student retention pieces of the puzzle: improving student retention and graduation rates
TRANSCRIPT
Student Retention
Pieces of the Puzzle:Improving Student
Retention and Graduation Rates
Student RetentionOverview
Who Are Today’s College Students?
Who Stays? Who Leaves?
Why?
What can we do about it?
Student Retention
• By traditional standards, students are brighter and better prepared today than ever before.
• BUT, they suffer from low expectations and high grade inflation in the secondary school system.
Pieces of the PuzzleFact No. 1
Student Retention
A Ten Year Comparison of Freshmen GPA and Mean SAT at the University of Texas at Austin
2.25
2.30
2.35
2.40
2.45
2.50
2.55
2.60
2.65
2.70
2.75
1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
1100
1120
1140
1160
1180
1200
1220
1240
GPA
Mean SAT
Student Retention
An Indexed Ten Year Comparison of Freshmen GPA and SAT at The University of Texas at Austin
96.0
97.0
98.0
99.0
100.0
101.0
102.0
103.0
104.0
105.0
106.0
1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
Indexed SAT
Indexed GPA
Student Retention
Mean SAT Total Test Score by Ethnic Group Fall & Summer First Time in College Freshmen 1980 to 1995
White/Asian Am.
African Am.Hispanic
800850900950
1000105011001150120012501300
1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
Student Retention
SAT Total Score Ranges (Middle 50%) by Ethnicity for the Entering Class of 1996
900
950
1000
1050
1100
1150
1200
1250
1300
1350
White Black Asian Hispanic
SAT 25 percentileSAT 50 percentileSAT 75 percentile
Student RetentionThe Percentage of Admitted Students in Selected
SAT Total Test Score Categories All University
16%
24%26%
21%
10%
3%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
<1100 1100to
1199
1200to
1299
1300to
1399
1400to
1499
1500to
1600
Student Retention
% Who said there was a “very good chance” they would . . .
• 1% Fail a course
• < 1% Drop out temporarily
• 3% Transfer to another college
Student Retention
Time Spent in High School . . .
56% studied 5 hrs or less per week
33% watched TV more than 5 hrs/week
11% read for pleasure more than 5 hrs/week
Student Retention
• 75% Academic reputation
• 57% Grads get good jobs
• 42% Low tuition
• 42% Grads go to top grad schools
Why Students Chose UT-Austin
Student Retention
• We know what works in student retention. Nearly ALL of our retention programs are successful.
• They improve the academic performance and increase the retention rate of students who participate.
Pieces of the PuzzleFact No. 2
Student Retention
• We know why students leave UT Austin:
• Students report multiple “causes.”– 65% reported PERSONAL reasons such as:
• lack of motivation, “burn out”, poor high school preparation,family problems and health
– 58% reported FINANCIAL or work-school conflicts
– 33% reported ACADEMIC problems
Pieces of the PuzzleFact No. 3
Student Retention
People ReasonsPolicy Reasons
Resource Reasons
Teaching/Curriculum Reasons
StudentAttrition
Student Retention
• Are students not “well prepared” for college?
• Are students not “motivated?”
• Are students here for the “wrong” reasons?
• Can students afford to attend UT?
People Reasons - Students
Student Retention
• Why should faculty worry about the graduation rate?
• How can we improve graduation rates without lowering academic standards?
• Why should we spend more time teaching?
• Why should we teach “differently?”
People Reasons - Faculty
Student Retention
• Would a failing grade replacement policy improve retention rates?
• What happens to the students in majors with a “grade point requirement” who have greater than a 2.0 gpa but less than the requirement?
Policy Reasons
Student Retention
• If enrollment increases, will students have more difficulty obtaining courses that meet their interests and degree requirements?
• If more students are successful at the freshmen and sophomore level, will we have the faculty resources to teach upper division level courses?
Resource Reasons
Student Retention
• What are the risks/rewards of changing HOW we teach?
• Is our curriculum too diverse; does it give students too many choices?
• How can we better motivate students to attend class?
• How do we reward teachers for promoting retention?
Curriculum / Teaching Reasons
Student Retention
Who Leaves?
Student Retention
1st Year Attrition Rate
SAT Qtr % HS Rank %
Top Qtr 09 Top 10% 09
2nd Qtr 13 Next 15% 16
3rd Qtr 17 2nd Qtr 25
4th Qtr 26 Bottom Half 50
Student Retention
The Percent of Students Who Were Academically Dismissed and the Percent Who Left UT Voluntarily
0123456789
101112
19
86
19
87
19
88
19
89
19
90
19
91
19
92
19
93
19
94
19
95
Year
Pe
rce
nt
DismissedVoluntary
Student Retention
Mean First Year Cumulative GPA by SAT Total Test Score and High School Rank Entering Classes of 1992-1994
Top 10% 11% to 25%
2nd Qtr.
Bottom half
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
4.00
Le
ss th
an
80
0
08
00
to0
89
0
09
00
to0
99
0
10
00
to1
09
0
110
0 to
119
0
12
00
to1
29
0
13
00
to1
39
0
14
00
to1
60
0
Tota
lG
rou
p
SAT Total Test Score Categories
Me
an
GP
A
Student RetentionFirst Year Retention Rate by SAT Total Test Score and High
School Rank Entering Classes of 1992-1994
Top 10% 11% to 25%
2nd Qtr. Bottom half
0102030405060708090
100
Less
than
800
080
0 to
089
0
090
0 to
099
0
100
0 to
109
0
1100
to11
90
120
0 to
129
0
130
0 to
139
0
140
0 to
160
0
Tota
lG
roup
SAT Total Test Score Categories
Percent
Student RetentionMean First Year Cumulative GPA by SAT Total Test Score Category by
Ethnicity for the Entering Classes of 1992-1994All University -- White Versus Hispanic
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
4.00
Less
than
800
0800
to08
90
0900
to09
90
1000
to10
90
1100
to11
90
1200
to12
90
1300
to13
90
1400
to16
00
Tota
lG
roup
WhiteHispanic
Student Retention
Mean First Year Cumulative GPA by SAT Total Test Score Category by Ethnicity for the Entering Classes of 1992-1994All University -- White Versus African American
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
3.50
4.00
Less
than
800
0800
to08
90
0900
to09
90
1000
to10
90
1100
to11
90
1200
to12
90
1300
to13
90
1400
to16
00
Tota
lG
roup
WhiteAfrican Am.
Student Retention
First Year Attrition Rate by SAT Category and Service Received --Entering Class of
1995
52
31
21
1517
15
119
15
18
23
11
1512 11
6
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Bottom Qtr 3rd Qtr 2nd Qtr Top Qtr
NeitherOrientationHousingBoth
Student Retention
• Historically, retention programs at UT-Austin re-shuffle the deck and change the faces of those who succeed, but do not improve the university-wide graduation rate.
Pieces of the PuzzleFact No. 4
Student Retention
• The graduation rate at UT Austin has not changed in over 30 years.
Pieces of the PuzzleFact No. 5
Student Retention
Attrition and Graduation Rates for First Time Freshmen 1986 - 1995
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
6 yr graduation
5 yr graduation
4 yr graduation
1st yr attrition
Percent
Year
Student Retention
Six Year Graduation Rates by Ethnicity 1986 -1990
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
1986 1987 1988 1989 1990
Asian American
White
African AmericanHispanic
PERCENT
ENTERING CLASS
Student RetentionThe Percentage of Students Who Leave The University of Texas at Austin During Each
Year of Enrollment
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
1st yr. 2nd yr. 3rd yr. 4th yr. 5th yr. 6th yr.
Attrition during:
Per
cent
1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
Student Retention
• Academic “Darwinism” has been the dominant retention philosophy on this campus.
• UT-Austin’s academic reputation depends on letting only the “fittest” survive!
• Student failure rates in the freshmen/sophomore year restrict graduation rates.
Pieces of the PuzzleFact No. 6
Student Retention
The Percent of A/B Grades and D/F Grades in Biology 301 L '91/'92 to '95/'96
0
20
40
60
80
100
91-92 92-93 93-94 94-95 95-96
Year
Pe
rce
nt
% A/B% D/F
Student Retention
The Percent of A/B Grades and D/F Grades in Chemistry 302 '91/'92 to '95/'96
0102030405060708090
100
91-92 92-93 93-94 94-95 95-96
Year
Pe
rce
nt
Percent A/BPercent D/F
Student Retention
The Percent of A/B Grades and D/F Grades in Math 408C '91/'92 to '95/'96
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
91-92 92-93 93-94 94-95 95-96
Year
Per
cent
Percent A/BPercent D/F
Student Retention
• Educational policy “traps” when combined with student failure result in high levels of “wheel spinning” by students attempting to improve their grades and enter upper division majors.
Pieces of the PuzzleFact No. 7
Student Retention
Completed No UT Degree &
UT Degree 121+ Total Hrs
% dropped a course 47% 56%
If dropped, avg. hrs dropped 5.3 6.7
% failed a course 27% 51%
If failed, avg. hrs failed 8.0 12.6
Student Retention
• UT Austin can not afford high levels of student success.
• If al the freshmen who entered this fall were academically successful, we would not have the resources to educate them in their junior and senior year.
Pieces of the PuzzleFact No. 8
Student Retention
• The “will” to change the status quo.
• Broaden our focus from just “fixing” students to looking at our total system.
• Put more time, effort and money into the academic classroom.
• Re-evaluate educational policy that limits or restricts student success.
What will it take to change the graduation rates?
Student Retention
Had Enough?
Student Retention
Academic Performance
Retention Rates
Graduation Rates
Student Retention
• Student preparation level improves every year
• Most retention programs improve academic performance and reduce the attrition rate
• The graduation rate has not changed in 30 years
The Graduation Rate Paradox
Student Retention
The Middle 50% of SAT Scores by College of EnrollmentEntering Freshmen - Summer/Fall 1996
1000
1050
1100
1150
1200
1250
1300
1350
1400
1450
Arc
hite
ctu
re
Bu
sin
ess
Co
mm
un
ica
tio
ns
Ed
uca
tio
n
En
gin
ee
rin
g
Fin
e A
rts
Lib
era
l Art
s
Na
tura
lS
cie
nce
s
Nu
rsin
g
So
cia
l W
ork
Student Retention
•86% Get a bachelor’s degree
•71% Make a “B” average
•29% Graduate with honors
% Who said there was a “very good chance” they would . . .
Student Retention
Who comes to UT-Austin?
Demographics
Preparation
Attitudes
Student Retention
The Number of Non-Anglo Undergraduate Students at The University of Texas at Austin - Fall Enrollment
1980 to 1996
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000Hispanic
Asian American
InternationalAfrican American
Student Retention
Student Attitudes
Student Retention
How well prepared are UT Students?
Student Retention
Why Do Students Leave?