Understanding the suitability of multilevel modeling in the context of institutional research (IR) may ease the doubts of some IR professionals. However, the need for training on how to conduct and report multilevel modeling analysis remains. A major roadblock hindering the proliferation of multilevel modeling in IR is the perception that…

Research on the validity of psychosocial factors (PSFs) and other noncognitive predictors of college outcomes has largely ignored the practical benefits implied by the validity. We summarize evidence of the validity of PSF measures as predictors of college outcomes and then explain how this validity directly translates into improved identification…

The NEAIR 2008 Conference Proceedings is a compilation of papers presented at the Providence, Rhode Island, conference. Papers in this document include: (1) Assessing Institutional Effectiveness: The Mission Engagement Index as a Measure of Progress on Mission Goals (Ellen M. Boylan); (2) Building, Sustaining, and Developing Research University…

This study examined second-term and second-year retention of freshmen (n=6,054) and nonfreshman transfer students (n=2,733) from DePaul University, a large, urban, private institution. The predictor variables included both achievement and noncognitive measures collected at DePaul and on the ACT Assessment. Two questions formed the basis for this…

Researchers have called attention to the racism and stereotypes experienced by black undergraduates on predominantly white campuses; provided evidence of how race-specific organizations and programs help neutralize the oppressive ethos of these institutions; and proven empirically that historically black colleges and universities foster more…

Increasingly, a majority of postsecondary students are following nonlinear paths in the pursuit of educational and career goals. Practical steps are described that can be taken to track and evaluate the success of such students. A particularly promising practice involves data sharing and exchanges with state agencies and other higher education…

It has been more than a decade since the U.S. Congress enacted the "Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act," which requires colleges and universities to make public their six-year degree completion rates. Based on the "Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act," prospective students and their parents are being encouraged to make…

This paper describes a Developmental Education Outcomes Study being conducted for 21 Minnesota state community colleges. The goals of the study were to examine the academic performance of students placed into developmental reading, writing, and mathematics courses and to identify areas where improvement was needed. Subjects were all 20,543…

The validity of students' first-quarter academic performance in predicting attrition at Central State University, Ohio, was investigated. It was hypothesized that freshmen who performed satisfactorily during the first quarter were more likely to complete their baccalaureate programs than were those who performed less well. Data on 287 students…

The effectiveness of noncognitive and cognitive variables in predicting student persistence was studied. A total of 698 black freshmen entering North Carolina Central University in 1978 were studied. Sixty-one percent of the sample were female; 83 percent were between 18 and 22 years old; and 65 percent were from cities and towns with populations…

This study examines the association between three outcomes of the freshman and sophomore years (retention, academic achievement and student rating of instruction) and the amount of exposure to three types of instructors (regular full-time faculty, adjunct faculty and graduate teaching assistants). This study uncovered little evidence that…

A model of student persistence that considers the role of student finances and student financial aid was investigated in 1980, with a focus on federal campus-based aid. Linear Structural Relations (LISREL), a more versatile technique than traditional path analysis, accounted for 42 percent of the variance in the persistence of 343 new freshmen…

Based on a study of the 1985 and 1987 freshman cohorts' responses to a freshman survey, it was found that freshmen who express the intention of transferring from the institution have significantly higher withdrawal rates after their freshman year. A comparison of those who planned to transfer and those who planned to graduate yielded only one…

A model to distinguish persisters and nonpersisters at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, was developed. Persisters and nonpersisters differed in background characteristics, attitudes toward and interaction with the university, opportunities to leave, and intentions. Responses to a mail survey were returned by 86 first-time freshmen…

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a measure of personality type and learning style, was used at Saint Louis University in the TRAILS (Tracking Retention and Academic Integration by Learning Style) Project. In addition to considering links between learning styles and student academic achievement and aptitude, MBTI was used to identify…