A longitudinal study at a large predominantly White university revealed that faculty/student interaction had a significant impact on African-American students' decision to persist. Subjects included 310 freshmen (128 African Americans, 131 Whites, 49 Hispanics, and 2 Asians). Hispanics and Whites were better retained after the 4 years than…

Accomplishments of St. Mary's University Student Retention Task Force are addressed. After reviewing the literature on the correlates of retention and approaches to improving student retention, statistical results of the 1982 administration of the Student Opinion Survey of the American College Testing program are provided. This survey explores…

The project described in this report was piloted at Florida Community College during fall 1985 to review policies and practices that can facilitate the retention of students, to propose a system of data collection and dissemination designed to provide routine, useful information about the retention of students, and to establish communications…

A study was conducted at William Rainey Harper College (WRHC) to determine why students withdrew from courses at two off-campus centers. Surveys were administered to a sample of 54 degree credit and 46 continuing education students who withdrew from classes at Hawthorne Center (HC) in fall 1981, and to 56 degree credit and 44 continuing education…

This report, compiled by the North Carolina State Board of Education's Office for Dropout Prevention, provides dropout data, reasons for students' dropping out of school, and approaches for keeping students in school until successful completion of their education. Facts and figures for dropout rates of high school and the extended day school…

In January 1985, Glendale Community College (GCC) began a student follow-up system of data collection called TEX-SIS (Texas Student Information System) designed to evaluate instruction as well as student satisfaction with programs. Five major areas dealing with students were studied: student educational intent, student withdrawal (course, college,…

Credit completion rates, learner performance data, tutor input, and costs were compared between tutors managed by an incentive pay scheme and tutors paid a fixed rate. The incentive pay scheme calculated tutors' pay using learner completion rates; the fixed rate was for each learner enrolled per month. Two tutors in the incentive pay group and a…

To determine why some persons leave the university while others remain in the student role, a study compared a group of 44 university students aged 60 and over with a group of 50 ex-students of the same age. The two groups were comparable in age, education, sex, and income. The ex-students stayed at the university a significantly shorter time (2.5…

A study, as part of a larger report on attrition and retention of students at Miami University, was undertaken to determine the reasons for withdrawing from the university prior to earning a degree. A questionnaire was mailed to the 1,026 students in the 1978 class who voluntarily left the institution and for whom correct addresses could be…

Studies investigating academic persistence compose one of the most widely reported areas of research in higher education. Tinto is most often cited in and associated with student persistence research. This paper details the origins of Tinto's theories, as well as subsequent criticisms and reformulations of those fundamental theories. The origins…

The School District of the City of Saginaw (Michigan) has annually reported on the rate and nature of the dropout population; this dropout report is the eleventh edition of the state defined generation of dropout reports. One hundred and fourteen, or 5% of Saginaw's 2,292 students in grades 9-12, terminated their high school education between…

Describes a study to test causal relationships among variables related to Hispanic students' intent to persist using multiple regression and path analysis models. Reports that a path analysis model, examining students' satisfaction with their academic experience and instruction, commitment, family support, and perceptions of future job prestige,…

Describes a systemwide effort within the Colorado Community College and Occupational Education System to develop a framework for improving student persistence and success. Highlights changes to the original Bean and Metzner retention model, the characteristics and needs of Colorado's two-year college student population, the campus-based…

The ability of investment theory to account for intent and behavior of 421 part-time, working community-college students concerning departure from or persistence at college was studied. The contribution of investment to institutional persistence, and a framework for the departure decision process among nontraditional college students are…

Describes a study conducted to determine the differences among students enrolling during three phases of registration (early, regular, and late). Finds that: (1) new and returning students who enroll late are more likely to withdraw from a class than those who register early or at the regular time; and (2) returning students differed in their GPAs…