Higher education dropout, or abandonment, represents a contemporary worldwide socioeconomic problem that may be one of the main barriers in the future efforts of the younger generations to bring the world economy forward. Why do students leave higher education prematurely? What can be done to help solve this problem? Does our Higher Education…

We estimate the short-term effects of the introduction of the Bachelor degree system in Germany, a change in degree regulations such that students need less time to earn a first degree, on college enrollment and dropout rates. We use variation in the timing of the reform at the university department level to identify the effects of the reform…

The high cost of textbooks is of concern not only to college students but also to society as a whole. Open textbooks promise the same educational benefits as traditional textbooks; however, their efficacy remains largely untested. We report on one community college's adoption of a collection of open resources across five different mathematics…

Comparative statistics on course attrition in the Maricopa County Community College District are presented for Fall 1971 through Fall 1980. After plotting high point enrollment (final number of students enrolled in a course plus withdrawals and audits), end of semester enrollment (the final number of students enrolled in a course), and percentage…

This five-part report provides a compilation and analysis of data on student completion of courses at Mercer County Community College between summer 1979 and spring 1980. After an executive summary of findings, Part II provides background information on the study, which examined volume measures, such as credit hours, and success indicators, such…

These two parallel reports provide data on course attrition rates in the Maricopa County Community College District for Fall 1978 and Spring 1979. Course attrition rates were calculated by comparing high-point enrollments (which include audits and withdrawals) with end-of-semester enrollments (which do not include audits, drops, withdrawals, or…

In order to investigate patterns of persistence in courses taken by day students at Los Angeles City College, class enrollment data were gathered at the end of the third week of the Fall 1978 semester, at the first and second census weeks, and on the last day of the semester. Additionally, the number of students receiving final grades other than W…

Grade reports supplied by California State University at Los Angeles (CSULA) for the 1978-79 academic year were used to assess the academic performance of the 503 Los Angeles City College (LACC) students who transferred to CSULA in Fall 1978, Winter 1979, Spring 1979, and Summer 1979. These data indicate that 23% of the transfer students failed to…

It is proposed that research universities are a vital component of higher education in the United States because they provide cultural and intellectual leadership, research potential, and the professional and technical human resources to translate research into social, industrial, and economic action. The future of these institutions in view of…