Using a longitudinal sample of Texas high school seniors of 2002 who enrolled in college within the calendar year of high school graduation, we examine variation in college persistence according to the economic composition of their high schools, which serves as a proxy for unmeasured high school attributes that are conductive to postsecondary…

Analysis of transcripts and survey responses of undergraduate students in one university identified three types of student extenders (full-time students taking longer than normal to complete a degree), determined by financial need, grade-consciousness, and special situations. Characteristics of these groups are compared with those posited by…

National longitudinal retention data on 52,898 students at 65 colleges and universities were used to generate formulas for estimating any institution's expected retention rate based on its students' high school grades, admission test scores, and racial and gender composition. Separate formulas were computed for estimating degree completion rates…

A study investigated differences in the length of time taken to earn a doctoral degree in three disciplines--chemistry, English, and psychology. The clearest findings emerged for psychology, where institutional variables affecting time to degree concerned faculty accessibility and department size. (Author/MSE)