American Indian students are among the most underrepresented groups in academe, and few of those who enter college finish. This book attempts to provide greater understanding of Native American experiences in higher education through analysis based on critical theory, focusing particularly on the recruitment and retention of Native Americans by…

This study sought to uncover elements of campus culture at a large, predominantly white metropolitan university in the Southwest which hinder or support Chicano student persistence. Because the concept modeling research design required complete immersion in the lives of students, the number of participants was limited to two. The two students…

This paper examines some of the major problems and barriers faced by Hispanic/Latino youth who, despite high college enrollment rates, do not complete the four-year degree. An examination of five entering classes of Illinois college students found that only 30.2 percent of Hispanic students had completed their degrees at the end of four years,…

This study evaluated the effect of middle-to-high-school transition programs on educational progress (student performance and retention) in a nationally representative sample of public school students. Data from the National Educational Longitudinal Survey indicated that transition programs targeting students, parents, and school staff together…

The ASPIRA Association in the District of Columbia conducted a longitudinal multimethod study with 1,152 students based on school records, interviews, the High School and Beyond study, and 1-year followup to study dropouts among Hispanic-American students in 5 cities: Chicago, Miami, Newark, Milwaukee, and San Antonio. Findings represent an…

This paper presents data showing how change of major, course load patterns, housing location, and first semester grade point average relate to the percentage of students in the following four outcomes: voluntarily not returning to college, being academically suspended, continuing enrollment, or graduating. (Author/MLW)

A recent study by Civic Enterprises for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation examined the views of diverse youth, ages 16-25, who had failed to complete high school. "The Silent Epidemic: Perspectives of High School Dropouts" lists students' reasons for leaving school and suggests actions that schools, states, and the federal government can take.…

A study was performed to compare the attrition and graduation rates of students who transferred from Cuyahoga Community College (CCC), in Cleveland, Ohio, to Kent State University (KSU) to the rates of native KSU students. Two matched groups of transfer and native students 4 years apart were studied, using only those students who had attended high…

This study examined the impact of precollege variables and three motivational factors on retention and grades of 581 high risk college freshmen. The precollege variables were gender, ethnicity, parental education, financial aid status, and high school rank. The motivational factors were identified from the Noel-Levitz College Student Inventory…

In 1991, a study was conducted at Johnson County Community College (JCCC), in Kansas, of "leavers," those students who were once enrolled at JCCC, but did not graduate, transfer to another institution, or complete a career program. Questionnaires were mailed to 1,860 students identified as leavers who had been enrolled at JCCC during…

This study examined research from 1980 to 1992 that addressed characteristics of high school dropouts. Data from 32 empirical studies were synthesized into an integrative review. A list of the most common characteristics of high school dropouts was generated and the major policy issues related to dropping out were identified and addressed. Four…

A random sample of 700 current and former continuing education (CE) students were surveyed by mail in May 1992 to identify ways to improve programs and services. Responses from 333 confirmed that CE enrolled a diverse group of students. They chose Ohio State University primarily for its location and program availability. Almost 40 percent of the…

Student and institutional characteristics related to college freshman persistence were studied. Persistence was examined for 5 institutions (5,950 students) at 4 points in time: end of first term, reenrollment in the spring, end of spring term, and reenrollment in the fall of the sophomore year. Data from a variety of sources were used, and…

This document describes a study that examined several factors to determine their influence on student social bonding to school, to peers, and to teachers. The study focused on factors related to students' personal and social backgrounds, school organization, and students' relationships with teachers and peers. Specifically, the researchers sought…

In 1989 the Knox County (Tennessee) Schools opened The Center School as an answer to the dropout problem. The Center School was to feature open entry and exit, self-paced work schedules, flexible scheduling, a school-to-work component, on-site counselors and social workers, and individually designed graduation programs through which dropouts aged…