In 1991, a study was conducted of semester-to-semester persistence patterns at Rancho Santiago College (RSC). The study involved tracking the attendance patterns of all RSC students entering as new students in fall 1983 and each subsequent fall until 1990; and comparing the persistence rates of matriculated and non-matriculated students in the…

During spring 1991, a study was conducted at San Diego City College (SDCC) in California to explore the various factors which motivate students to drop out, propose remediation strategies based on the research findings, and suggest further studies to identify and analyze problem areas more explicitly. To examine students' reasons for dropping out,…

Drawing from a review of the literature on issues related to student retention and attrition, and research on student attitudes toward the Community College of Denver (CCD), this report suggests four models for student retention programs for different two-year college student groups. Following introductory material on the project, a literature…

To determine the factors that have contributed to persistence in successful Native American students, this study investigated student expectations, life experiences on campus, perceptions of support and lack of support for cultural identity, difficulties encountered, perceptions of how the Native American's college experience differs from that of…

A study explored behavioral factors to explain why non-completions were higher among trainees than apprentices. A survey of 797 apprentices and trainees who did not complete training and 462 of their employers was followed by focus groups with new apprentices, employers, and training providers. Findings indicated most new apprentices commenced…

Students failing to master minimum competency tests are categorized as dropouts in this description of the results of and remediation efforts for the statewide Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills (TEAMS) Testing Program. TEAMS assesses minimum competency in basic skills at grades 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11-12 exit level. The first…

Research on college student attrition and retention is reviewed. Overall dropout rates and the reasons students give for dropping out are examined, and an attempt is made to assess the outcomes of going straight through college, as opposed to dropping out, temporarily leaving school, and not going to college at all. The demographic, academic,…

To alleviate the economic problems of youth, the Australian Education Council has expressed the need for a comprehensive youth policy whose aim should be to provide young people with options in education, training, or employment. Facts show a declining rate of retention to completion of secondary schools for males due to the present low employment…

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. This manual provides comprehensive guidelines for collecting local management information for program and…

The third in a series of four monographs, this study focuses on Black engineering students at Purdue University who persisted, withdrew, or transferred. A survey of the students was conducted to determine factors that influence retention and attrition of Black American students in engineering. A comparison of the pre-college and college…

This study describes the use of event history modeling as a tool for understanding student departure from college. Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics High School and Beyond (HS&B)/Sophomore Cohort longitudinal study a detailed history of individual students' college careers was constructed using a regression-like…

In 1991, a study was conducted of students who withdrew from one of three courses at San Jose City College (SJCC) in fall 1990 or spring 1991 to elicit their reasons for withdrawing. Of 254 students who withdrew from Math 310, Learning Skills 340, or English 321, 28% (N=71) were interviewed in-depth about their commute to campus; educational…

A study was conducted at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City to determine if minority students were at greater risk for dropping out, to explore student experiences, and to evaluate existing support services. The survey consisted of telephone interviews conducted with 431 Caucasian and 360 ethnic minority students enrolled at the graduate and…

In 1990, a study was conducted at Illinois Central College (ICC) to identify pre- and post-enrollment variables that could serve as predictors of student persistence and to compare persistence between vocational and academic program students. From a population of 656 Applied Science students and 671 Arts and Science students who were first-time,…

This bibliography update contains information on dropout attitudes, prevention, programs, rates, and research, as well as school-holding power at the secondary and postsecondary levels. Citations include conference papers, program descriptions, research reports, and statistical materials. Materials for inclusion in this bibliography were located…