This case study of a student retention program for at-risk students at Mount Hood Community College (Oregon) contends that student retention programs are seldom as holistic and comprehensive as intended. The study analyzed three areas: the design and implementation of a comprehensive program to improve student retention; the organizational…

This study, part of a larger project on doctoral student attrition, presents an in-depth account of the educational experiences of three doctoral students who dropped out. The students, a woman in sociology who left after the first year, a man in psychology who completed all but a dissertation, and a woman in Art History who left after four years…

This report addresses the problem of retaining and graduating college students, particularly black students, in 4-year college programs. Seven key ideas are suggested: (1) colleges granting admission to students who lack adequate preparation should offer appropriate developmental or remedial support to these students; (2) colleges should ensure…

Student retention and transfer was studied at the University of California (UC) system as one aspect of undergraduate enrollment planning. A task group examined the following questions: (1) What is known about attrition? (2) When do students leave? (3) Who are the high-risk students? (4) Why do students leave? and (5) What is being done about it?…

This brief report describes efforts of the Oklahoma State Regents to accelerate positive academic change in the state's higher education system with a combination of strengthened admission, retention, and assessment standards. The first section presents the state's problem of lagging performance during the late 1980s, as indicated by data showing…

As a response to the problems of nontraditional student attrition at two-year and four-year urban colleges, this paper introduces the constructs of career decision-making self-efficacy, perceived stress, and financial difficulty into a model built on the synthesis of Cabrera (1993). A questionnaire was administered to adult nontraditional (age 24…

The Rhode Island Children's Crusade for Higher Education, funded by state and private sources, is an ambitious, large-scale, long-term effort to prevent dropouts, illegal drug use, and pregnancy among low-income and minority groups. Recruitment of volunteer "mentors" has been highly successful, suggesting strong public support. (MSE)

Why so many Latino students drop out of schools is considered from the perspective that much of the literature on this problem is inadequate because it ignores the experiences of Latino youth at home, in school, and in the community, and attempts to explain the failure of the educational system in terms of just one area. Interviews were conducted…

This study compared the relative effectiveness of grants and loans in helping low-income students stay in college until graduation. The study analyzed two student-level databases. One database contained data on a national sample of high school seniors who began full-time study at four-year colleges and traced them through college. The other…

This final report summarizes activities of a subcommittee of the Committee on Educational Policy of the Board of Trustees of the California State University (CSU) which examined CSU's relationship to the public schools. Introductory material discusses CSU's educational mission and the background of this effort to strengthen the link with…

A case study was done of the Stay-in-School Partnership (SSP) between Fordham University (Bronx) and New York City Public School Districts in East Harlem and the South Bronx with high minority student concentrations. In particular, 3 to 5 elementary schools participated, including 120 children spanning kindergarten through grade 5 and their…

This newsletter issue focuses on the directions school/college partnerships need to take if they are to contribute to a genuine reform of American education. It begins by explaining what each sector gains, then briefly describes current models, and highlights programs that can serve as guideposts. It concludes with a discussion of how policymakers…

This book provides a synthesis of wide-ranging research on student attrition at American colleges and universities and outlines actions that institutions can and should take to reduce attrition. The key to effective retention is shown to lie in a strong commitment to quality education and the building of a strong sense of inclusive educational and…

Specific access and retention studies and programs focused on minority students at the undergraduate level are reviewed, along with recent research on general retention efforts. General retention strategies concern: pre-enrollment, admissions, financial aid, orientation, academic programs, faculty-student interaction, counseling and advising,…

Special Services for the Disadvantaged Students (SSDS) is a federally funded three-year college retention program initiated at a Texas community college. The program's objectives include improving reading and math levels, improving achievement of handicapped students, and increasing skills in English as a second language. To accomplish these…