Student Characteristics Related to Persistence for First-Year Community College Students

Abstract

This study analyzed student characteristics that impact persistence among first-year students attending a large, metropolitan community college. The Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) Freshmen Survey was administered to first-time students during orientation. Factor analysis was used to classify students' personality and behavioral characteristics and discriminant function analysis was used to predict retention or attrition. The discriminant model accurately predicted retention in 78.8% of the cases. Findings suggested that student characteristics impacting persistence can be classified into three categories: barriers, motivations and aspirations, and expectations. Among the strongest predictors of attrition were the number of developmental classes required, the intention to transfer to a four-year institution, and the expectation that English as a second language could be a problem for college students. Among the strongest predictors of persistence were being African American or Latino, cumulative GPA, and the length of time students plan to spend at the college. Recommendations are shared for how community college administration, faculty, and staff can work with students and the community to raise student expectations, motivation, and preparation long before they become first-year college students. 117

Academic Advising and the Persistence Intentions of Community College Students in their First Weeks in College

“…Hawley and Harris (2005) found that psychosocial factors, including engagement-conceptualized as the degree of involvement or integration according to Astin's (1984) and Tinto's (1975) theories-were among the student-level variables that successfully predicted fall-to-fall persistence in a large metropolitan community college. McClenney, Marti, and Adkins (2006;cf.…”

Cooperative and Concurrent Enrollment and College Retention

“…These factors include such things as academic ability, gender, smoking vs. non-smoking, being a first generation college student, holding down a job while attending and even self measured popularity or artistic ability (Astin, 2005). Analysis of things like incoming academic ability and emotional health would instinctively seem to correlate positively with completion rates and this held true in the research (Astin, 2005;Hawley & Harris, 2005).…”

“…Research has suggested those factors that negatively affected retention included being a first generation college student, holding down a job, low entrance assessment scores or incoming academic ability and English proficiency (Astin, 2005;Hawley & Harris, 2005). Another factor found to be prevalent in non-retained students was a lack of a sense of community or belonging on the college campus (Harris, 2006).…”

Improving Student Preparedness and Retention—Perceptions of Staff at Two Universities

“…In addition, it resulted in social costs to individuals and society. Consequently, academic leaders were urged to review their institutional data, administrative procedures and institutional culture to understand better why so many students failed to complete their courses (ACT Inc., 2010;Armstrong, Campbell & Brogan, 2009;Conner, 2009;Hawley & Harris, 2005;Lillibridge, 2008;Schurr, Ruble, Palomba, & Pickerill, 1997).…”