Wise decisions about programming require knowledge about how such influences as student sub-cultures, curriculum, and the quality of advising affect participation and graduation. Two studies that used qualitative methods illustrate the need for further inquiry into the Native student's higher education experiences. At the same time, such enclaves provide a context for everyday action that helps make college a more fulfilling experience for minority students. The results, then, tend to support the prevalent view that ethnic enclaves in higher education help retain Native students. They found what others have found, namely, that the quality of advising varies considerably.
Effective advisers undertake many activities helpful to students.
For instance, they not only approve programs of study and course selection, but also serve as advocates, mediating on the students' behalf. They also provide information from an insider's perspective, including advice about job and career choices. Effective advisers understand their advisees as people, and they interpret their roles on that basis. Clearly, students value the rapport established with effective advisers. These studies indicate that the Native high school dropout rate is declining.