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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.
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