Document Type

Dissertation

Date of Award

5-2023

School/College

College of Education (COE)

Degree Name

Ed.D., Educational Administration

Committee Chairperson

Danita Bailey-Samples

Committee Member 1

Bernnell Peltier-Glaze

Committee Member 2

Jessica Davis

Committee Member 3

Ronnie Davis

Keywords

• First year college students • Persistence

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between selected demographic, academic and family related factors on the persistence rate among college students attending an urban university in the southern region of the United States. Although there is no conclusive explanation for what affects persistence of first-year students nationally; increasing

student persistence is viewed as one of the most important issues for most colleges and universities. American College Testing (2002) reports that persistence is greatly influenced by the type of institution; if the institution is more selective, its persistence rates are also higher. Archival data on the target institution from higher education's data bank were collected by the investigator. A total of 300 freshmen college students were randomly selected to participate in the study. Participants were measured on three sets of independent variables. The first set measured demographic characteristics of freshman college students (gender and ethnicity). The second set measured the academic factors for freshman college students (high school GPA and SAT scores) and the third set measured family related factors pertaining to freshman college students (mother’s educational level and father’s educational level). The demographic factors of gender and ethnicity were significant predictors in determining those freshman college students who would return to the university the next semester. Academic factors of high school grade point average, SAT scores, family related factors such and mother and father’s educational level were all not significant predictors in determining those freshmen college student would return to the university.

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