The relationship of student major choice and other individual characteristics as reported in the American College Testing Program's (ACT) pre-college Assessment Program to persistence in the college major is examined for Michigan State University students. Implications for program planning are discussed. (MSE)

Describes a study of the effectiveness of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), high school graduation class percentile, and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS), as predictors of short- and long-term academic achievement among a sample of 58 high-risk college freshmen who participated in 1-year special studies program. (PAA)

A study examined the role of career maturity in the college persistence of 307 freshmen at a public, residential, four-year college. Results indicate that the My Vocational Situation instrument is reliable and valid, although theoretical formulations should be reexamined. Career maturity was positively associated with several variables important…

Universities and technikons have been struggling to meet the demands of growing numbers of students who enter higher education with limited skills. Higher Education literature abroad provides an exhaustive range of theory about the reasons for students leaving (cited in Strauss & Volkwein 2002), as well as proposals for positive intervention.…

Stepwise discriminant analysis coupled with logit regression analysis of freshmen data from Brandon University (Manitoba) indicated that six tested variables drawn from research on university dropouts were useful in predicting attrition: student status, residence, financial sources, distance from home town, goal fulfillment, and satisfaction with…

A study examined the academic success and retention of 213 first-year female African-American students at a historically black, private, liberal arts college in the Southeast. The women were surveyed concerning their preparation and readiness for college during their first weeks on campus, and responses were compared with actual academic…

The purpose of this article is to discuss determinants of computer self-efficacy from the perspective of participant internal learning motivations and external learning environments. The former consisted of three motivations--interest, trend, and employment--while the latter comprised two environments--home and school. Through an intermediate…

This study examined the relationship between students' academic performance in high school vis-a-vis their performance in the first year at college. The study analyzed data on students who graduated from Maryland high schools in the 1994-95 academic year and who were enrolled in 2- and 4-year Maryland public institutions or in one of 11…