Abstract
This project examines factors that influence graduation rates regarding behaviors and choices made in college as opposed to exogenous factors such as family income, race, etc. These factors also included responses from first-year students who took the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) survey. Using data from 2013 - 2016 freshman admissions and combining this with CIRP responses from 2014 and 2016, there were found to be five factors related to behavior at college that influenced graduation rates.
Completion of registered hours, campus involvement, and high tuition discount rates had strong, positive correlations with whether the student graduated. Student participation in remedial reading programs and having grades below a C- in their first year were strongly, negatively correlated with whether they graduated. It was found that factors such as Expected Family Contribution (EFC), Conditional Admission status, and ACT score did not have a statistically significant impact on whether someone graduated. Based on these findings, it is advisable that colleges closely monitor students who have had previous remedial work in reading, encourage campus involvement, and advise students to avoid dropping classes.
Included in
Factors that Influence Graduation Rates at Northwestern College
This project examines factors that influence graduation rates regarding behaviors and choices made in college as opposed to exogenous factors such as family income, race, etc. These factors also included responses from first-year students who took the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) survey. Using data from 2013 - 2016 freshman admissions and combining this with CIRP responses from 2014 and 2016, there were found to be five factors related to behavior at college that influenced graduation rates.
Completion of registered hours, campus involvement, and high tuition discount rates had strong, positive correlations with whether the student graduated. Student participation in remedial reading programs and having grades below a C- in their first year were strongly, negatively correlated with whether they graduated. It was found that factors such as Expected Family Contribution (EFC), Conditional Admission status, and ACT score did not have a statistically significant impact on whether someone graduated. Based on these findings, it is advisable that colleges closely monitor students who have had previous remedial work in reading, encourage campus involvement, and advise students to avoid dropping classes.