It is potentially beneficial for all college students to have perspectives on identity and future connections to develop and maintain academic motivation. However, researchers have yet to examine probationary students' identity-based motivation (IBM) and perceived instrumentality (PI), and how those motivational constructs relate to their academic…

This paper explores undergraduate academic probation policies in United States universities from a policy discourse analysis perspective. Academic probation policies from 32 institutions were characterized by normalization and regulation. These encompassed classification, exclusion, and sanctions of students in order to produce retention.…

Research on academic probation is a critical piece in the study of undergraduate student retention in higher education. Currently, the literature lacks empirical studies that address differences between academic units in probation rates and support for students on probationary status. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to: 1) establish…

In an effort to improve student success and thus retention, the College of Arts & Sciences at a highly selective MidAtlantic private undergraduate university in the United States developed a for-credit course titled "Psychology of Success." The course, grounded in positive psychology, adopts a strengths-based approach. Students who…

Find insights into college student persistence, progression, and retention with this benchmark report, taken from a survey of college and university officials. These benchmarks can help your institution compare your outcomes for first-time-in-college (FTIC) students as well as transfer students. This report features 12 key benchmarks in three…

Malleable, noncognitive psychological factors such as grit and resilience are seen as critical for academic success and have garnered significant attention from researchers and policymakers. However, there is nontrivial overlap between these two constructs, and it remains unclear whether grit, resilience, or both, constitute the optimal target(s)…

Studies of academic recovery courses (ARCs) focus almost exclusively on academic outcomes, such as postcourse grade point average (GPA) and academic standing. This study explores the role of noncognitive factors--specifically attribution perspective, shame resilience, and academic identity--for students engaged in ARCs. Pre- and postcourse data…

Undergraduate retention and persistence are richly discussed topics in higher education, and deservedly so. One specific area of study is how to increase four- and six-year graduation rates, and the usage of learning analytics to determine student pathways of success. At a flagship Midwestern US university, we studied at-risk populations…

Higher education retention research has taken on renewed importance in recent years with support for standardized entrance exams waning and student loan debts commanding social and political attention. Economic pressures have further exasperated college attrition and pushed researchers to better identify at-risk students before they experience…

This benchmark report provides insights into college student persistence, progression, and retention for first-year, second-year, and transfer students at four-year private and public institutions, taken from a survey of college and university officials. This report features 14 key benchmarks in four major categories: (1) annual expenditures on…

We examined three large freshman cohorts from Texas State University, a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), to identify risk factors that might affect academic retention. Risk factors supported by empirical studies such as first-generation, ethnicity, gender, financial aid need, high school performance, and living off campus were examined. We also…

While a percentage of first-generation, low-income, minority, and academically underprepared students are committed to earning a degree, challenges such as the lack of academic and social integration, little to no social capital, and low self-efficacy have a negatively impact on retention and persistence. The students attended a Mid-Eastern…

Institutions of higher education invest a lot of resources into supporting and retaining students, and most colleges and universities offer systems of support for students who struggle academically in the form of support programs for students on academic probation. This study aimed to determine the demographic factors that potentially contribute…

This report provides benchmarks of key indicators of undergraduate student retention, based on an electronic poll of college and university officials in January and February of 2017. This report includes: (1) term-to-term persistence benchmarks for first-year, second-year, and transfer students; (2) progression benchmarks (indicators of successful…

The purpose of this study was to determine if retention of first-year college students was influenced by specific variables and programs at one Midwest community college. The study was focused on responses from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) (Center for Community College Student Engagement, 2013) and peer mentoring…