Ten Texas community colleges participated in a fall, l976, college withdrawal survey, yielding a total of 1,102 responses. Students classified as "illegal/undefined" majors accounted for 32% of withdrawals, followed by "university transfer/academic" majors (27%), "undecided" (21%), and…

Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972, the National Center for Education Statistics undertook a study of dropouts in higher education. Specifically, the study was designed to discover: (1) to what extent students withdraw from institutions of higher education before completion, and how these rates might…

A study (based on data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Labor Market Experience) was conducted to determine the causes and consequences for women of leaving high school before completion. Four factors (race, school leaving, motherhood, and employment status) were explored by comparing data obtained annually between 1968 and 1973 for 5,000…

While the educational structure seems to meet the needs of most students, a small but significant minority does not see the need to complete high school. To improve the identification of potential dropouts and describe the differences between dropouts and persisters, 536 Kentucky high school students and dropouts were studied. An unexpected…

A review of research on student attrition suggests eight factors influencing students' decisions to remain in a course or in college that may respond to college, counselor, and teacher interventions. First, as low grades are consistently revealed as contributing to attrition, appropriate course placement, basic skills instruction, criterion-based…

A causal model to explain student attrition was tested at a major midwestern land-grant university with a sample of 1,513 full-time, unmarried freshmen who were 21 years old or younger. The causal model was reduced from 23 to 10 variables: an intent variable, three attitudinal variables, and two each of organizational, personal, and environmental…

This five-part report provides background for a research design for the study of student attrition and retention in the community college. After Part I introduces the larger study of high risk students for which this paper was prepared, Part II defines the concepts of retention and attrition with respect to the attainment of student objectives…

The purpose of this study was to examine the major determinants of the "staying" and "leaving" process for samples of Melbourne (Australia) male and female adolescents. Sixty attitudinal statements were obtained from 796 adolescents and factor analysed. The subset of independent variables, together with a set of personality and…

Demographic, academic, and other college-related characteristics of the persisting and nonpersisting students at Old Dominion University were investigated during a one-year period from fall 1976 to fall 1977. Information was collected from the student master registration file for a study population of 11,637 undergraduates. The students ranged in…

Critical problems and functions of the Swedish system of higher education in dealing with adult learners are summarized in this workshop publication. Various institutional responses to the growing body of nontraditional students are discussed and it is suggested that the overwhelming reaction of Swedish higher education has been to incorporate…

A STUDY WAS MADE OF STUDENTS WHO DISCONTINUED ATTENDANCE IN THE ADULT BASIC EDUCATION COURSES PROVIDED BY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE BRONX, MANHATTAN, BROOKLYN, AND QUEENS. DATA WERE GATHERED BY INTERVIEW OR SCHOOL FILES ON 306 PERSONS--167 NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING, PRIMARILY PUERTO RICANS, AND 139 NATIVE BORN, LARGELY NEGRO. MOST OF THE DROPOUTS WERE…

A questionnaire for students discontinuing their foreign language study is presented along with suggestions for its administration and use as a diagnostic tool for administrators. The brief form covers such factors as--(1) reasons for dropping the language, (2) availability of advanced courses, (3) notions of fluency, (4) student objectives, (5)…

Students who were enrolled at the Grand Valley State Colleges (GVSC) during fall 1977 but did not re-enroll winter 1978 were surveyed. The results showed that (1) 75 percent probably left for reasons the college could not expect to affect; (2) most complimented the college; (3) almost half had not expected to get a degree there to begin with; (4)…

Reported are the results of a study to determine the reasons as many as 40 percent of the admitted students at some liberal arts colleges leave the campus for a semester or longer before graduation. Information was gathered through responses and records of several thousand persons in the three-year study conducted by five New England colleges and…

The differences between "persisters" and "leavers" in relation to their goals of attending college, and the effects of social and academic intergration, associated with institutional commitment is described. Implications of the research for student services are presented. (Author/MLW)