Autism is a neurobiological disorder characterized by impairment in social interaction, communication, and repetitive stereotyped patterns of behavior. Autism rates have continued to increase in the United States and a cause or cure has not yet been found. In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the prevalence of…

This qualitative research study used Tinto's Theory of Social Integration and Retention to investigate the elements that influence Yemeni students' retention and attrition at U.S. higher education institutions in the Northern California. Eight college students were interviewed and seven stakeholders of the students (i.e., parents, high school…

As American high school seniors graduate and prepare to attend college, these students must change in order to adapt to the new rituals that higher education presents. Teens, for the most part, leave their family structure and their normal everyday routines to pursue a degree and a chance for a good paying job. However, these students can be…

Historically, retaining students and maximizing their academic achievement has been a challenge for administrators in American colleges and universities. Since the mid-twentieth century, the sophomore year has increasingly been suspected of being a gateway to declining grades, decreased morale, and increased attrition among college students.…

Adaptation, or adjustment, is a psycho-social process that occurs when an individual accepts and integrates into his or her life a transition from one situation to another situation (Schlossberg, 1981). Many individuals struggle with transitions because transitions involve changes in the environment, roles, routines, and/or ways of looking at the…

This qualitative study explored the college transition experience of eight first-year students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder at a midwestern research university. Using a three-interview-series model, students participated in structured interviews designed to explore their backgrounds, discuss their current experiences on campus,…

The Great Recession of 2008 and rising costs of college have stoked popular and scholarly concern about young adult debt. Debt plays an important role in the lives of young people as they make the transition to adulthood, but little research has been conducted on the topic. This dissertation sheds light on the role of debt in the lives of young…

Research on study abroad focuses on the development of learning outcomes and assessment (Bolen, 2007) or program design, such as level of integration with local student population, housing situation, and level of interaction with host culture (Brecht & Robinson, 1993; Engle & Engle, 2004; Georgetown Consortium Research Project, n.d.;…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of single college women who had an unplanned pregnancy while attending a small private four-year university in the upper midwest. The conceptual framework used to provide direction for this study was social constructivism. A phenomenological approach was used to seek the reality…