Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to study retention and first-semester grade point average at Boise State University (Idaho), a metropolitan university with many commuter students. The quantitative portion of the study was based on questionnaires completed by 235 freshmen; the qualitative part was based on interviews with a…

In September 1993, Patrick Henry Community College (PHCC), in Virginia, conducted a study of the characteristics and academic performance of students who transferred to four-year institutions during the fall semesters of 1990 and 1993. Two sources of data were used: student records from 18 four-year institutions and responses to a questionnaire…

Youngstown State University (Ohio) established a full-cost renewable scholarship for 40 students annually who maintain a 3.5 or higher grade point average. The program is described, including results of the first three years' recruitment, first-year academic requirements, cocurricular activities, community service component, scholarship renewal,…

A study with 652 community college students investigated whether the relationship between intention to stay in or transfer from the institution and departure is moderated by semester grade point average, commitment, and encouragement to stay. Results show the interaction effects of intention by commitment, and intention by encouragement to stay,…

Statistical data on in-state, first-time freshmen at Virginia's four-year institutions and Richard Bland College, entering in 1992-93, are presented. The first table summarizes the academic performance of students for identified private high schools, by area. The second table summarizes the academic performance of students for identified public…

In 1987-88, as a follow-up to a 1986-87 Learning Assessment Retention Consortium (LARC) study of the educational outcomes of 7,500 remedial writing students enrolled in California community colleges, data from the academic records of 2,701 of the original students were collected, and surveys were completed by a subset of 865 of the students. Only…

In an effort to define and test a practical methodology to measure community college transfer rates, the California College Chief Executive Officers commissioned the California Transfer Rate Study (CTRS). The CTRS calculated transfer rates for 65 participating community colleges by measuring the number of exiting students (i.e., not returning for…

The summer "bridge" part of the Special Transitional Enrichment Program (STEP) at the University of California (UC), Davis, was evaluated with attention to first-year academic performance and retention. STEP, part of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), is an orientation and academic program to help low-income and minority students…

Differences between California State University, Fresno, students eligible to enroll in freshman composition and those who appeared to need reading and writing remediation were studied. Attention was directed to differences between students scoring below the first quartile on the English Placement Test (EPT) reading subscore and those scoring at…

The relationships among motivational orientations of entering university freshmen, their involvement in social and academic systems, and persistence/attrition were studied at Arizona State University. Also considered was the applicability of Tinto's theory, which suggests that if background and commitments are equal, the greater the integration of…

As part of a continuing study of student flow in the Hawaii community colleges, this report analyzes the persistence patterns of 1975 entering students after six semesters for the community college total and the seven campuses. The persistence patterns of the 8,979 students showed that 21% enrolled for only one semester at their campus of entry…

Entrance scores on the Mathematics Achievement Test, Level I, and Scholastic Aptitude Test (verbal and mathematical), and high school rank for 2,189 students entering engineering as freshmen at The University of Texas at Austin during the years 1974-1977 were used in regression equations as predictors of academic achievement and retention for…

Retention and graduation rates have been topics of concern for undergraduate institutions. These indicators are not as applicable for two-year institutions where students' goals are more varied. This study examined the retention over four semesters of 678 first-time, full-time community college students with respect to their initial educational…

This report reviews a study to identify individual factors that affect adult learners' success and persistence in college programs. Part 1, a historical analysis, uses past records of students to analyze patterns of persistence and success. It examines how demographic variables relate to continuing enrollment, grade point average (GPA), and degree…

In spring 1988, Moraine Valley Community College (MVCC), in Palos Hills, Illinois, implemented "College Success," a course to increase student academic performance and improve college retention. Students in the course learned a variety of techniques to help them succeed in college, including note-taking skills, time management, memory…