Although there are many reasons why students dropout of college courses, those reasons may be unique for students who are enrolled in an online program. Issues of isolation, disconnectedness, and technological problems may be factors that influence a student to leave a course. To understand these factors, an online survey was developed to collect…

The main aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of why students abandon their studies, or perform less well than expected given their high school grades, and to develop predictive models that can help identify those students most at-risk at the time they enter college. This will allow teachers and those responsible for student…

Examines changes in the characteristics and outcomes of school dropouts in Australia during the 1980s. Schools recruited more broadly among females during this period, which weakened the association between dropping out and social background. For males, social differences remained entrenched. Both genders experienced steep increases in…

Discusses a survey of nonreturning students at Cuyamaca College (California), distinguishing between positive attrition (successful nonreturners) and negative attrition (unsuccessful nonreturners). Compares two groups in terms of goals, employment, satisfaction with college, high school performance, gender, and ethnicity. Recommends…

Examines reasons for early school dropout among high school students and their plans to resume their education. Dropout data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 reveal various reasons for dropping out that include school-related, family-related, and job-related causes, as well as influences from peers and residential mobility.…

A study was conducted of African American students at Contra Costa College (CCC), in California, enrolled through the Extended Opportunity Program and Services component, to examine differences between academic persisters and non-persisters. A questionnaire was used to gather information about students' pre-matriculation characteristics and…

A study was conducted to determine whether factors found to be related to student persistence in public and independent two-year colleges (i.e., positive college environment, realistic student expectations for career and education, and a sense of belonging) were generalizable to the proprietary sector. Three proprietary institutions in New York…

A study examined the extent to which formal and informal policies, practices, and activities intended to increase vocational enrollments and completion exist in New Hampshire's high schools. Data were collected from interviews with six vocational staff members at each of five sites, a survey given to administrators at 28 sites, and responses to…