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,…

The number of American Indian and Alaska Native students who leave the Anchorage School District without graduating or transferring to another school system has shown a slight but steady decline since the completion of "Alaskan Native Early School Leavers Study" in May 1982. The reasons for students leaving school have remained much the…

In an effort to promote greater student participation (especially among women and minorities) in science courses and programs, a study of science education in the Los Angeles Community College District was conducted. The primary objectives of the study were, first, to describe students' course-taking patterns, science background, and attitudes…

The implementation of a four-day week (Monday-Thursday) for on-campus classes at the College of DuPage, an Illinois community college, was assessed in terms of student registration; class enrollment; student success rates; instructional quality; and savings resulting from driving differences, energy use, and building maintenance. Withdrawal and…

Using 437 interviews with apprentices and trainees, teachers/trainers, and supervisors/managers, a study explored retention in apprenticeships and traineeships and factors that influence it. Apprentices and trainees were more likely to complete their contract of training (COT) if they developed an interest in the occupation and had medium- and…

At Hudson County Community College (HCCC), in New Jersey, research on student attrition has included cohort specific studies of enrollment and completion patterns, enrollment pattern studies of instructional programs, and periodic surveys of enrolled students, former students, and graduates. A comparative analysis conducted of previous attrition…

Attrition among urban engineering students at Stevens Institute of Technology was studied. At the time of the student's college entry, various ability, achievement, personality, interest, and biographical factors were analyzed in an effort to predict student persistence, withdrawal, or academic failure. For the 381 male students who entered the…

A study examined individual student, institutional, and environmental factors influencing student non-completions and determined strategies that Western Australia's Central TAFE (technical and further education) might introduce to improve student retention. After completing a multivariate analysis of module completion rates, further data for a…

Based on a larger longitudinal study, this document examines three nursing groups--those entering schools preparing registered nurses in 1962, 1965, and 1967. It describes and compares those who graduated and those who withdrew before graduation and examines the reasons why the students withdraw from both the students' and the program directors'…

This action research project implemented and evaluated a program for increasing student engagement and retention through the use of authentic assessment and cooperative groups. The targeted population consisted of one sixth grade class in an elementary school and two ninth grade classes in a high school located in different communities in the far…