% or more.

Weekly family check-in (2 minutes)

Try this once per week, in a calm tone:

  1. Did you attend every class this week?
  2. What is due next, and when will you start it?
  3. Which class felt hardest, and what is your next step?
  4. If you miss a class, what is your plan to catch up?

Missed-class recovery plan (same day if possible)
  • Email the instructor (short and action-focused).
  • Get notes/materials from a classmate and check the LMS.
  • Schedule a 30–60 minute catch-up block within 24 hours.
  • Confirm the plan to attend the next class session.

References

  • Credé, M., Roch, S. G., & Kieszczynka, U. M. (2010). Class attendance in college: A meta-analytic review of the relationship of class attendance with grades and student characteristics. Review of Educational Research, 80(2), 272–295. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654310362998
  • Robbins, S. B., Lauver, K., Le, H., Davis, D., Langley, R., & Carlstrom, A. (2004). Do psychosocial and study skill factors predict college outcomes? A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 130(2), 261–288. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.130.2.261
  • National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). (2020). A NSSE Data User’s Guide: Sense of Belonging. Indiana University. (Accessed December 22, 2025)
  • Ratelle, C. F., Larose, S., Guay, F., & Senécal, C. (2005). Perceptions of parental involvement and support as predictors of college students’ persistence in a science curriculum. Journal of Family Psychology, 19(2), 286–293. https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3200.19.2.286
Marymount University