With the implementation of an open admissions policy in 1970-71, Bronx Community College undertook a study of students entering in the fall of 1970 to determine changes in levels of academic preparation, trends in attrition and retention for students differentially prepared for college work, identification of entry variables associated with…

Phase III, the development and testing of experimental programs to reduce the rate of student attrition, of the Northern California Cooperative Research Project (NORCAL) on Student Attrition is reported upon. Phase I of the program was the description and identification of characteristics associated with attrition among Junior College students…

In this report are described some current programs aimed at dropout prevention. The report focuses on programs that appear to be yielding results and that lend themselves to adaptation by other schools. The discussion comprises (1) new approaches to dropout prevention, (2) student motivation projects, (3) work-study projects, (4) schooling for…

Lack of money may not be the major factor in student dropout rates. Some studies indicate that attrition rates are more affected by learner attitudes and goals and a good "fit" between student and institution. Current theories about student retention and attrition are reviewed. (Editor/LBH)

This is a study of the dropout rate during the 1998-99 academic year at Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST). A total of 1,025 of 7,174 students (14%) withdrew from their program of study before the end of the year. This report categorizes the reasons for leaving as follows: (1) exited by institute; (2) personal…

This study compared characteristics of students who persisted in undergraduate study and those who dropped out when matched on high school performance and Scholastic Assessment Test scores. Subjects were 747 full-time students at a major research university who entered in fall 1996 but did not return for fall 1997 (leavers) and a matched sample of…

Content analysis of dropout literature, 1984-88, identified school, peer, home/family, and intrapersonal variables related to dropping out, which were used in questionnaire development. The 269 out of 475 randomly selected American Council on Rural Special Education members indicated 11 dropout causes that should be national priorities for…

Looked beyond socioeconomic indicators to seek underlying influences on rural high school seniors' dropout/completion decisions. Data came from school records and student surveys. Students were grouped by gender, and variables of Everett's (1996) model were analyzed. The predictor model for males had a 88.89 percent correct classification rate.…

In 1988, the United States Congress passed legislation that created the School Dropout Demonstration Assistance Program (SDDAP). The program provides funding for local educational agencies, community-based organizations, and educational partnerships to establish effective programs to identify potential student dropouts and prevent them from…

Information on alternative education and programs for potential dropouts and dropouts in Iowa is compiled in this directory. Data were obtained from reports submitted to the Iowa Association of Alternative Education (IAAE) and from out-of-state sources. Following the introduction and information on the IAAE, 15 sections present information on the…

This journal issue discusses student attrition and the major recurring themes regarding students withdrawing from college. It is revealed that less than 15 percent of student departures are as a result of academic dismissal, with the remaining students leaving voluntarily, even when their academic performance is clearly acceptable. The following…

The development of students should be the primary mission of higher education. The consequences of significant attrition in many universities are not trivial. This study identified relevant variables and appropriate methodologies for enhancing undergraduate retention at one university. By employing records analyses, system definition, and a…

Research may be divided into two types, "empowering" research and "academic" research. Empowering research seeks to determine how a particular individual or organization can produce a desired result, while academic research is concerned with why a particular condition exists. While academic research might ask "Why do students drop out of school?"…

This report highlights recommendations made in recent research reports concerning the role of vocational education in enhancing the success of students at risk of dropping out of school. It has been found that components of vocational education programs successful at retaining students include mechanisms for helping at-risk youth to follow…

Four essays and associated introductory text constituting the proceedings of a symposium on dropout research issues are presented. The introduction by Glynn Ligon makes a call for considering what is known about dropouts, what is needed to be known about dropouts, and how these findings can be communicated to educators, the public, and lawmakers.…