Since attrition is often a problem in adult training programs, a study was conducted to investigate the relationship between locus of control and course completion of adults enrolled in a retraining program. Rotter's Social Learning Theory of Personality was used as a starting point for the study. The study population was a sample of 108…

In 1982, a study was conducted at Calhoun State Community College (CSCC) to determine causes of student withdrawal and factors influencing re-enrollment. Questionnaires were administered to 985 individuals who withdrew from on-campus programs during the 1981-82 academic year; of these, 37 were returned by mail and 254 were completed in person or…

The Michigan Student Information System (MiSIS) is the student flow component, of the Michigan Community College Occupational Education Evaluation System (MCCOEES), a comprehensive state-wide system for evaluating occupational education. It was developed by the Michigan community college system as a systematic and valid method of collecting…

A study was conducted at Sacramento City College (California) to determine the possibility of identifying high-risk students from information available from applications, assessment results, transcripts, and college enrollment data. Fall 1985 grade point averages (GPA) and progress percentages were used for high or low risk determination. Study…

A study was conducted to compare the attrition rates at Vancouver Community College (VCC) with those of other British Columbia two-year institutions; to determine the effects of factors such as program duration and employment outlook on attrition; and to identify ways of minimizing the negative effects of attrition. Outcomes factors were…

Arguing that retention research requires a sound theoretical framework and that retention planning takes place within a sociopolitical context, this paper presents an overview of the requirements and process of student retention research. Part I examines the role of research in a college's retention effort and establishes the general requirements…

In spring 1982, a study was conducted to determine the persistence of Howard Community College (HCC) students from fall 1981 to spring 1982 and the relationship of students' attendance status, sex, and age to retention rates. Selected study findings include the following: (1) the overall retention rate for spring 1982 was 61.1% including Special…

A questionnaire was designed to survey Logan County (Kentucky) students who withdrew from school during the 1976-77 and 1977-78 school years. Of the 130 survey instruments circulated, 37 (28%) were returned. A comparison of six demographic variables, based on school records, revealed that the respondents and the original population were similar on…

A sample of students were surveyed who were enrolled at the University of Washington during the autumn quarter of 1977 but did not continue at the university the following quarter. Survey items included: reasons for not continuing, occupational status as of spring 1978, effect of not continuing on present occupation and plans for the future,…

The research reported is a descriptive normative survey utilizing the data available from the required quarterly reporting of the high school districts in Cook County. In suburban Cook County there are 27 secondary school districts and two unit districts, including Chicago. The 28 suburban secondary school districts are comprised of 68 high school…

This document reports a study of students who had enrolled at Bucks County Community College (BCCC) from September 1965 to August 1973, had completed less than 12 credits, had grade point averages sufficient for re-enrollment, and yet did not return. Of the 8,605 students in this category, 20 percent were sampled; 30 percent (509) of those sampled…

This study examined the profile of community college dropouts, in an attempt to identify how this cohort differs from university-level dropouts and to identify reasons for community college students' withdrawal from school. The authors argue that the profile of a typical community college student--a person who has a full- or part-time job, lives…

This study examines within-year persistence of undergraduate white and African American college students, focusing on how this information can be used to inform initiatives on retention. Data was collected from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study of 1996; the sample included 1,482 African American and 11,292 white four-year undergraduate…

Studies the reasons for student dropout from an urban basic-education program for paraprofessional health care workers by examining the perceptions of 153 completers, noncompleters, leavers, and nonattenders. Groups differed in terms of their previous college experience, attainment of education goals, judgment of instructional level, and…

Describes a study conducted at the Liberty University School of Lifelong Learning investigating the effects of student-teacher interaction on the academic integration and retention of 120 students taking general education courses. Finds no significant difference in overall completion rates of students receiving and not receiving faculty-initiated…