The importance of close social contacts in the educational process has been widely documented, but mainly for the school sector. The present article examines the importance of close relationships on university students' dropout tendencies. Using longitudinal panel data collected at a medium-sized German university, students (N = 7,169) were…

This study examined graduation and persistence among social and behavioral science students at a regional comprehensive university. Hazard analyses identified predictors of student trajectories, times at which predictors were more or less impactful, and interactions between predictors such that particular risk factors were more detrimental for…

First-generation college students (FGCSs) are known to experience more difficulty in the college education environment compared to continuing-generation college students. The current study used a person-centered approach to investigate subgroups of FGCSs that have had similar experiences of social, financial, academic, and cultural barriers in…

This exploratory mixed-methods study examines factors contributing to doctoral students' consideration of departure from their graduate programs with comparisons made by sex and affiliation with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs. Logistic regression and qualitative analyses point to the importance of strong…