While students have enrolled in college at increased rates since 1996, graduation rates have remained mostly stagnant (NCES, 2022). First-generation Appalachian students, specifically, had lower college completion rates but higher college enrollment rates than their peers (ARC, 2018). Since 2007, researchers have supported the use of non-cognitive…

This dissertation examined predictors of retention and graduation for first-generation (FG), first-year students at a selective, private, residential university in the northeastern United States. The theoretical framework was Bean and Eaton's (2000, 2001/2002) Psychological Model of College Student Retention. The purpose of the study was to test…

This research looked at Higher Education Leaders' Perceptions of Persistence and Achievement of Afro Caribbean Immigrant Students. The research was qualitative and took a phenomenological, narrative approach. Sixteen administrators, across three campuses, one private for-profit and two public nonprofits were interviewed. The participants consisted…

Private universities require more effort to retain student students so that these students can complete their studies and then work in the community. Through this research, input will be given to the study program regarding the improvement that must be made so that the private university can compete with the public university and educate the…

Since June 22, 1944, when the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, more commonly known as the GI Bill of Rights, was signed into law, colleges and universities in the United States have been asked to open their doors to military veterans. Today there is interest by policy makers and veteran groups in better understanding this special subset of college…

The educational pathways of doctorate recipients in the United States differ in many ways by race and ethnicity. Despite steady growth in educational attainment, Blacks, Hispanics, and American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs) remain underrepresented among U.S. bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree recipients. The persistence of this…

Students who delay immediate postsecondary enrollment may forego individual benefits, or represent misplaced resources for higher education institutions by not persisting once enrolled. Understanding the various pathways of diverse students is especially important in states that are experiencing a major demographic shift. Using a multi-agency…

Disciplinary identity, or connection to a particular academic discipline, is constructed through a developmental process across a scholar's academic life course. Using unique data from an online survey of students at four different types of colleges and universities, this study investigates the extent to which disciplinary identity among…

The character strength grit, defined as a trait in which people have sustained interest and perseverance for long-term goals, has been identified as a predictor of success and positive outcomes in a number of domains including academic achievement. While grit has been described as a characteristic of those who accomplish extraordinary achievement,…

Community college students face a number of financial decisions and obligations along the path to degree completion. Students must secure resources to pay for college expenses, including their tuition, fees, and basic living necessities. Central to this is students' abilities to access financial aid resources including federal, state, and…

While a myriad of studies focused on the first-year student retention, less known is what happens to students during their second year in college. Coupled with the most recent national data, this study investigated the effects of student and institutional characteristics on first- and second-year student persistence behavior. In particular, this…

In this study, we use detailed survey and institutional data from a prospective panel study of students attending a highly selective, private university to examine the effects of fraternity or sorority membership on a range of collegiate outcomes. Previous research has given insufficient attention to selection issues inherent in the study of…

This is the revised edition of the 2023 "Report on the Condition of Education," which is a congressionally mandated annual report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Using the most recent data available (at the time this report was written) from NCES and other sources, the report contains key indicators on the…

The "Report on the Condition of Education" is a congressionally mandated annual report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Using the most recent data available (at the time this report was written) from NCES and other sources, the report contains key indicators on the condition of education in the United States at…

This study utilizes Pierre Bourdieu's concept of cultural and social capital as a theoretical framework to understand student persistence. The research design is a mixed-methods approach, using data collected through the "Social and Cultural Capital Questionnaire" and interviews with select survey participants. The sample includes…