ERIC Number: ED674024
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: 0000-00-00
The Relationship between High-Risk Courses and Retention in University. The AIR Professional File, Summer 2025. Article 178
Chen Zong; Suzann M. Koller
Association for Institutional Research
Understanding the relationship between high-risk courses and Fall-to-Fall retention is essential to enhance student persistence and academic achievement in higher education institutions. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between high-risk courses and Fall-to-Fall retention of first-time, full-time students. The course data of 8,220 students between 2016 and 2020 at a large public research university were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and logistic regression methods: First, the characteristics of high-risk courses and the students who took the most high-risk courses were identified. Second, the findings of correlation analysis indicate that there was a statistically significant correlation between Fall-to-Fall retention and the number of high-risk courses students take in their first year. Third, the significant predictors of retention include the following: first-semester GPA, high school GPA, tuition residency, total number of courses taken in their first year, whether the student is first-generation, whether the student has an undeclared major, and the number of high-risk courses the student takes in their first year. The results of model likelihood ratio test indicate that the final model provides a significantly better fit to the data than the null model ([chi-squared] = 2393.9, df = 7, p < 0.001, R[superscript 2] = 39.9%). The findings of this study will provide useful information that institutions can use to identify the high-risk courses and to increase retention rate.
Descriptors: College Students, Course Selection (Students), Courses, Risk, Academic Persistence, Correlation, Grade Point Average, High School Students, College Freshmen, Tuition, First Generation College Students, Majors (Students), Student Characteristics, Predictor Variables, Gender Differences, Age Differences, Racial Differences, Ethnicity
Association for Institutional Research. 1435 East Piedmont Drive Suite 211, Tallahassee, FL 32308. Tel: 850-385-4155; Fax: 850-383-5180; e-mail: air@airweb.org; Web site: http://www.airweb.org
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Association for Institutional Research (AIR)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A