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