College Persistence over Time and Participation in a First-Year Seminar. (November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Miller, John W.; Lesik, Sally S.
• Is Part Of: Journal of college student retention. Volume 16:Number 3(2014.)
• Page Start: 373
• Page End: 390
• Publication Date: 2014-11
• Subjects: College dropouts -- Periodicals; College dropouts -- Prevention -- Periodicals; College attendance -- Periodicals; 378.16913
• DOI: 10.2190/CS.16.3.d
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1521-0251

Abstract

Retention and graduation rates of an entire cohort of 1, 913 first-time full-time college students are analyzed. The effects of participation in a first year experience (FYE) course and of entry level academic preparation (ELAP) on retention and graduation are examined, both descriptively and with discrete-time survival analyses. Although descriptive results support the efficacy of the FYE, survival analyses calls into question whether any unique variability beyond ELAP is attributable to FYE. Alternative hypotheses to explain the results and plans of new research for further exploration are presented.