College student retention has been and continues to be one of the most important issues facing the higher education community. Despite this importance, little is known about the type and methodological rigor of institutional efforts to increase student retention. This article presents the findings of a study which attempted to gain a clearer…

An exploratory study examined the effects of organizational attributes and interactional attributes on student attrition. Path analysis indicates that while organizational attributes directly affect academic or social integration, they have no direct effect on student withdrawal. (Author/MSE)

The influence of student problems, which are often cited by students as reasons for withdrawal, is compared with the influence of constructs derived from Tinto's student attrition model. The findings suggest that data from post-hoc attrition studies should be used cautiously. (Author/MLW)

Study elaborates on Tinto's (1975) theory of student departure by focusing on the concept of social integration. Examining freshmen at a Research I institution using three quantitative instruments, study finds that how students deal with stress impacts their level of social integration, institutional commitment, and intent to reenroll. (Contains…

Asserts that path analysis is an optimum data-analytic technique for the research, development, and evaluation of planned interventions to reduce college student attrition. Describes and illustrates technique of path analysis. (Author/NB)

Discusses the focus of this special issue on college student retention and describes the issue's articles, which advance recommendations for institutional action that emanate from theory and research rooted in several different theoretical orientations: organizational, sociological, and psychological. (EV)

Discusses institutional practices that spring from empirically grounded forces that influence students' social integration and retention. Presents 20 recommendations for implementation in 8 domains of institutional practice: academic advising, administrative policies and practices, enrollment management, faculty development, faculty reward system,…

Classifies 47 recommendations gleaned from the articles appearing in this special issue according to their consistency with Tinto's three principles of effective student retention. Orders recommendations by the institutional domain most likely to implement them. Views the recommendations as multiple, powerful levers to reduce college student…

Student departure is a long-standing problem to colleges and universities. Approximately 45 percent of students enrolled in two-year colleges depart during their first year, and approximately one out of four students departs from a four-year college or university. The authors advance a serious revision of Tinto's popular interactionalist theory to…