Persistence toward bachelor degree completion of students in Family and Consumer Sciences

College Student Journal, Sept, 2006 by Lee Blecher

This investigation was designed to determine (a) the degree of relationship between each of several selected variables and the 6-year system persistence of FCS students seeking the bachelor's degree in four-year postsecondary institutions, and (b) the predictive capability of a set of input variables to classify correctly FCS students as 6-year system persisters or nonpersisters.

Review of Relevant Research

System Persistence

Despite the fact that most research on student persistence has focused on "institutional" persistence and withdrawal behaviors, there have been some efforts to further expand our knowledge regarding "system" persistence (Adelman, 1999; Blecher, Michael, & Hegedorn, 2002; Ehrenberg & Sherman, 1987; Leppel, 2001, 2002; Munro, 1981; Bradburn, 2002; O'Toole, Stratton, & Wetzel, 2003; Peng & Fetters, 1978; Porter, 1990). As might be expected, persistence and completion rates are higher when students are followed despite whether they have transferred or stopped out temporarily. Focusing on students with an initial goal of completing a bachelor's degree, the completion rates (independent of path) range from 53% to 90% depending on various parameters such as the selectivity and level of the initial college, and whether the students were assessed after five, six, or more years (Adelman, 1999; Choy, 2002; National Center for Educational Statistics [NCES], 1997; Porter, 1990; Tinto, 1993). Many of the variables associated with institutional persistence plus some that are not typically included in studies on institutional retention (i.e., transfer status) also have been shown to various degrees to have an impact on system persistence (Blecher, et al., 2002; Bradburn, 2002).

Factors Related to Persistence

Socioeconomic status. In general, the socioeconomic background of students including parents' education level and income has consistently been shown to be positively associated with bachelor degree persistence and completion in a number of studies (Astin, 1993; Bean, 1990; Cabrera, Burkum, & La Nasa, 2003; Choy, 2002; Warburton, Bugarin, & Nunez, 2001).

Age. Although the relationship between age and persistence, as such, has not been studied quite as extensively, the concept that older students are more likely to have outside influences which, in turn, could lead to attrition is supported by the works of Astin (1975), Murtaugh, Burns, & Schuster (1999), and Tinto (1993). Delaying enrollment in postsecondary education after higher school, which is related to age, has been negatively associated with bachelor degree completion rates (Berkner, He, & Cataldi, 2003).

Gender. Studies related to the impact of gender on persistence toward bachelor degree completion have provided varying information. Although much of the literature has indicated that there has been no appreciable difference between the dropout rates of men and women (Baker & Velez, 1996; Blecher, et al., 2002; NCES, 1997; Porter, 1990), Tinto (1993) reported that females had lower attrition rates when both two-year and four-year programs were taken into account. Recent national surveys have shown that approximately 66% of females versus 59% of males who began at four-year institutions completed their bachelors degree within six years (Berkner et al., 2003). Leppel (2002) reported that when other factors are controlled, women have slightly higher persistence rates.