The research entitled, "The Factors That Affect Retention Rates of African-American Students Pursuing Stem Degrees from Historically Black Colleges and Universities" is a quantitative study that analyzes academic factors, specifically in the first year of college, and their impact on the retention of African-American Science, Technology,…

The purpose of this study was to examine the predictability of selected cognitive and non-cognitive factors on the academic achievement of first-year college students. Data were collected from over 150 freshman students enrolled at a Historically Black College and University located in the southern region of the United States. Data were examined…

The primary purpose of this study was to examine and determine what factors contribute to the prevention of first semester freshmen students not succeeding on high stakes tests based on their opinions, and what variables are important to their performance at the university. The Personal Educational Academic Survey (PEAS), a 65 item Likert-type…

In 2001, the No Child Left Behind legislature was introduced, along with the era of the highly qualified teacher. A highly qualified teacher meant that teachers not only had to graduate from an accredited teacher preparation program but also had to pass Praxis I and II tests. However, Praxis I became a test of elimination because teachers no…

The purpose of this study was to understand why graduation rates of African American male students from four-year historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) within a six-year period were not on par with those of other races and ethnicities and, in particular, whether the reasons African American male students drop out rather than persist…

One of the most pressing problems facing our nation is the large percentage of students who enroll in college but never complete a degree. The U.S. Department of Education estimates that only 57 percent of students who sought a bachelor's degree and enrolled in a four-year institution in the fall of 2002 completed that degree within six years. For…

The ACT has been used as an assessment instrument for student admission to many colleges and universities in the United States. The fate of many students depends on their ability to make an acceptable score in order to enroll in college credit courses and avoid remediation. Even though the ACT is not the only criteria for admission to college, it…