“I’m Wasting My Time” Thinking: A Qualitative Exploration of the Factors Associated with Student Retention and Attrition at a Small, Public Liberal Arts College Presented at the 22 nd Annual Conference of the American Evaluation Association November 2008 Kathleen P. Greenberg PROBLEM Recent gains in student enrollment are being seriously offset by steadily increasing rates of attrition BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES SOLUTION Develop and implement targeted retention strategies designed to meet the specific needs of students most likely to leave What makes students think about leaving? Why do some actually leave ? Why do others choose to stay ? OUTCOME Improved retention and graduation rates METHOD General Goal To understand the PROCESS of attrition at the college PHASE I: EXPLORATORY FOCUS GROUPS METHOD PHASE I: EXPLORATORY FOCUS GROUPS ▪ To obtain a rich and detailed understanding of students’ attitudes , perceptions , and beliefs about higher education ▪ To explore students’ reasons for thinking about leaving the college and for deciding either to leave or to stay ▪ To discuss students’ perceptions of the college as a whole SPECIFIC GOALS METHOD Students who attended the college for at least one semester prior to Spring 2006 but were no longer enrolled Students currently enrolled in the Spring 2007 semester who said they “very seriously” or "fairly seriously" considered leaving the college at some time in the past POTENTIAL ATTRITORS ACTUAL ATTRITORS METHOD PHASE II: QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT ▪ To obtain a secure assessment of the demographic, situational, and psychological differences, if any, between Potential and Actual Attritors ▪ To reliably assess Actual and Potential Attritors’ reasons for thinking about leaving the college and for ultimately deciding whether to leave or to stay IMMEDIATE GOALS METHOD 1 ACTUAL ATTRITORS 2 1 POTENTIAL ATTRITORS 4 3 FTC 6 TFR 6 TFR 8 FTC 7 14 13 27 • Equal representation of majors from each of the three schools • Ratio of 5 commuters to 3 residents • A mix of day/evening, part - / full - time, upper/lower division, male/female, ages, ethnicities • No more than 1 per group of Potential Attritors who were "not very" serious about leaving the College METHOD RECRUITMENT CRITERIA • No more than 3 per group of Actual Attritors who did not return to college after leaving • None in the Attritor group who left because: • The student was wait - listed elsewhere, and got accepted • The student moved • Old Westbury did not offer the student’s major • The student received a more attractive scholarship School School of Arts and Sciences 11 School of Business 7 School of Education 5 Undecided 4 Commuter or Resident Commuter 21 Resident 6 Day or Evening Day 22 Evening 5 Full - time or Part - time Full - time 24 Part - time 3 METHOD Age Under 20 7 20 - 24 12 25 or over 8 Ethnic Background White 10 Black 9 Latino/a 3 Asian 3 Other 2 Gender Female 19 Male 8 - 3 stop - /drop - outs - 1 "not very” serious, 8 "fairly" serious, and 4 "very" serious about leaving The opinions and perspectives provided were inclusive of all of the intended constituencies at the college. METHOD METHOD DISCUSSION TOPICS PERCEPTIONS OF SELF AND COLLEGE REASONS FOR LEAVING OR THINKING ABOUT LEAVING IMPRESSIONS OF THE COLLEGE METHOD DISCUSSION TOPICS PERCEPTIONS OF SELF AND COLLEGE • Associations to the word "college“ • Whether attending college was always part of the student's "life plan," or a decision made later in life • The personal importance/meaning of obtaining a college degree • Family and friends' perspectives on college • Expectations about what college would be like, and how well the actual experience fit with those expectations METHOD DISCUSSION TOPICS REASONS FOR LEAVING OR THINKING ABOUT LEAVING THE COLLEGE • How and when the student first began thinking about leaving the college • Why Attritors left and Potential Attritors considered leaving • Whether there was a precipitating event • Why Potential Attritors decided to stay METHOD DISCUSSION TOPICS IMPRESSIONS OF THE COLLEGE • What students had heard about the college prior to coming to campus • What students' expectations were, and whether those expectations were met • What students felt about the college on an overall basis, and with respect to their experiences in and outside of the classroom A NOTE ON THE FINDINGS FINDINGS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED INDICATIVE RATHER THAN CONCLUSIVE BECAUSE OF THE SMALL NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS UPON WHICH THEY ARE BASED. FINDINGS Regarding their perceptions of higher education, both groups tended to view college as “a means to an end”... . . . however, they defined the “means” and “ends” quite differently. PERCEPTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION FINDINGS independence responsibility opportunity hard work goals career investment career stepping stone career exploring new paths challenges balancing degree takes time career opportunity make money new environment broaden horizons make money make money achievement perspective growth better living make money center of learning higher learning life choices better living POTENTIAL ATTRITORS ACTUAL ATTRITORS FINDINGS Focused, tangible, and pragmatic view of college Vague and generalized view of college ACTUAL ATTRITORS self - fulfillment Financial Security A destination on a clear and chosen path leading to a career self - fulfillment Chance to Pursue an Area of Personal Interest A form of "higher learning”... a way to "broaden horizons," provide new "perspectives," and promote "growth" POTENTIAL ATTRITORS FINDINGS Both groups of students felt they needed a college degree to be able to get a job... ... but Actual Attritors seemed much less convinced about the value of a college education. PERCEPTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION FINDINGS ACTUAL ATTRITORS POTENTIAL ATTRITORS “Now - a - days, a person needs a college degree just to get an entry - level position...” • “So many of the courses you have to take don’t teach you anything that you’ll actually use in your job.” • “I know people who are making a lot of money to never went to college.” • “I’m doing roofing, and I’m making $1,200 a week, cash.”