Research and programs concerning college student retention are considered. Based on research studies, reasons why students depart prior to graduation are examined. The literature about corrective actions that can be taken and University of Tennessee data about student retention are discussed. A recent study at the University of Tennessee,…

Is there an effective way to reduce freshman attrition at Duke University? If a group of freshman students preidentified as exit prone is provided with more advising time from a member of the ranked faculty, then the rate of attrition from this exit-prone group will be less than the attrition rate for the rest of the freshman cohort. Is there a…

Because the phenomenon of delayed graduation--the practice of prolonging the college career beyond the normal 4 years of undergraduate study--is so widespread researchers speculated that "continuers" might have certain common characteristics which would differentiate them as a group from "completers." The objective of this…

A study was conducted (1) to examine characteristics of programs in which students were enrolled, (2) to determine which activities were most effective in dealing with dropouts, and (3) to validate program components that have previously been associated with retentive capacity. Results are reported and discussed. (CT)

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities will begin testing a comprehensive project to reverse the low educational attainment of Hispanic students in Texas. The project aims to increase high-school graduation, raise college-going rate, increase graduation rate of college students, and raise transfer rates of community college…

Patterns of attrition at a midwestern research university were examined through telephone interviews of 622 students who had left the institution prematurely and through analysis of institutional data to compare school leavers with those who stayed. This comparison found that school leavers were more likely to have lower college admission test…

Recent research on college student attrition is examined for trends, and it is suggested that the common perspective on retention and attrition is too narrow; it should be viewed from three perspectives: within-course retention; program retention; and institutional retention rate. Recommended for retention (R) is early (E) identification (Id) plus…

States that student retention is significant for measuring institutional effectiveness in the prevailing environment of accountability and budgetary constraints. Presents recommendations for increasing retention, including training staff on retention issues, reviewing admission and advising strategies affecting minority populations, and piloting…

Focuses on the scope and significance of community college student research as it pertains to student retention. Examines the theoretical models that explain and attempt to predict student attrition. Also suggests areas and opportunities for future researchers in the field. (Contains 57 references.) (NB)

This study examines the impact of school structures on potential dropouts. Data from field notes, interviews, and school records are used to describe and discuss the effectiveness of interventions generated by a school committee which worked to prevent at-risk students from dropping out of high school. (IAH)

Now in its eighteenth year, an alternative public high school in New York City located on a college campus and aimed at potential dropouts and high-risk adolescents, Middle College has an exemplary retention rate and is being replicated across the country. (MSE)

Examines dropout rates in small village high schools. Reports that the shift from boarding schools to small village high schools has dramatically reduced the dropout rates of rural Alaska native students. Suggests related characteristics are small size, personalized atmosphere, sense of community, and individualized instruction. (DHP)

After many years of focusing on providing black students with access to postsecondary education, attention is being refocused on retaining students through graduation. Critics say that enrollment rates, not commitment, dictate retention efforts and that such programs are isolated, not institutionwide efforts. Some institutions are sharing dropout…

This study refined and applied an integrated model of undergraduate persistence (accounting for both behavioral and perceptual components) to examine first-year retention at a private, highly selective research university. Results suggest that including behaviorally based measures of involvement improves the model's explanatory power concerning…

One of the critical goals of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) federal legislation is to raise student achievement. The first thing to do, is ensure that the students are actually in school. If students leave school prematurely, schools will not be able to help them master the skills thought to be necessary in the workplace or in future education.…