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Factors that Predict Persistence in College at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Following a Student Cohort from 2009 through 2012
Helen Rosenberg University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Presented to the Upper Midwest Civic Engagement Summit University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie
June 13, 2014
ResearchWhy focus on non-traditional students?
UWP has greatest percentage of students receiving Pell grants in UW-System
Over 2/3rds of students work in addition to going to school full time
UWP has the highest percentage of students of color in the UW-System
UWP has the lowest retention rate in the UW-System, 30%
20% of students do not return after the freshman year
ResearchPredictors of successful outcomes for UW-
Parkside students
What is success?The dependent measure is persistence over
timePersistence refers to long-term outcomes,
while retention is most often used to talk about re-enrollment from freshman to sophomore year
Factors contributing to re-enrollment
Tinto (1975, 1997, 2005) identified four factors:
academic integration
social integration
financial pressures
psychological differences, i.e.,
family background, past educational
experiences
Identifying Non-traditional Students
24+ or 25 + years oldEmployed Full-timeMarried/CaregivingPart time enrollmentFirst Generation Students of Color (sometimes referred to as “under represented students”)
The term "nontraditional student" is not a precise one (NCES, 2002)
Independent VariablesMeasures of Non-traditionality
Age (24+)Enrolled Part TimeFirst Generation College StudentRace (students of color)
Service Learning Took service learning class or not
DemographicsGenderFreshman/Transfer Students
GPA
Demographic Distribution of Students entering UWPN=1155
Measures of Non-traditionality
Age (24+)Enrolled Part TimeFirst Generation College StudentRace (students of color)
Service Learning Took service learning class or not
DemographicsGenderFreshmen/Transfer Students
GPAPersistence to Graduation
Measure Fall, 2010
Fall, 2011
Fall, 2012
24+ 11.7% 12.0% 11.6%
Part-time 40.3% 56.9% 65.7%
First Gen 60.1% 60.4% 60.5%
Students of Color
29.4% 27.4% 29.4%
Took SL 13.3% 24.2% 34.0%
Female 56.8% 56.5% 60.1%
Freshmen
71.7% 69.5% 68.1%
GPA 2.59 2.73 2.85
Re-Enrolled/Graduated
65% 51% 41%
Correlations Among Independent Measures
Strongest relationshipFull-time enrollment and GPA
Positive relationshipsStudents who enroll in CBL classes tend to be
full-timeStudents who enroll in CBL classes tend to
have higher GPAs than students who do not take a class with CBL
Conclusion:There is a strong relationship among full-time
enrollment, CBL course enrollment and GPA
Correlations Among Independent MeasuresDemographic relationships to GPA
Men and students of color tend to have lower GPAs than women and Whites.
There is no relationship between being a first generation student and GPA
Transfer students tend to be older and earn higher GPAs than incoming Freshmen
Older (24+) students are more likely to be part-time and earn lower GPAs than younger students
Methodology
Logistic Regression Analysispredicts reenrollment or graduation (coded 1) or non-enrollment as a dichotomous dependent variableUsed backwards, stepwise technique for exploratory analysis
Allows entry of sets of variables in stepwise manner to assess the relative effect explained by each variable in modelFirst step entered measures of non-traditionality and demographics Second step entered if student enrolled in a CBL courseThird step entered GPA
Followed sample across 2010, 2011 and 2012
© 1998 G. Meixner
Significance of Service-Learning
Students who take service-learning courses are more likely to persist.
Service Learning has a consistently strong impact on reenrollment and graduation.
When full-time enrollment and GPA are added into the model, the effects of service learning decline because of its strong relationship to these variables
Significance of Demographics
RaceRace is an inconsistent predictor of persistence with white students more likely to reenroll.Students of color are about 75% as likely to re-enroll and
graduate as are white studentsAgeThe effects of age are slight and insignificant over time
First Generation StatusThe effect of being a first generation college student is slight and becomes insignificant over time
Significance of Transfer Students and Full-Time Status
Transfer StudentsEntry status is an inconsistent predictor of re-enrollment with transfer students more likely to persist.
Full-time StatusFull time status is a powerful predictor of reenrollment throughout all years of the analysis The effects of full-time enrollment are very strong, but decline
when GPA is added to the model
Service-Learning has a positive effect on all students (traditional and non-traditional)
Part-time enrollment seems to pose the greatest challenges for non-traditional students in relation to re-enrollment
Service learning was significant for freshmen and juniors, but not for second year
Implications for UW-Parkside