Are there any documented studies that demonstrate benefits to LC members?
Absolutely! Learning Communities have been in existence nationwide for nearly 20 years, and are being adopted in various disciplines and using a variety of formats at UNC Charlotte. Numerous long-term studies have followed students who have participated in Learning Communities in their freshman year, comparing their success rate in college with non-participants. These have shown that LC participants have a higher Grade Point Average, a greater likelihood of graduating in four years, and are less likely to drop out of college, than non-participants.
