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Dropout from Higher Education: A Theoretical Synthesis of Recent Research
... There are numerous strategies designed to increase student retention and persistence particularly through orientation, engagement, and support services (Dixon et al., 2023, Tinto, 1975, 1993 Such strategies are particularly important as researchers have argued that these interventions contribute to students' academic and social success (Tinto, 1975(Tinto, , 1993. Given the demographics and characteristics of community college students, establishing relationships with faculty, staff, and other students is pivotal (May, 2024). ...
... There are numerous strategies designed to increase student retention and persistence particularly through orientation, engagement, and support services (Dixon et al., 2023, Tinto, 1975, 1993 Such strategies are particularly important as researchers have argued that these interventions contribute to students' academic and social success (Tinto, 1975(Tinto, , 1993. Given the demographics and characteristics of community college students, establishing relationships with faculty, staff, and other students is pivotal (May, 2024). ...
... The primary research question examines what components of the mentoring program contribute to students' academic and social integration. Thus, the theory driving the study is Tinto's (1975Tinto's ( , 1993 theory of student departure. To avoid student departure or attrition, the theory ascertains that students must be integrated at their institution both through their academics and social, or extra-curricular, involvement. ...
To address low graduation rates at a Hispanic-serving community college in the Southwest United States, a peer mentor program was piloted and expanded. The intervention involved embedding peer mentors in Science, Engineering, and Math courses with high rates of students earning D’s, F’s, or withdrawing (DFW). Using a mixed-methods approach, this study explores the outcomes of the peer mentor program over three semesters. Findings suggest that peer mentors served as valuable resources in assisting students with academics, guiding them through possible transfer pathways, and providing practical advice on how to connect with faculty. Student feedback also indicates that peer mentors shared lived experiences and thus assisted students in navigating campus life. This study demonstrates the efficacy peers have in fostering students’ academic and social integration and contributes to greater literature in rethinking how community colleges can best promote students’ desire to persist.
... In the US, where higher education is more decentralized, non-profit organizations have called for changes that encourage statewide completion goals and performance-based funding reforms that emphasize outcomes over enrollments intending to increase social and economic mobility (Complete College America, 2023). Well-known and extensively researched retention theories have identified factors leading to persistence for various student populations (Astin, 1984(Astin, , 1999Bean & Metzner, 1985;Kirby, 2015;Tinto, 1975Tinto, , 1986Tinto, , 1987Tinto, , 1993. Academic engagement is a central theme, conceptualized by Astin (1984Astin ( , 1999 as involvement, or active engagement and participation, which is correlated to academic performance, and by Tinto (1975Tinto ( , 1986Tinto ( , 1987Tinto ( , 1993 as intellectual and social integration, leading to persistence. ...
... Well-known and extensively researched retention theories have identified factors leading to persistence for various student populations (Astin, 1984(Astin, , 1999Bean & Metzner, 1985;Kirby, 2015;Tinto, 1975Tinto, , 1986Tinto, , 1987Tinto, , 1993. Academic engagement is a central theme, conceptualized by Astin (1984Astin ( , 1999 as involvement, or active engagement and participation, which is correlated to academic performance, and by Tinto (1975Tinto ( , 1986Tinto ( , 1987Tinto ( , 1993 as intellectual and social integration, leading to persistence. ...
... This work engagement concept directed away from extrinsic motivational approaches such as pay, to relationships with co-workers, and partnerships between workers and supervisors to engage employees and improve organizations (Rheem, 2018). Somewhat similarly, retention research and resulting theories and models, has identified ways in which higher education institutions can create environments where students feel welcomed and supported, that facilitate relationships with their peers and professors, and that encourage students to engage in the academic and social realms of the university (Andrade, 2023;Astin, 1984Astin, , 1999Bean & Metzner, 1985;Kirby, 2015;Tinto, 1975Tinto, , 1986Tinto, , 1987Tinto, , 1993. ...
Completion gaps continue to challenge higher education institutions. Research has identified causal models and variables contributing to persistence. However, the constructs of work engagement have generally not been applied to academic engagement or connected to higher education completion. This study administered the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students (UWES-S) to business majors at a large, regional, open-admission university. Findings confirmed expected influences on engagement including fewer working hours, higher GPA, and higher satisfaction with the university. Gender, race, marital status, first-generation status, and course modality had no impact. Students with children were more engaged; barriers to completion, specifically financial issues, lack of support, and personal and family reasons did not impact engagement.
... However, fewer studies have explored financial aid's impact on student grades (e.g. Curs and Harper, 2012;Kuh et al., 2008;Stater, 2009), despite its relevance as a predictor for college persistence and completion (Bean, 1982;Cabrera, Nora and Castañeda, 1992;Stater, 2009;Tinto, 1975). Furthermore, most research on financial aid and student outcomes examines the direct effects of aid, providing little evidence on how aid influences the building blocks of students' success (Boatman and Long, 2016;Evans and Nguyen, 2019;Goldrick-Rab, Harris and Torstel, 2009). ...
... RCT is widely used in education studies. Indeed, Tinto's (1975) seminal research on student dropout from higher education uses RCT (albeit without referencing it) as he postulates that students may leave college if they find alternative investments that yield greater benefits (DesJardins and Toutkoushian, 2005). ...
... Although RCT has not been applied specifically in financial aid research, it is particularly well suited for the present study, as it provides a clearer understanding of how financial aid relates to academic performance compared to other theories, such as Tinto's (1975) integration model or Becker's (1993) human capital theory. Since our primary goal is to understand the mechanisms linking financial aid to positive academic outcomes, RCT provides the flexibility to account for the varied behaviours of students in college, depending on their circumstances. ...
This study explores the relationship between institutional financial aid and undergraduate academic performance within a European context, grounded in Rational Choice Theory. Analysing data from 1776 Business Administration students at a selective European university, the research reveals that financial aid recipients achieve higher first-year grade point average (GPA) than non-recipients, with class attendance partially mediating this relationship. Unexpectedly, the study identifies a non-linear relationship between aid amount and GPA, where GPA improves with low to moderate aid levels but plateaus at higher amounts. Both merit-based and need-based aid similarly increase GPAs. These findings suggest that financial aid recipients invest more effort in college, with some interesting nuances. Given that financial aid is a significant expense for institutions, these findings have substantial policy implications. They underscore the importance of institutional financial aid, the impact of class attendance, the determination of the optimal amount of aid, and the choice between merit-based and need-based aid.
... Tendo em vista estes custos, a necessidade de intervenção para mudar a situação de abandono universitário é dada pela definição de tal conceito caso a caso. Tinto (1975) pontua que há diversas formas de definir evasão, posto que o aluno pode deixar a graduação voluntariamente ou ser forçado a isso devido a alguma condicionalidade não foi cumprida dentro da universidade, embora seja possível argumentar sobre um terceiro cenário onde ambas as causas podem se mesclar. Sendo assim, o aluno não necessariamente falha em todas as esferas do processo interativo e longitudinal que guia à evasão apresentado por Tinto (1975) 3 . ...
... De forma geral, seguindo a teoria do capital humano de Becker (1964), pode-se dizer que o aluno prossegue os estudos enquanto o retorno esperado da educação for maior do que os custos deste investimento de tempo e de recursos financeiros. Sendo assim, Tinto (1975) destaca que esta temática requer mais do que a análise de estatísticas de associação entre características de interesse e o abandono, uma vez que o processo de formação da decisão de evadir dá-se pela interação longitudinal de características pessoais e institucionais. O esquema abaixo sintetiza o modelo teórico do autor para suprir esta lacuna: ...
... Diagrama 1 -Esquema ilustrativo do processo de formação da decisão de evadir das universidades de Tinto (1975) Fonte: Elaborada a partir de Tinto (1975). ...
A evasão universitária é um problema importante dentro das universidades públicas brasileiras, e está relacionada com uma série de impactos negativos na formação de recursos humanos. O objetivo deste trabalho é identificar a existência de uma relação entre tais fatores e a evasão para o caso da Universidade Federal de Goiás no período entre 2009 e 2014 usando técnicas de análise de sobrevivência. Com esse propósito, utilizou-se um modelo semi-paramétrico de Cox para identificar a associação conjunta dessas características. Dentre os resultados obtidos, destaca-se que mulheres e alunos que cursaram pré-vestibular possuem menor probabilidade de evadir no período analisado, enquanto a renda possui relação positiva com as chances de abandono universitário. Palavras-chave: Ensino superior; Evasão; Análise de sobrevivência.
... The study was framed using Tinto's (1975) Model of Institutional Departure, which explains the factors influencing a student's decision to persist or drop out of an academic programme. In other words, it elucidates the involvement of students in the academic community and their level of engagement, which impacts their decision to continue or withdraw. ...
... For instance, dispositional factors may include feelings of inferiority, such as low selfesteem, being comparatively over-age, experiencing exertion and overburden, poor health, lack of simplicity, and incompetence in communication skills, while situational barriers may include the influence of the workplace, age, and the financial status of the student. Tinto (1975) The academic factors are related to elements crucial to the process of teaching and learning. They include challenges in oral and written expression, computer-related skills, critical and reflective skills, examinations, and tests (Nampila, 2021). ...
... The findings of the study reveal that the most influential perceived factors that influence postgraduate students to drop out of the programme were institutional and academic factors. The findings confirm the proposition by the Model of Institutional Departure, as postulated by Tinto (1975), that academic and institutional factors influence students to drop out of a programme. Viale (2014) also reported that institutions have an influence on the dropout of students from the programme, which is in line with the findings of the study. ...
Some post-graduate students of Agricultural Education enrolled in Master's degree programmes in Eswatini do not graduate. Unfortunately, no study has been conducted on the factors contributing to the dropout rates among these graduate students. Therefore, this study sought to determine the perceived factors that influence post-graduate students to leave the programme. The study utilised a survey design, collecting data from post-graduate master's students from 1997 to 2024. A questionnaire was developed for the study and validated by three members of the Department of Agricultural Education and Extension. The reliability coefficient was determined using Cronbach's Alpha, with an overall reliability coefficient of 0.84. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. The findings indicated that the factors influencing post-graduate students to drop out include dispositional, academic, institutional, and situational factors. It was concluded that the decision of post-graduate students to drop out is primarily influenced by institutional and academic factors. It is recommended that the Institute of Post-Graduate Studies at the University and the Department of Agricultural Education develop policies that are favourable to post-graduate students, such as creating schedules that accommodate working students.
... The Theory of Student Departure was developed by Tinto (1975) and has been one of the most widely used theoretical frameworks for scholarly research in higher education over the past 35 years (Guiffrida, 2006;Tierney & Sablan, 2014). It comprises two components that focus on student integration-academic and social (Tinto, 1975;Tinto, 1993). ...
... The Theory of Student Departure was developed by Tinto (1975) and has been one of the most widely used theoretical frameworks for scholarly research in higher education over the past 35 years (Guiffrida, 2006;Tierney & Sablan, 2014). It comprises two components that focus on student integration-academic and social (Tinto, 1975;Tinto, 1993). However, given the purpose of this review, the social integration component was the primary focus of the framework. ...
... However, given the purpose of this review, the social integration component was the primary focus of the framework. The Theory of Student Departure identified social integration into the college environment as necessary to promote student retention and eventual academic achievement (Bean, 1988;Tinto, 1975;Tinto, 1993). In other words, the theory implies that social integration into the college climate increases the chances that students will remain enrolled until credential completion. ...
Black male college students have the lowest retention rate of all ethnic gender groups at the community college level. Using the Theory of Student Departure and Validation Theory as the theoretical framework, a literature review was performed using the Systematic Review Methodology (SRM) to discover themes of recommended strategies for supporting the academic achievement of Black male community college students by supporting their social integration. The four emerging themes were faculty engagement, role models and mentors, outreach support services, and peer engagement and support. The review concluded with a discussion of the findings, recommendations for practice, and the need for further research.
... Nevertheless, as tertiary education is still subject to expansion, there is still space for improvement in understanding the dropout phenomenon through its multiple characteristics. One of the most comprehensive models was proposed by Tinto (1975), with several dimensions for describing dropouts, such as the individual attributes and pre-college experiences, integration into academic and social systems, or goal and institutional commitments. Tinto perceived student dropout as a process rather than as a single event. ...
... Given the complexity of this subject matter, it is crucial to consider numerous layers. For instance, scholars differentiate between "dismissed" students and those who "withdrew" (Tinto, 1975;Vaughan, 1968) based on the distinction between academic failures and voluntary withdrawals. According to Johnson (1991), the inability to accurately distinguish between these types of dropouts has resulted in discrepancies among study findings and a lack of effective solutions to address the increase in university departures. ...
... The current study considers the assessments of school environment and student contentment as measures of academic and social integration (Tinto, 1975), highlighting the significance of the bond between learners and the university (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1980), particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic's disruption (Yu & Zadorozhnyy, 2023). Tinto (1997) has argued that integrating students into higher education involves both individual and institutional factors. ...
This study examines the factors leading to student attrition in Romanian higher education, providing valuable insights that are applicable to other countries. The predictability of student dropout can be determined by assessing the extent to which student satisfaction with teaching and learning, academic and social infrastructure, outcomes, and support services are met. Moreover, this paper investigates the impact of pre-entry characteristics, specifically focusing on the final upper secondary school exam results ( Baccalaureate ), which emerge as the most robust indicator of undergraduate dropout rates. In contrast, other social characteristics do not exhibit a comparable level of significance in this regard. It also underlines a shift towards greater value of academic and social infrastructure to support students in relation to teaching efficacy, as the sense of community is a critical factor in retaining students. Timely detection of learners who are considering dropping out is crucial, as it can result in decreased rates of student attrition. In order to address this, customised strategies that take into account the contextual factors (including pre-university characteristics) and mechanisms through which students can articulate their feelings on their educational curriculum and academic journey could be developed. The consideration of their perceived challenges is crucial, given that peer learning has been identified as a significant factor contributing to student attrition among undergraduate students. The study provides more information regarding the student experience during the COVID-19 epidemic, as it reveals, for instance, that 40% of students who contemplated leaving university owing to the pandemic did so, mitigating some of the factors for this situation. This work also makes a valuable contribution to the wider theoretical debate around student dropout by investigating the potential interactions and distinct influences of several factors on student paths. The data utilised in this study was obtained from the National Student Survey in Romania (NSSS-RO) and EUROSTUDENT VII, including the period from autumn 2020 to spring 2021. Additionally, administrative data from the National Student Enrolment Registry (RMUR) was also incorporated.
... In Burke's (2019) comprehensive review of the literature on retention in HE, three founding models are identified. As mentioned by Yorke (2004), almost all research in this domain is underpinned by these seminal works: (1) Spady's (1971) Undergraduate Dropout Process Model (2), Tinto's (1975) Several institutional factors identified in the literature as aiding retention, such as the availability of student support programmes, advisors, orientation programmes and academic skills development programmes (Carroll et al., 2009) are already provided to OU students and therefore will be less relevant to determining student retention in this study (Bowles & Brindle, 2017, pp. 913-914). ...
... Extant research also corroborates that by engaging in forums students feel part of an academic community and are able to build support networks (Dommett, 2019). Conversely, when students aren't integrated into a student academic community, they feel less committed and are more likely to disengage and drop out (Tinto, 1975). Therefore, directing students to participate in online forum activities, that are specifically designed to elicit engagement with the course materials, can be expected to have a positive impact on their retention. ...
... El fenómeno de la deserción estudiantil ha sido ampliamente estudiado debido a su impacto negativo en el sistema educativo superior. Según Spady, (1970) y Tinto (1975), los determinantes que influyen en la deserción pueden agruparse en cuatro dimensiones: factores individuales, académicos, institucionales y socioeconómicos. Cada una de estas dimensiones tiene un papel crucial en la decisión del estudiante de abandonar sus estudios. ...
... En el contexto del apoyo institucional, la deserción estudiantil debe analizarse desde diversas perspectivas para comprender cómo los determinantes influyen en la permanencia de los estudiantes en la educación 16 superior (Spady, 1970). Según Tinto (1975), los factores que motivan la deserción se agrupan en cuatro dimensiones clave, las cuales se deben considerar para la implementación de estrategias de intervención adecuadas dentro del sistema educativo. ...
La deserción estudiantil es un problema multifactorial que afecta la educación superior, vinculado a factores académicos, socioeconómicos e institucionales. Este estudio analiza el impacto del apoyo institucional en la retención estudiantil mediante un sistema de alerta temprana. El objetivo es evaluar estrategias de intervención basadas en datos para reducir el abandono universitario. Se utilizó una metodología analítica con revisión documental y un modelo de panel integrado para identificar estudiantes en riesgo. Los resultados evidencian que el monitoreo continuo y el acompañamiento académico disminuyen la deserción. Se concluye que la implementación de herramientas tecnológicas y estrategias preventivas favorece la permanencia estudiantil, recomendándose su aplicación en diversos contextos educativos para mejorar la retención y calidad académica.
... As Aina et al. (2022) point out, studies on university dropout are mainly rooted in the literature on educational choices and their consequences, in which economic and sociological approaches are predominant. One of the first relevant works was the study of Tinto (1975), who incorporated elements of educational economics, social psychology, and sociological analysis to establish a typology of dropout based on individual and institutional factors. ...
... On the other hand, the sociological approach has been characterised by transcending individual choices and focusing on variables related to the family, institutional, or social context (Aljohani, 2016). Particularly relevant are the works of Tinto (1975) and Pascarella (1980), which include explanatory models of university dropout as a relational function of students with the university institution and their social environment. The student interacts with university in such a way that his or her lack of integration, involving different social, economic, and demographic variables, may result in the decision to drop out. ...
University dropout is a social problem with huge economic and social implications. In Spain, one-third of students withdraw from their studies, which is in line with the average for OECD countries. This study analyses the dropout patterns of a full cohort of undergraduate students in Spanish universities. In contrast to previous studies that used partial data from specific universities and/or survey data, this paper covers all universities in Spain. It is the first time to use official census data from the Integrated University Information System of Spain to provide robust evidence that could be extrapolated to other contexts. The results show that academic performance during the first year of university is linked to unequal dropout patterns depending on the social origin of the students. As in other countries, a compensation effect is detected. Trajectories of low-performing students are heterogeneously translated into dropouts depending on the socioeconomic background of their families.
... The academic study of student persistence gained traction in the 1970s with the development of theoretical models. Tinto's (1975) Student Integration Model emphasized the importance of academic and social integration in retention, proposing that students are more likely to persist when they feel connected to their institution both academically and socially. During the same period, Bean's (1980) Student Attrition Model introduced external factors such as finances and work commitments into the conversation, broadening the scope of retention research (Manyanga et al., 2017). ...
... Type II error is more costly as failing to identify at-risk students means that institutions lose the chance to intervene effectively. Research by Tinto (1975) emphasizes that early academic and social integration significantly improves retention rates. If a student is incorrectly classified as likely to persist, they may not receive crucial support services such as academic advising and tutoring, financial aid counseling, mental health support, and career guidance. ...
This study examined the application of machine learning (ML) models to predict college student persistence. Using a dataset of 8,776 student records spanning 7 years, 10 ML algorithms were evaluated, with a focus on Logistic Regression and Random Forest (RF). Results indicated that RF outperformed other models in accuracy and recall, particularly in identifying at-risk students. The use of the Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique improved prediction for non-persistent students. Feature importance analysis revealed that cumulative resident terms, grade point average, financial factors, and engagement metrics were key predictors. Adjusting the prediction threshold further enhanced the identification of non-persistent students. Despite data limitations, the study provides actionable insights for improving student retention through data-driven strategies. Future research should refine feature selection, incorporate real-time data, and enhance predictive models to support institutional decision-making.
... Research shows that a significant number of students enter college but do not persist beyond their first year (Browning et al., 2018;Pearson, 2019;Tinto, 2017a). Current research does not differentiate between students who leave in good standing and those who are forced out due to poor academic performance or involuntary departure (Tinto, 1975). Once dismissed, many do not return, and for those who do, there is a high likelihood that they will be dismissed again (Kopp & Shaw, 2016). ...
... The definition of a traditional college student has evolved in recent years, with many of today's college students facing "increasing financial difficulties, a lack of social connections and sense of belonging, and insecurity regarding the future and access issues, all of which hamper their academic performance and well-being" (Meng & Zhang, 2023, p. 1). Tinto (1975) stated "academic difficulty (i.e., academic dismissal) typically reflects a situation in which the demands of the academic system prove too great" (p. 117), however, this ignores the external factors that indirectly contribute towards poor academic performance and places the focus solely on improving academic skills. ...
An action research study was conducted on the impact of psychological capital and positive self-leadership on the persistence of students returning to a community college after being academically dismissed.
... In higher education settings, it is seen as a foundation for study success, which also shows empirically (Anistranski & Brown, 2023). Sense of belonging is similar to social integration, which is also a central concept since Tinto (1975) published his model for explaining dropout from university. This model is based on the premise that students must engage with both social and academic systems and that successful interaction within these systems leads to effective integration. ...
... The higher the integration, the higher the likelihood that students will continue their studies. Associated research has often focused on the perception of this integration (Tinto, 1975), which underlines the close relation to the concept of sense of belonging. ...
The sense of belonging satisfies the need for relatedness which is one of the three basic psychological needs. It is considered to be a foundation for success in higher education. One of the predictors of sense of belonging from a psychological perspective is students’ personality in the sense of Big Five traits. There are three modes in which those traits can influence the sense of belonging. Firstly, influence of the individual student’s personality, secondly, influence of the classmates’ personality, and thirdly, influence of the fit between individual student’s and classmates’ personality. We test all three effects at the same time using data from N = 398 students at two time points and multilevel polynomial analyses. With relatively high explained variance, we found that (1) all five traits of the individual students were related to sense of belonging, (2) classmates’ openness and agreeableness are positively related to sense of belonging, and (3) there is an interaction effect for emotional stability but it does not indicate a congruence.
... College retention has long been the focus of research in different areas such as sociology, education, and economics, and the relationship between student and institutional characteristics and college graduation rates has been a frequent topic in the academic literature [4][5] [6]. The academic literature has identified several obstacles which could potentially reduce retention rates. ...
... A final set of related research focuses on students' feelings of separation and exclusion and how perceived separation might contribute to drop-out rates. Tinto [4] articulated a theory of retention which suggests that feelings of separation lead to students dropping out. Researchers have attempted to identify ways to decrease students' feelings of separation [14]. ...
... The socioeconomic determinant, including current and future household income and the need to work to improve it, significantly influences early dropout decisions. Finally, the institutional determinant encompasses organizational aspects, work culture, teacher-student relationships, coordination, and support for the student in their educational process, providing a coherent framework for understanding the phenomenon by attributing dropout to internal and external causes, not just an individual decision by the student (Loopers et al., 2023;López Gil et al., 2022;Tinto, 1975Tinto, , 1994. Notably, there is no academic consensus on the determinants of school dropout, implying that the categorization of explanatory variables can vary significantly depending on the model, approach, or theoretical framework used. ...
... For this umbrella review, the determinants and variables associated with school dropout were configured based on Tinto's (1975) proposal, adding two additional determinants conceptualized in previous studies: Political and legislative, as well as sociocultural. Below is a synthesis of the determinants and associated variables: 1) Political and legislative; 2) Sociocultural; 3) Academic; 4) Socioeconomic; 5) Institutional; and 6) Individual and family. ...
This umbrella review aimed to synthesize variables that explain dropout among students in preschool, primary, secondary, and high school education. The study focused on peer-reviewed articles indexed in SCOPUS, Web of Science, and ERIC, identifying five systematic reviews that provided comprehensive insights. Key findings revealed individual factors, such as insufficient parental support, emotional and behavioral challenges, and substance use, play significant roles in influencing student dropout. Socioeconomic factors, including poverty, financial constraints, and social inequalities, were also identified as critical contributors. Additionally, institutional elements such as inadequate school infrastructure, insufficient teacher training, and a lack of culturally relevant resources emerged as barriers to student retention. This review highlights research gaps in political-legislative, sociocultural, and family determinants, longitudinal analyses, dropout interventions’ long-term effectiveness, and marginalized populations’ representation, limiting a comprehensive understanding of student dropout and effective policy development. Recommendations include targeted policies and interventions that foster inclusive and supportive educational environments, reduce inequities, and improve access to resources to minimize dropout rates among students in preschool, primary, secondary, and high school education.
... More recently, student involvement has been analyzed to measure student success and satisfaction in campus activities (Webber, 2013). Tinto's Theory of Student Departure (Tinto, 1975;Tinto, 1987), has been an impactful lens to understand and explain the process of dropout and perseverance. Tinto (1993) identified three major sources of student departure: academic difficulties, the inability of individuals to settle their educational and occupational goals, and their failure to become or remain integrated in the intellectual and social life of the institution. ...
... • The undergraduate dropout process model (Spady, 1970(Spady, , 1971 • The institutional departure model (Tinto, 1975(Tinto, , 1993 • The student attrition model (Bean, 1980(Bean, , 1982 • The student-faculty informal contact model (Pascarella, 1980) • The non-traditional undergraduate student attrition model (Bean Using Extended Curriculum Programmes Gideon P. Brits, Irma Eloff, and Surette van Staden & Metzner, 1985) • The student retention integrated model (Cabrera et al., 1993) • The student involvement theory (Astin, 1984) • Adejo and Connolly's model for predicting student success (Adejo & Connolly, 2017) For purposes of this study, the Adejo and Connolly model (2017) was chosen for further investigation into the factors for student success. The six domains of the Adejo and Conolly model comprises the majority of the variables that contribute to student success. ...
This study presents findings from a larger, mixed methods study that focuses on student success in an Academic Development Programme (ADP) at a South African university. Variables within the demographic, institutional, economic, cognitive, personal needs, and psychological domains of student success were investigated. A sequential triangulation research design was adopted. Data was collected in three phases: a quantitative, secondary analysis of existing, historical demographic data from students (n=5,560) in an Extended Curriculum Programme (ECP) during an 11–year period (2010–2020), a quantitative survey phase (n=161) and an interview phase (n=15). Data was analysed by means of descriptive statistics and theory-driven, inductive coding. The findings revealed that the ECP alleviates the differences in demography and economic status to such an extent that students from deprived areas were equally successful as students from more affluent backgrounds. While all domains are important, the study indicates that the psychological domain and the personal needs domain are most notable in relation to student success. The study recommends that Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) provide students with sufficient help and support especially on students’ mental well-being.
... Several studies have offered valuable insights into the reasons why students drop out of ODE programs. For instance, Tinto's theoretical framework (Tinto, 1975) highlighted that academic, social, and institutional factors influence dropout. Some obvious reasons behind high dropout rates in ODE have included (a) poor goal commitment (Rovai, 2003); (b) low student-instructor interaction (Hawkins et al., 2012;Shikulo & Lekhetho, 2020); (c) a student's employment status and gender (Li & Wong, 2019); (d) students' physical separation from instructors and other students (Budiman, 2015); (e) student's intellectual development (Rovai, 2003); (f) prior academic performance (Muljana & Luo, 2019); (g) time management (Muljana & Luo, 2019); (h) computer and technology skills (Rovai, 2003); and (i) difficult exam conditions (Okur et al., 2019). ...
This study examined the reasons for high dropout numbers in programs offered through open and distance education (ODE). A mixed method approach was employed to collect data from a purposive sample of instructors and students at the Open University of Sri Lanka. A total of 38 reasons were revealed, of which aligned with existing dropout models as well as a few country- and institute-specific reasons. Results indicated that internal and external reasons mainly influenced students to drop out; student characteristics and skills also contributed to the students’ decision. The most influential reasons were job and family commitment, workload, time management, and flexibility, indicating that employed students were the more severely affected fraction of the dropout population. The researchers attempted to create a holistic picture of the dropout phenomenon in ODE, providing a foundation for policymakers and educators to implement targeted interventions and individualized support mechanisms to foster student retention.
... En lo que a la toma de decisión se refiere, se apunta que esta se configura en torno a los motivos que, como tendencia general, se observa que no son únicos, sino que están engarzados y condicionados por diferentes momentos, experiencias y situaciones vividas. En este sentido, el abandono viene determinado por la interacción de elementos individuales, sociales e institucionales (Cervero et al., 2017;Tinto, 1975Tinto, , 1987Tinto, , 1997. ...
El abandono académico universitario es multicausal y multidimensional y es uno de los grandes desafíos a los que se enfrenta la universidad. Este estudio pretende conocer y comprender las claves del abandono de los estudios universitarios, tomando como referencia las voces del estudiantado. Además, se ofrece una imagen sistémica en tanto que aborda tres momentos claves del proceso: antes de estudiar en la universidad, en el momento de la decisión y el balance de la decisión tomada. La metodología empleada ha sido cualitativa, utilizando la entrevista como técnica de recogida de datos. La muestra es de 33 estudiantes de tres universidades españolas. Los principales resultados apuntan, en la línea de la literatura especializada, que el abandono académico universitario está condicionado complejamente por elementos individuales, sociales e institucionales. Las claves para la comprensión del fenómeno no sólo están en las razones que exponen los sujetos sobre el abandono, sino también en las reflexiones sobre las consecuencias de sus decisiones que, tomando como referencia los procesos vividos, no siempre son negativas
... The theory-driven approach emphasizes understanding the underlying causes and psychological constructs that lead to dropout, often developing conceptual models to explain the interaction between students and their institutional environment. Pioneering models, such as those proposed by Spady (1970) and Tinto (1975), investigate how students' interactions with the academic and social systems of their universities affect their success or failure, ultimately influencing their decision to drop out. ...
The dropout phenomenon in higher education refers to students leaving their programs before completing their degrees. Despite recent improvements in graduation rates, Italy remains among the lowest in OECD countries, with a graduation rate of 45%, well below the OECD average of 69%. High dropout rates, particularly during the first two years of study, are influenced by both institutional factors, such as the decentralization of teaching and the expansion of degree programs, and student-specific factors, including academic performance and geographic distance from universities. Although reforms like the Bologna Process’s 3+2 model have aimed to improve retention, challenges persist. This paper employs multinomial logistic regression analysis, combined with finite mixture models, to explore the complex factors driving student dropout, offering insights for early intervention strategies and institutional reforms aimed at mitigating this issue.
... European countries measure the level of educational success in different ways, for example by retention rates, the proportion of higher education entrants who are still registered/still enrolled, drop-out rate, graduation rate, time-to-degree, and others [1]. Research on student retention originated from Tinto's research [2], and after that numerous researchers were interested in researching the topic. Student retention is a strategic issue for both the public and private universities. ...
In Indonesia, the percentage of students dropping out from private universities is always much higher than that of public universities, and the second-highest number of dropouts comes from the engineering field. This study aims to improve the sustainability of engineering faculty in Indonesian private universities by obtaining variables that affect engineering student retention and finding the pattern for each category of student retention. Data was gathered through a questionnaire from 297 engineering faculty students. The questionnaire consists of 34 independent variables using academic performance, attitudes and satisfaction, academic engagement, social and family support, and four categories of student retention (persister, stop-out, slow-down, leaver) as dependent variables. According to discriminant analysis, grade point average (GPA) and student satisfaction in social relationships with fellow students influence engineering student retention. To increase engineering student retention, increasing student satisfaction in social relations with fellow students needs to be prioritized over GPA because the leaver and stop-out categories have a similar pattern, namely high GPA but low satisfaction with social relations with fellow students. Through this research, several efforts are proposed that need to be made by institutions to improve engineering student retention and the sustainability of engineering faculty in Indonesia.
... Es complicado en este escenario por tanto inferir potenciales factores que expliquen la relación encontrada entre desconexión académica y nivel educacional de la madre. Truta et al., (2018) sustenta el mayor compromiso reportado por estudiantes de familias de bajo nivel educacional en los planteamientos de Tinto (1975) de que el contexto educacional familiar está asociado con la persistencia de los estudiantes por sus estudios. ...
El presente trabajo surge como parte de una investigación mayor de tesis para la obtención de grado de Magíster en Psicología. El objetivo de la investigación es hacer una comparación entre el compromiso y la desconexión académicas reportadas entre estudiantes de primer año de universidad según nivel socioeconómico. El compromiso académico representa el grado en que estudiantes se involucran en actividades académicas. La desconexión implica la presencia de conductas disruptivas al logro de resultados de aprendizaje. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 468 estudiantes de primer año de la Universidad de Concepción. Se utilizó un diseño comparativo transversal de grupos naturales, segmentando a los estudiantes según nivel socioeconómico bajo, medio y alto, en base al nivel educativo de la madre, y comparando estos grupos con la técnica MANOVA. Los resultados muestran diferencias significativas según nivel socioeconómico en desconexión conductual, que implica la presencia de conductas disruptivas en cuanto a la participación en actividades académicas, siendo los estudiantes de mayor nivel socioeconómico los que presentan mayor desconexión. Este hallazgo no ha sido reportado en investigaciones previas y conlleva implicaciones en cuanto a la comprensión de las diferencias en el compromiso y la desconexión académica en estudiantes provenientes de distintos entornos socioculturales.
... Progress in higher education, or academic progress, is generally understood as the continued enrolment of students toward completing their degree programmes (Behr et al., 2020). Academic progress is often contrasted with dropout, which is defined as an involuntary, long decision-making process, which leads to leaving a university without obtaining a degree (Tinto, 1975). The dropout phenomenon is complex and typically results from a variety of factors, including non-institutional (e.g. ...
Literature has shown that Out-of-School-Time (OST) activities are important experiences for developing interest in science careers. However, while participation in science-oriented OST activities has become widespread in secondary education, their role on subsequent undergraduate career remains largely underexplored. In this longitudinal study, we explored how the perceived relevance of the participation in science-oriented OST-activities affects students’ early performance and later persistence in an undergraduate course. A sample of N = 565 Italian students from six science and technology majors (biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, computer science, mathematics, physics) who participated during high school in science-oriented OST programmes was involved in the study. The results show that the perceived relevance of OST activities positively affects both directly and indirectly, through motivation to persist, the students’ early performance at first year and later persistence at the third year. Moderation analysis shows that gender affects these relationships, and that the moderation effect depends on the chosen undergraduate major. Specifically, while for biology, biotechnology, biochemistry courses such relationship is statistically significant only for male students, for physics, maths and computer science courses, the effects are significant also for female students. Results support the relevance of OST activities in the choice and persistence in a science undergraduate course.
... Geyer (2001) explains social engagement as "a subjectively undesirable separation from something outside oneself" (p.390). Tinto's (1975) influential work on student retention explicitly mentioned social and academic integration were the two decisive components that determine whether one could successfully integrate into a higher education academic environment. The challenge of social and cultural bonding with other people is crucial for learning and development, whereby failing often results in school transfer, academic dropout, social isolation (McIntyre et al., 2018), and deterioration of well-being (Hoffman et al., 2002;McIntyre et al., 2018). ...
A comprehensive review of the literature reveals significant theoretical gaps in understanding student engagement such as cultural differences and the challenges posed by the growing prevalence of online and blended learning environments. There is a need for better approaches to explore the multifaceted nature of student engagement to inform effective educational practices and foster a supportive learning environment. This paper examines the conceptualization and theoretical frameworks surrounding student engagement by focusing on Theory of Involvement and The Self-Determination Theory. This paper argues for the integration of these theories to provide a more comprehensive understanding of student engagement and the need for future research to consider diverse theoretical perspectives as well as the dynamic nature of student engagement across various settings.
... Outra questão relevante ao percurso universitário é a evasão, definida por Castro e Teixeira (2014) como o desligamento de um curso superior por qualquer motivação que não a sua conclusão. Há algumas décadas, trata-se de uma temática de interesse tanto no contexto internacional quanto nacional (ex: Astin, 1999;Pereira, 1996;Tinto, 1975), na busca por compreender motivos que levariam o estudante a evadir. Nesse sentido, Bardagi e Hutz (2005), ao analisarem a produção brasileira, pontuaram alguns dos aspectos encontrados: pouca integração social à universidade, questões escolares prévias, não correspondência de expectativas, insatisfação com questões institucionais, desempenho acadêmico ruim, dificuldades financeiras, informações insuficientes sobre o curso e a profissão e descontentamento quanto à relação professor-aluno. ...
O objetivo foi investigar o desenvolvimento de carreira e de competências emocionais de 155 universitários beneficiários de programas de assistência estudantil. Participantes responderam a um questionário demográfico, a Escala de Afetos sobre o Projeto de Carreira e o Inventário de Competências Emocionais. Os resultados indicaram que o atendimento das necessidades a partir da assistência estudantil contribui para a regulação emocional e os afetos positivos de carreira explicam a satisfação com a carreira e com o curso.
... The challenges of transition into a new phase, along with the culminating pressure that comes with it, assume a definite role in some students' lives. Researchers found that it is due to several causes, such as institutional, intellectual, social, and emotional pressures, that young people are facing challenges in staying in the higher education system (Araque et al., 2009;Ethington, 1990;Tinto, 1975;Donado et al., 2021). Based on a socioeconomic study conducted by Fonaprace (2014), it was found that 58.36% of federal university students reported experiencing anxiety, 44.72% reported feeling apathetic or lacking motivation, 32.57% reported suffering from insomnia or other serious sleep disorders, 22.55% felt abandoned or experienced despair, and 21.29% expressed feelings of loneliness. ...
Psychological adaptation is recognized as a vital regulator and indicator of mental well-being. In recent years, mental crises among college students in China have primarily been attributed to psychological maladaptation. Therefore, this study aims to explore the different dimensions and determinants of psychological adaptation among Chinese college students. A narrative-style systematic review was undertaken in accordance with the Prisma statement's principles. The research sample consisted of online database published in the time-series (2015-2024) about college students' general and psychological adaptation. The analytical results indicate that the psychological adaptation encompasses five prevalent dimensions: academic adaptation, environmental adaptation, interpersonal adaptation, self-adaptation, and emotional adaptation. It was noted that the factors which affect psychological can be categorized intrinsically at two levels: (a) internal and external factors; (b) micro factors, meso factors and macro factors. The study concludes that the college students' psychological adaptation is a multifaceted subject that needs to be considered from multiple perspectives for better understanding. Self-efficacy, also known as self-regulation, is a crucial and fundamental element which influences psychological adaptation. On the other hand, social support as an external factor has a significant effect at multiple levels including the micro, meso, and macro levels. The thorough evaluation of literature, provided us vast and inter-linked approaches for psychological adaptation analysis of an individual or college student. Variably adopted by different researchers, with the same purpose to achieve psychological health integrated into an individual’s life.
... Los factores de permanencia e interrupción de la educación superior son múltiples. La literatura especializada reconoce factores tanto internos al sistema educativo (calidad de la educación, políticas de apoyo estudiantil, acceso a recursos bibliográficos y tecnológicos, integración social y académica de los estudiantes, etc.) como externos a él (condición socioeconómica de la familia, nivel educativo de los padres, shocks de salud o ingreso, características de las comunidades); asimismo se identifican factores relativos al estudiante, tanto a sus antecedentes académicos (calidad de la formación previa, formas de enseñanza, afrontamiento de la exigencia académica, modelos y referentes) como a sus características personales (motivación, actitudes, etc.) (Chen, 2012;Stephens et al., 2015;Tinto, 1975Tinto, , 1993Tomas Rau y Urzua, 2013;Wilcoxon, 2010). En este artículo resaltamos aquellos factores que destacaron durante la situación de pandemia, principalmente de carácter contextual e institucional, es decir externos e internos al sistema educativo, visibilizando, por un lado, cómo los procesos de aseguramiento de la calidad pudieron reforzar algunos de ellos, y rescatando por otra parte, cómo los estudiantes dan sentido a su experiencia universitaria para continuar o interrumpir sus estudios en un contexto de crisis. ...
Este artículo examina los cambios recientes en el sistema de educación superior en Perú como parte de su proceso de aseguramiento de la calidad y la influencia de éstos en la capacidad de respuesta del sistema frente a la pandemia. Asimismo, pone atención en las experiencias de los estudiantes becarios pertenecientes a poblaciones vulnerables y los factores que contribuyeron o no a su permanencia en la universidad en el contexto de crisis sanitaria del Covid 19. El estudio se realizó en seis universidades (públicas y privadas) de tres regiones del Perú, a través de una metodología cualitativa remota. Los resultados muestran que las universidades estaban en mejores condiciones para afrontar la pandemia gracias al proceso de aseguramiento de la calidad y que les permitió fortalecerse en una serie de aspectos, así como a las instancias encargadas de su regulación y supervisión. Asimismo, las becas resultaron un soporte fundamental para la continuidad de los becarios en el sistema al asegurar el acceso a recursos y conectividad.
... Students who continuously struggle with accessing and processing information may feel isolated or overwhelmed by academic demands, leading to a decline in academic performance. Research shows that students who feel unsupported in their academic development, particularly in online and distance learning environments, are more likely to withdraw from their studies (Tinto, 1975). Studies have indicated that lacking IL skills contributes to digital-education dropout rates (Rowlands et al., 2008). ...
The study examines the information literacy self-efficacy of new learners in open, distance, and digital education environments. It focuses on their perceived ability to perform key information literacy skills by evaluating seven categories of information literacy based on the Information Literacy Self-Efficacy Scale. Assessing information literacy self-efficacy is crucial to understand learner's persistence, resilience, and effort in defining information needs, developing and implementing search strategies, evaluating resources, interpreting and synthesising information, and communicating information, particularly when facing challenges. The study explores the level of perceived information literacy skills among open, distance, and digital education of new learners. Based on the research, the two (2) least information literacy competencies possessed by the new learners are: a) communicating the information, and b) locating and accessing the resources. It also identifies the differences of information literacy self-efficacy levels between new undergraduate and graduate learners. The research also highlights the critical role of perceived information and communication technology skills in determining the level of information literacy self-efficacy among open, distance, and digital education of new learners. Based on the findings, the study recommends increased efforts in teaching and guiding undergraduate and graduate learners in essential information skills, such as writing research papers, providing citations and references, and using effective information resource search techniques. The results show that new graduate learners demonstrate higher perceived information literacy skills than their undergraduate peers. The study also found that information literacy teachings and trainings should not be gender-specific, as both male and female new learners exhibit equivalent levels of information literacy self-efficacy. Keywords: information and communication technology proficiency, information literacy assessment, information literacy self-efficacy, information literacy, open, distance and digital education, self-directed learning 1. Introduction In the information age, where data and information are abundant and exponentially grown in volume, it is crucial for individuals, particularly open, distance and digital education (ODDE) learners, to possess skills and competencies in accessing, evaluating, utilising, and communicating; presenting information effectively. Owning those skills will enable them to be effectively involved in self-directed learning processes, critical thinking and problem solving, as well as engaging and collaborating with peers.
Higher education institutions face the challenge of engaging prospective students in an increasingly digital age. To foster a sense of belonging and prepare students for academic success, colleges and universities must implement innovative digital strategies. By leveraging virtual bonding activities, online resource sharing, and technology-based campus exploration, institutions can create vibrant online communities that connect prospective students with faculty, staff, and peers. Effective two-way communication and personalized interactions are essential to support active student engagement and enhance the overall student experience. By empowering prospective students to forge meaningful connections with the institutional community during the pre-admission phase, higher education institutions can better equip them to navigate the freshman year, achieve their academic goals, and ultimately graduate.
This chapter explores strategies to foster belonging among online non-traditional students and faculty in higher education. It introduces a “Culture of Care” framework focused on inclusivity, flexibility, and holistic support to promote engagement, retention, and persistence. Initially designed for student retention, this approach evolved into a university-wide culture, addressing the unique needs of students, full-time and adjunct faculty, and staff. Using examples from the University of Arizona Global Campus (UAGC), the chapter highlights the importance of proactive communication, personalized interactions, and faculty-student relationships. It examines how non-college life events (NCLEs) impact student success and emphasizes initiatives like the Power of One and Project Finish Line. Personal reflections from the authors reveal how fostering belonging for students, full-time faculty, and adjunct faculty alike strengthens the entire learning community. Practical strategies are offered to engender and sustain a culture of belonging in online environments.
Issues related to the duration of university studies have attracted the interest of many researchers from different scientific fields, as far back as the middle of the 20th century. In this study, a Survival Analysis methodology and, more specifically, a Cox Proportional hazards model, has been proposed to evaluate a theoretical framework/model that relates the risk a student might face either graduating on time or having a late graduation, with a number of observed and latent factors that have been proposed in the literature as the main determinants of time to degree completion. The major findings of the analysis suggest that the factors contributing to reducing the duration of studies include high academic achievements at early stages, positive motivation, expectations, attitudes, and beliefs regarding studies. On the contrary, external situations, negative academic experiences, and some individual characteristics of the students contribute to an extended duration of studies.
First generation students face persistent barriers in achieving postsecondary success. Emerging research has suggested possible benefits of deeper learning pedagogy for the promotion of social‐motivational and academic skills among underrepresented students. We examined the effects of first‐generation students' experiences with deeper learning pedagogy—implemented across secondary education—on their self‐regulated learning beliefs and their enrollment and persistence at 4‐year institutions. Using a cohort design, we matched first‐generation students ( N = 396; 61.6% female; 58.1% Hispanic) from deeper learning and non‐deeper learning schools on demographic and academic variables collecting measures of academic achievement and self‐regulated learning beliefs; postsecondary enrollment and persistence data were obtained. We analyzed latent profiles of students' self‐regulated learning beliefs and examined how deeper learning attendance predicted profile membership. We then examined associations between these latent profiles and students' 4‐year enrollment and persistence. A six‐profile solution emerged representing profiles of low, low‐moderate, moderate‐high, high, and mixed (two profiles) regulatory beliefs. Attendance at a deeper learning school was associated with moderate‐high regulatory beliefs and 4‐year postsecondary enrollment. Higher regulatory beliefs were positively associated with persistence. We consider the complex identities of first‐generation students and suggest the role of deeper learning pedagogy in positively shaping first‐generation students' postsecondary trajectories.
Introdução/Objetivo: Este artigo tem por objetivo realizar uma revisão sistemática de pesquisas sobre os fatores individuais (motivos) que levam os estudantes de graduação à evasão escolar nos âmbitos nacional e internacional, por meio da análise de artigos publicados entre os anos de 2012 e 2023. Metodologia: Este trabalho pautou-se nas diretrizes estabelecidas pelo protocolo Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Foram utilizados os bancos de dados do SciELO, PubMed, Scopus e Lilacs, para a busca dos artigos, o que resultou em 15 trabalhos elegíveis. Resultados: Os resultados revelaram que a evasão no ensino superior é um fenômeno complexo e global, com impactos significativos sobre os estudantes, suas famílias e a sociedade como um todo. E as principais causas desse tema estão relacionadas a fatores familiares, dificuldades de conciliar trabalho e estudo, habilidade prévia à entrada no ensino superior e questões ligadas à integração do sistema acadêmico e social da universidade. Conclusão: Portanto, conclui-se que o tema em foco aponta para a necessidade de políticas e práticas institucionais mais inclusivas e de apoio ao estudante.
The purpose of this paper to discuss the impacts of diversity in the educational setting, it seems necessary ?rst to de?ne some key terms, including culture and cultural diversity. The paper purely theoretical, therefore, information will solicited through literature review to present arguments. Teaching culturally diverse classrooms starts from embracing beliefs that recognise the strengths of cultural diversity. Beliefs are seen as individual cognitive conceptions in constant relation to behaviour and the external environment. Bidirectional relationships exist between personal beliefs, behaviour, and the external environment, but their influence and reciprocal effects vary for different activities and under different circumstances. Diversity has become an increasingly important part of lecturers’ lives beyond school, and even within the classroom it can also help increase their understanding of complex issues of diversity students are confronted with. Similar all social behaviour, teaching and learning is shaped through acculturation and different cultural backgrounds. Most people expect a learning and teaching environment that they are used to from their own educational experience as a student. Teaching in intercultural educational environments should be sensitive to different cultural styles of learning and teaching. This sensitivity is essential, regardless of the subject, whether it is a universal scientific phenomena or not. Paper argues that although cultural groups share commonalties in perspectives, behaviours, and ways of being in the world, they are rarely homogenous. The paper concludes that inclusion of diversity especially when dealing with different cultures is important because it helps with systematic and organized process of applying which strategies and theories to improve the quality of education.
Motivation is a critical factor influencing student learning outcomes in language learning contexts. This study employed a qualitative research design to explore factors affecting military learners’ motivation at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) in the United States. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with military students who completed the DLIFLC’s Undergraduate Persian Farsi (UPF) program. The research examined the factors influencing language learning motivation and strategies to sustain and enhance motivation from the perspectives of military language learners. Findings revealed that military students perceived their motivation as multifaceted, shaped by a complex interplay of intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, academic goals, academic achievement, personal growth, student–teacher relationships, peer relationships, and the learning environment. The study identified motivational strategies such as designing engaging and enjoyable curricula and extracurricular activities that immerse students in the target language, fostering effective communication among learners and stakeholders, creating a positive and supportive learning environment, and ensuring recognition and support from all stakeholders. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the motivational factors influencing military language learners and offer practical strategies to improve learning outcomes in language education settings.
This study investigates the influence of secondary education (SE) and higher education (HE) study programmes on both the short-term (one year) and long-term (three years) academic achievement of HE students. It also examines the impact of various background, cognitive, and non-cognitive factors, controlling for SE and HE programmes. Based on a representative dataset (N = 24,183), this study employs cross-classified multilevel models with a random interaction effect between SE and HE levels. Results show that both SE and HE study programmes impact short- and long-term achievement in HE. The impact of SE programmes is smaller on longterm achievement, while that of HE programmes remains stable. Notably, the alignment between SE and HE programmes, is increasingly important in the long run. The study also highlights that background, non-cognitive and cognitive factors significantly predict academic achievement in both time frames, with important variations in their impacts on short- and long-term outcomes.
Educational relevance statement: Having a clear perspective on the key determinants of academic achievement in higher education (HE) is crucial to support students during their difficult transition to HE. The present study addresses important gaps in the existing literature by analysing the influence of secondary education (SE) and higher education (HE) programmes on both short- and long-term academic achievements of HE students. It also examines the impact of a wide range of background, cognitive, and non-cognitive factors on these academic achievement measures, controlling for the effects of SE and HE programmes. The study reveals several important findings, among which: (1) An included interaction term between random variances at the SE and HE programme
levels (in a cross-classified multilevel model) increasingly predicts academic achievement over time, suggesting the necessity of aligning SE and HE programmes. This is particularly relevant for SE administrators and counsellors developing study choice guidance trajectories for students; (2) There is evidence of a cumulative effect of SES risk factors in HE, with the influence of these background variables on academic achievement intensifying over time; (3) Cognitive and non-cognitive factors assessed at the end of SE significantly influence academic
performance over a three-year period in HE, in addition to their impact on short-term academic achievement. This underscores the predictive validity of these measures and underscores their inclusion in online assessment tools designed to support SE students intending to pursue HE.
This Study Examines The Dissemination Of The Vision, Mission, Goals, And Objectives (VMGO) Of Urdaneta City University (UCU) And Explores The Ethical Implications Associated With Their Implementation. The VMGO Serve As The Guiding Principles For UCU’s Strategic Planning And Decision-Making Processes, Shaping The Institution’s Identity And Direction. However, The Effectiveness Of These VMGO Relies On Their Dissemination Among The Primary Stakeholders, The Students. This Research Aimed To Assess The Current State Of Dissemination Of UCU’s VMGO And Identify Potential Ethical Implications Arising From Any Gaps Or Shortcomings In These Processes. The Study Employed A Mixed-Methods Approach, Combining Surveys, Document Analysis And Philosophical Interpretation. The Survey Gathered Quantitative Data Regarding Stakeholders’ Experiences On The Dissemination Of The VMGO, While Philosophical Interpretation Provided In-Depth Insights Of Ethical Implication Into Their Perceptions And Experiences. Additionally, An Analysis Of Relevant Documents, Such As Official University Publications And Communication Materials, Provided Contextual Information. The Study Concluded That UCU Can Strengthen Its Commitment To Integrity, Teamwork, Competence And Transcendence That Will Foster A Sense Of Purpose, Honesty, Accuracy, Alignment, Responsibility, Respect, Collaboration And Societal Impact Within The University Community. By Upholding These Values, UCU Can Strengthen Its Commitment To Ethical Practices, Maintain The Integrity Of Its Messaging, Encourage Collaboration And Inclusivity, Enhance Competence, And Promote Positive Societal Impact.
Zusammenfassung
Die Hochschullehre wird durch die voranschreitende Digitalisierung transformiert, wobei Fernhochschulen zunehmend an Bedeutung gewinnen, da sie Flexibilität und Vereinbarkeit von beruflichen sowie familiären Verpflichtungen bieten. Eine große Herausforderung hingegen ist die mögliche soziale Isolation von Studierenden. Synchrone Veranstaltungen mit Gamification-Elementen werden als Lösungen diskutiert, um Interaktion sowie Gemeinschaftsgefühl und damit letztlich die soziale Integration im Fernhochschulstudium zu fördern. Der vorliegende Artikel zeigt, das mit Hilfe von virtuellen Escape-Rooms die soziale Integration in der Fernlehre positiv beeinflusst werden kann und bietet eine detaillierte Beschreibung der Vorgehensweise und Gestaltung im Sinne einer Blaupause für andere Institutionen.
Purpose
Unemployment has a conflicting influence on Higher Education (HE) dropout, decreasing both opportunity costs and expected benefits of studying. Herein, we aim to distinguish these two effects, by using the unemployment rate of individuals with secondary education for measuring the first effect and the unemployment rates of HE recent graduates for the second effect.
Design/methodology/approach
Information on the undergraduate courses provided by Portuguese HE Institutions is used to estimate a probit model where the course dropout rate is a function of both unemployment rates at secondary-education and HE levels.
Findings
Lower opportunity costs seem to favour the decision of HE students to continue enrolled, and lower employment prospects, in a certain HE course, increases its dropout rate. Dropout rates are higher in less practical courses and with higher percentages of males, foreign and older students. COVID-19 had a stronger effect on the dropout–unemployment relationship in Services, Welfare, Arts and Humanities courses.
Practical implications
Course employment is an essential indicator for courses’ evaluation and vacancies’ definition. Our results suggest that policymakers should reduce vacancies of higher unemployment courses, redirecting candidates to other courses, thus contributing to reduce skill-mismatches and academic dropout and increasing returns to education.
Originality/value
We contribute to the literature by distinguishing the two effects of unemployment on dropout using unemployment rates at different levels of education. We also consider the unemployment heterogeneity among courses by using course-specific unemployment rates instead of the average HE rate and investigate the COVID-19 crisis impact in the dropout–unemployment relation.
College students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are a growing population, and they bring strengths and unique ways of processing information and solving problems. However, the academic success of students with ADHD has lagged behind that of their peers without ADHD, and higher education has not traditionally been designed to promote the academic success of students with ADHD. This study expands, then applies, an existing student success model that includes measures of students’ pre-college and college experiences. We used structural equation modeling to fit the hypothesized model with multi-institutional, longitudinal data from more than 45,000 first-year college students including more than 2,000 students with ADHD. In this model, having a previous ADHD diagnosis is associated with slightly lower first-year grades than students without a previous ADHD diagnosis. Further, the relationship between ADHD and first-year grades is mediated (explained) by academic adjustment (i.e., time management, study skills, understanding of professors’ expectations, and adjusting to college academic demands). The implications of this study for higher education include recommendations for institutional and instructional change.
The author contends that gender and education researchers should use testimonio to elevate marginalized women's voices and to understand the intersectionality of women's identities and experiences in higher education. This chapter highlights the unique components of testimonio and describes its global reach to illustrate how women all over the world have used testimonio to document experiences of marginalization in higher education and beyond. Drawing from and building on the author's recent qualitative research study, which employed testimonio to uncover minoritized women graduate students' experiences in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs, this chapter shows that many stories exist and simultaneously represent women's experiences in higher education. The author concludes by suggesting that gender and education researchers and institutional decision makers should listen to the many stories of women in higher education to both better understand women's differentiated needs and respond in a way that catalyzes gender transformative change.
Reducing students' dropout rates represents an important issue for the academic system and the society that is far from being completely understood and solved. While it is largely demonstrated that the quality of university students' social connections significantly impacts their well‐being, its relationship with the decision to leave university is largely unexplored. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between specific variables assessing students' connections (social exclusion, perceived social support, and psychological sense of community) and the intention to leave the university and the academic degree. An online questionnaire was completed by 7096 students from a large Italian university. The results showed that experiences of social exclusion were significantly associated with a higher intention to leave the university and the academic degree, while social support and sense of community were associated with a lower intention. The moderation model showed that the relationship between the experiences of exclusion and the intention to leave was no more significant if the respondents experienced a high sense of community. The results have important implications, suggesting that interventions aimed at increasing the students' sense of community could be potentially useful for reducing the students' dropouts due to negative experiences.
The purpose of this investigation was to study the relationship between scores on the Minnesota Counseling Inventory (MCI) and persistence in an institute of technology. Subjects were 608 freshmen male engineering students who entered the Institute of Technology (IT) at the University of Minnesota in the fall of 1962. Students were classified into 4 groups on the basis of their status in IT one year later: (1) 240 students with freshman GPA of 2.0 or higher and who registered for sophomore IT classes; (2) 133 students with less than a 2.0 GPA, but who were allowed to register for sophomore IT courses; (3) 192 students with a GPA of less than 2.0 who did not register for sophomore IT courses (academic dropouts); and (4) 43 students who maintained a GPA of 2.0 or higher but who dropped out of IT for other reasons (nonacademic dropouts). Instruments included MCI scales (Family Relationships, Social Relationships, Emotional Stability, Conformity, Adjustment to Reality, Mood and Leadership; the Institute of Technology Mathematics Test (ITMT) and the Minnesota Scholastic Aptitude Test (MSAT). The results show that IT dropouts, particularly nonacademic dropouts, obtained different scores on the MCI than did students who remained in IT with no scholastic difficulties. These differences were present before students began their the engineering programs. The typical dropout with no academic troubles appeared to be moody, irritable, depressed, withdrawn and nonconforming. Students continuing their programs successfully appeared to be better equipped in terms of emotional adjustment than any of the other groups. Implications of these patterns for counseling with students are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Examined the interaction of ability and personality in discriminating between 4 groups of 408 engineering students differing in academic success and persistence. Multiple discriminant analysis was used to determine the number and nature of the dimensions related to academic success and persistence in an institute of technology. 2 dimensions discriminated between the 4 groups. 1 dimension was described in terms of previous high school achievement and separated academically successful from unsuccessful students. The 2nd dimension, described in terms of personality characteristics, discriminated between students who withdrew and those who persisted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The tendency to drop out of college before completing the baccalaureate degree was examined in a 4-yr. longitudinal study of 6660 high aptitude students. It was found that students who drop out of college come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, have lower ranks in high school, plan initially to get lower college degrees, and apply for relatively fewer scholarships than do students who do not drop out. Personality measures suggested that dropouts tend to be more aloof, self-centered, impulsive, and assertive than nondropouts. An analysis of the effects of 15 college characteristics was performed, using 38 student input variables as control data. No significant college effects on the male student's tendency to drop out of college were found. The female student's chances of dropping out are increased if she attends a college with a relatively high proportion of men in the student body. (19 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Investigated whether persistors and nonpersistors differed in inventoried occupational interests. 485 engineering students after their freshmen yr. were divided into successful persistors, successful transfers, unsuccessful dropouts, and unsuccessful persistors groups. The SVIB for men was used to compare the Ss in the 2 persistor and 2 nonpersistor groups. Analysis of variance was the basic statistical treatment followed by selected post hoc comparisons of significant scales. Results indicate that: (a) successful persistors have engineering-related interest and reject social service interest; (b) successful transfers have verbally expressive and leadership interest and reject technical interest; (c) unsuccessful engineering students reflect unclear and undifferentiated interest; and (d) unsuccessful persistors have technical, physically active interest and less engineering-related interest. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
In this study, definitely inductive in nature, the authors have attempted to explore the failure process by approaching each of five failing college students in an individual, holistic, clinical manner. By employing a method appropriate to this aspect of the over-all problem of failure, it was felt that we might uncover and elucidate some of the subtle but crucial interactions between person and situation not so apt to come to view through approaches of static or particulate type. Finally, they wish to underscore the value of the inductive approach to the failure process, perhaps the most important yield of this study. By approaching the living, reacting student in this way, it appears possible to uncover a variety of elements and patterns which might escape notice if a purely deductive, static or particulate design is followed. That is, with other approaches, in order to understand and go forward with such a problem, a sufficient quantum of direct, holistic experience with the failure process as such, on an individual basis, obviously is primary and fundamental. Further explorations of this type with other student populations in a variety of educational settings may well help to crystallize our concepts, yield important new facts, establish the bases for productive hypotheses, and derive meaningful guides for applied work.
Assessed test anxiety, achievement orientation, and intellectual achievement responsibility (internal vs. external locus of control) among 107 undergraduates who had either failed or performed excellently on a midterm exam. The affect which they associated with the final exam was reported at various times following the midterm feedback. Data revealed that the measured personality dimensions discriminated succeeding from failing males, but did not differentiate between corresponding female groups. Correlational analysis also yielded systematic relationships between the individual difference variables. Self-report ratings revealed that the change in level of fear as the exam date approached was related to the level of achievement needs. Data were interpreted using N. E. Miller's (see 38:5) model of conflict.
STUDENT EXPECTANCIES CONCERNING PERSISTENCE IN COLLEGE AND SOURCES OF CONFLICT LEADING TO WITHDRAWAL FROM COLLEGE WERE RELATED TO SELECTED PRECOLLEGE PERFORMANCE, SCHOLASTIC ABILITY, AND PERSONALITY VARIABLES. PERCEIVED REASONS FOR COLLEGE WITHDRAWAL GENERATED A 3-DIMENSIONAL SPACE, THE DEFINING VECTORS BEING ACADEMIC AND WORK SKILLS AND THEIR UTILIZATION, MOTIVATION, AND ADJUSTMENT. CORRELATIONS COMPUTED SEPARATELY FOR THE GROUPS REPORTING HIGH AND LOW PROBABILITIES OF COLLEGE DROPOUT SUGGESTED THAT THE FORMER GROUP IS MORE CONCERNED WITH SATISFYING PARENTAL EXPECTANCIES AND THAT FAILURE TO DO SO IS ANXIETY AND GUILT PRODUCING. LACK OF COMMITMENT TO EDUCATIONAL PURSUITS COUPLED WITH THIS APPARENTLY LEADS TO INITIALLY ADEQUATE PERFORMANCE BUT SUBSEQUENT UNDERACHIEVEMENT. 3 TIMES AS MANY OF THIS GROUP WITHDRAW AS DO THE LOW PROBABLES. SIMILAR DIFFERENCES WERE OBSERVED BETWEEN REMAINING AND DROPOUT STUDENTS AFTER 3 TERMS. (28 REF.)
The Coleman finding that self-concept falls but sense of control rises with school percentage white is replicated with a sample of black and white sixth graders in classrooms of various SES and racial mixtures. Correlational, cross-tabular and regression analyses indicate that high achievement relative to classmates contributes most to raising an individual's self-concept and sense of control. Class SES contributes negatively to self-concept and positively to sense of control. With other variables controlled class percentage white shows a small but significant relationship in these same directions on both variables for whites, but not for blacks. When previous school percentage white is added to the equation, it not only shows a significant positive relationship to black self-concept, but also raises the negative beta for class percentage white to significance level. The positive contribution to black self-concept of previous integration experience is larger than the negative contribution of present integration experience, suggesting that long-term benefits of a “big pond” outweigh its short-term hazards.
The author surveys three earlier studies of the effects of schooling on achievement and cognitive development in which the conclusions apparently differ from those of the Coleman Report. He suggests that the Report gives an "unfortunate" impression that schools can do little to improve achievement, and then examines certain school characteristics which do seem to influence achievement.
The effect of educational attainment on adult occupational status is often exaggerated,but higher education is nonetheless an important route to a good job. The middle class have always made disproportionate use of this tool for self-advancement,and the gap is not narrowing. The role of tuition charges and academic tests in maintaining the middle-class advantage is not as great as many suppose; class differences in motivation probably play the decisive role. Even if access to higher education became more equal, however, this would not necessarily make American life more satisfactory. The central problem seems to be inequality, not immobility,and while the two are closely related, measures intended to achieve one may not promote the other.
An empirical study of college careers provides evidence for this author's assertion that dropout rates have been exaggerated, and that the "normal" time to attain a college degree is more than four years.
This study examines the possibility that the commitment of a student (and of his parents) to obtaining a college education may be an important factor in determining whether or not he withdraws from college during his freshman year. Data were collected from 1407 students enrolling in three midwestern liberal arts colleges and from the parents of 1331 of these students. Four categories of students were defined: persisters, transfers, voluntary withdrawals, and academic dismissals. Results show that it is possible to differentiate meaningfully among the four categories of students in terms of the level of commitment to college they express before they actually enroll in school. Furthermore, the data suggest that parental attitudes and values about higher education may be at least as important in making this differentiation as are the data provided by students themselves.
A survey of faculty members at six diverse colleges and universities indicates that the amount of interaction college faculty have with students outside of class is related to faculty accessibility for such interaction. Further, among the most important indicators of accessibility were the teaching practices used by faculty members inside their classrooms. It is asserted that these teaching practices communicate to students how accessible a teacher is for interaction outside the classroom, especially in discussion areas not usually prescribed by the faculty-student role relationship. Data suggesting some of the consequences of out-of-class interaction for faculty are also presented.
In this follow-up study of 8,567 Project TALENT students who had attended senior college within five years after high school graduation, the relative influence of 38 personal and background factors are examined as they relate to college completion. Aptitude measures and marriage and family variables are shown to be primary determinants of progress through college. However, inclusion of all 38 variables in a multiple regression prediction equation accounted for less than 30 percent of the variance in dropping out versus completing senior college for women, and less than 20 percent of the variance in this criterion for men. While the variables employed in this study yield results which are a considerable improvement over the results of other prediction studies, the degree of accuracy in prediction is not sufficient to be applicable in educational guidance and policy considerations. Other research strategies implied by the findings which may yield relatively high probability predictions are discussed.
A model to explain and predict voluntary withdrawal from a total adult socializing organization is derived from comprehensive data collected from the entering class of 1972 at the United States Coast Guard Academy. Of six variables found to explain most of the variance in withdrawal, "person-role fit" and "interpersonal fit" emerged as the major determinants of voluntary withdrawal. Voluntary withdrawal is viewed as a means of "coping" with the "strain" produced by a lack of these two kinds of "fit" between the individual and his socializing environment.
A framework for analyzing the effects of academic departments on student values and attitudes is described. Its two principal dimensions are variability in department goals and in department attributes. Each is discussed in some detail. The framework is operationalized and applied to data about the departments of a large university. Predictions are made about the effects of these departments on students' values and attitudes, and the structural properties of the departments associated with these effects are discussed.
Colleges differ in their structural linkages to occupational and economic groups; hence they differ in their capacity to allocate their graduates to major social statuses. The linkages that characterize a given college result in a "charter" that defines and legitimates its distinctive student product. From the idea of the college charter, we derive certain hypotheses about effects of college size on students' occupational choices and rates of college dropout. Evidence from freshman to senior year panels of undergraduates in a national sample of 99 colleges is consistent with the interpretation that larger schools have greater impact on students' occupational commitments than smaller schools, and hence show lower dropout rates, because of their superior status-allocating capacity.
This paper analyses the collective conceptions and norms which developed on the faculty at a newly founded small college of general education in a state university. Conceptions of students, educational objectives, norms regarding student-faculty relations, and conceptions of effects on students are the four major areas examined. Sharp differences among faculty members emerged early in the history of the College. These differences crystallized into belief systems based in the two dominant departments, the natural sciences and social sciences. The natural science orientation was predominantly "utilitarian": it emphasized cognitive effects on students, was unconcerned about developing high student commitment to the College, and encouraged faculty to maintain some distance from students. The social science orientation was "normative": faculty were to "reach" students personally as well as intellectually, encourage high student commitment, and promote close, egalitarian relationships with students.
Independently drawn random samples of 20 dean's list and 20 academic probation engineering sophomores were the subjects in this investigation of student academic status in relation to personal values and aptitude variables. Dean's list students differed significantly (.05 level) from academic probation students on variables such as need for achievement, direction of aspirations, peer group values, independence in planning, persistence, self-control, and high school record. No statistically significant differences were found on variables such as socio-economic status, influence of the home, self-insight or scholastic aptitude. It was concluded that the successful engineering student differs from the relatively less successful engineering student in certain measurable characteristics. These results elucidate the efficacy of the utilization of nonintellective variables in such differentiation.
The construction and validation of a structured, biographical inventory is described. The prediction of college marks was increased with the use of this inventory. Generalizations about the attitudes and perceptions of female college students which contributed to scholastic over- and under-achievement are based upon the analysis of certain items. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
"How the student attacks his high school scene definitely is a portent of his persistence in col lege. Not only is this true of academic affairs, as shown by high school rank, but also of extra curricular activities."
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The dropout process from higher education is examined from a variety of operational definitions and intellectual perspectives. A methodological analysis, critique, and synthesis of the empirical literature suggest that a more rigorous interdisciplinary approach must be attempted. A model based on Durkheim's theory of suicide provides a fruitful vehicle for summarizing a large proportion of current research, and focusing future attention on the interaction between student attributes (i.e., dispositions, interests, attitudes, and skills) and the influences, expectations, and demands imposed by various sources in the university environment. Both the academic and social systems of the university are regarded as important frameworks from which the dropout process must be examined. An empirical analysis operationalizing the variables in the model will be presented in the sequel to this paper.
Longitudinal data gathered from all 683 first-year students in the College of the University of Chicago in 1965 are used to test the utility of a theoretical model in explaining the undergraduate dropout process. The model as operationalized represents a synthesis and extension of concepts pertinent to balance theory, Durkheim's theory of suicide, and recent work on college dropouts. It regards the decision to leave a particular social system as the result of a complex social process that includes family and previous educational background, academic potential, normative congruence, friendship support, intellectual development, grade performance, social integration, satisfaction, and institutional commitment. Multiple regression analysis is used to assess the independent contribution of each of these factors in the explanation of important outcomes in this process. Although social integration, satisfaction, and institutional commitment can be explained primarily on the basis of the intrinsic rewards associated with interpersonal relationships and intellectual development, the short-run dropout decision is largely influenced by extrinsic performance criteria among the men but less so for the women. Over a four-year period, however, formal academic performance is clearly the dominant factor in accounting for attrition among both sexes. The implications of these findings for institutional policies are discussed.
In order to extend sociological thinking about socialization in secondary schools, I have tested the contention that the social status of a high school independently affects the college-going intentions of its students, using data from a 1955 sample of students in 518 American high schools. The effect, although weak, is found to be more an effect of the social-status composition than of formal organization of the school. The positive effects of school status are found to mask a negative effect; in schools with students of higher average ability, students of any given ability and status are less likely to have college intentions, presumably because standards of competition rise within the school. When this hidden negative effect is held constant, the positive effect of school status on college intention increases.
The development of educational aspirations in high school students is represented in a causal model developed from the point of view of reference group theory and including measures of the influence of referents at two points in time. Change in the relative effects of the various causes specified is central to the investigation. The model is quantified via path analytic procedures separately for males and females using data on 3,687 Canadian students. The data suggest that the influence of referents changes over time, that parents exert the greatest influence, and that sex differences in this decision-making process are manifest.
The controversy surrounding the contextual effects of high school status on college aspirations is reviewed. Some of the ambiguity in research findings may be traced to the failure to consider school conditions which foster and hinder college aspirations. Research on high school students in the metropolitan Minneapolis-St. Paul area shows that highly intelligent students are most likely to be found in high status schools. Hence, it may be easier for adolescents at any level of intelligence to get higher grades in low status schools where competition is lean. Within any given category of measured intelligence, attending a high status school appears to raise scores on a less potent predictor of aspirations, school status, and lower scores on a more potent predictor of aspirations, academic rank position. Since rank is an important predictor of college aspirations under all conditions, controlling for rank increases the correlation between school status and aspirations. The analysis suggests that although the effects of school status tend to cancel each other out and the net effect on aspirations is small, the theoretical importance of school status cannot be discounted.
This study focuses on the relation of type of college attended to graduation as a factor in the educational selection process. The analysis is based on a sample of Wisconsin males who where followed up seven years after graduation from high school. Because different types of institutions select different types of students, it is necessary to control relevant student characteristics to determine the existence of contextual effects. A stepwise multiple regression analysis shows that type of college attended explains a small but significant proportion of variance in college graduation beyond what can be accounted for by measured intelligence, rank in high school class, socioeconomic background, and level of occupational aspiration in high school. Other findings are that different types of colleges have different effects for students of different socioeconomic status and intelligence levels and that the selection process into different types of schools has some effect on the overall educational selection process.
In a large national survey of 1961 college graduates, occupational prestige expectations in 1964 were the strongest predictors of the prestige of the job actually held by a man in 1968. The strongest academic variable was graduate school attendance, followed by college grades, academic ability, and college quality. The actual degree earned between 1964 and 1968 was a rather weak predictor, probably because not all men had yet earned their highest degree. Prestige expectations held at earlier periods were not so closely related to job prestige as the 1964 expectations were, but those held as early as the freshman year in college were of some importance.
From past research on the relationship of class origins and education, social scientists generally agree that, although class membership is a strong determinant of who goes to college, it does not determine who graduates. This study presents evidence to suggest that social class and college graduation are in fact, significantly related, especially among the college entrants who were only average students in high school. Rather than economic or intellective factors, the link between the independent and dependent variables appears to be the "psychocultural dimension" of class. Two major explanations are offered for the equivocal findings of earlier research: inattention to the diverse social composition of student bodies at different institutions and neglect of the prolonged academic careers of the college dropouts who came back.
INVESTIGATED THE EFFECT OF CLASSIFYING UNDER THE COMMON CATEGORY OF "DROPOUT" BOTH THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE DISMISSED FOR ACADEMIC REASONS AND THOSE WHO WITHDRAW VOLUNTARILY. 2 GROUPS OF COLLEGE DROPOUTS-THE DISMISSED (N = 78) AND THOSE WHO WITHDREW (N = 62)-WERE COMPARED WITH A CONTROL GROUP (N = 141) OF PERSEVERING STUDENTS IN PERFORMANCE ON COGNITIVE AND PERSONALITY MEASURES. ALL SS WERE MALE UNDERGRADUATES. THE GROUPS DIFFERED IN AN INVERSE RELATIONSHIP ON SEVERAL SETS OF MEASURES, THUS DEMONSTRATING DIFFERENCES IN INTELLECTUAL ABILITY AND PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
THE IMPORTANCE OF IDENTIFYING THE REAL REASONS WHY STUDENTS WITHDRAW FROM COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IS SUBSTANTIATED. 1 VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THESE STUDIES INDICATES THAT THE REASONS GIVEN BY THE WITHDRAWING STUDENTS ARE NOT, MANY TIMES, THE TRUE REASONS AS SEEN BY TRAINED COUNSELORS. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
100 randomly selected four-year institutions with very low freshman dropout rates were compared with a comparable group of institutions that had freshman attrition rates that were not “low,” in order to determine whether the two types of institutions differed in respect to 22 selected variables. It was found that colleges with low freshman dropout rates did differ significantly from the comparison group on 15 of the 22 characteristics analyzed. 10 of the 15 variables were personal (i.e., they related to student characteristics), whereas the remaining 5 were nonpersonal (e.g., the size of the institution and the cost of attending it). The general conclusion reached was that administrators who seek to understand and to cope with the freshman dropout problem must take into consideration both personal and nonpersonal factors associated with the phenomenon of freshman attrition.
Earlier reviews of the research have reached conflicting conclusions about the relationship between social behavior and academic achievement. A brief but comprehensive review is presented. It is suggested that there is greater consistency in this research area than has previously been noted. When the research is categorized according to sample age level, it is found among younger subjects that high achievers tend to be more socially active than low achievers, while among college-age students, low achievers tend to be the more socially active. Questions are raised which future research might investigate.
In this study of a randomly selected cohort of Wisconsin high school seniors, the relative influences of socioeconomic status and measured intelligence are examined at successive stages in higher education by use of cross-tabular analysis, effect parameters, and path analysis. Both socioeconomic status and intelligence have direct effects on planning on college, college attendance, and college graduation, and considerable indirect effect on the level of educational attainment through their effects on college plans and college attendance. However, for females the relative effect of socioeconomic status on college plans, college attendance, and college graduation was greater than was the effect of intelligence, while for males the relative effect of intelligence at each of these stages was greater than the effect of socioeconomic status. When only those who attended college were included in the analysis, intelligence was more important than was socioeconomic status, for both sexes, in determining who eventually graduated from college. But socioeconomic status continued to influence college graduation--even after socioeconomic selection had played its part in determining who would attend college.
In this study of a large randomly selected cohort of Wisconsin high school seniors, who were followed for a seven-year period, multivariate cross-tabular and regression analyses showed that father's education has a slightly stronger effect than mother's education on perceived parental encouragement, college plans, college attendance, and college graduation for males, but that both father's and mother's education have almost equal effect for females. Mother's education has a modest effect independent of father's education, but the independent effect of mother's education is stronger for females than for males. When parents have discrepant levels of educational achievement, the answer to the question of which parent's education has more effect on educational aspiration and achievement depends on the child's sex and intelligence level as well as on each parent's level of educational achievement. In terms of the additional amount of variance explained, the interaction effect is negligible for all of the dependent variables. Discrepancy in parents' educational achievements is far less important in motivating children to high-level aspiration and achievement than is consistently high educational achievement of both parents.
An entire freshman class (N = 2149) at the University of Iowa was administered a personality and an intellectual ability test prior to their 1st academic year. 13 months later groups of 1st-year dropouts (DO) and nondropouts (NDO) were defined. Based upon a value-conformity hypothesis, it was predicted that DOs would be more assertive and less task-oriented. Intellectual ability was controlled as a factor in dropout by matching each DO with an NDO S having an identical ability score. Personality differences were studied at 3 ability levels and for the sexes separately. The results supported the hypothesis for both sexes but only at the high-ability level. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
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