ERIC Number: ED161482
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1978
Pages: 18
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Pierce College Longitudinal Study: First Year Report.
Sheldon, M. Stephen; Hunter, Russell
During 1977-78 Pierce College undertook a study to (1) examine major reasons for attrition; (2) determine reasons for student attendance at Pierce; (3) determine the long-range effects of academic residence at Pierce for its students; and (4) experimentally determine the effects on retention of special treatment, through a "caring ombudsman." Each student in the study sample, representing approximately 1.9% of the total student population, was considered as belonging to one of six "productivity" subsets: admitted but never enrolled; enrolled but never attended classes; withdrew from school before census week; dropped all classes after census week; finished the semester with some passed classes; and finished with all passed classes. Of the total number of students admitted in fall 1977, 48% did not acquire any college units that semester. Significantly more vocational students (62%) completed some class units than non-vocational students (45%). Other variables considered were age, sex, and time of class meetings. The "caring ombudsman" treatment received by half of the sample, seemed to have no effect on the majority; dropout and persistence patterns were approximately the same for both groups. Reasons for not enrolling after admission, were "accepted to another college" and "job"; "poor instructor-student relationship" was a major reason for dropping classes; reasons students gave for intra-semester withdrawal included "transfer" and "met objectives." (MB)
Descriptors: Academic Aspiration, Academic Persistence, Age, Community Colleges, Dropouts, Enrollment, Experimental Programs, Females, Institutional Research, Longitudinal Studies, Majors (Students), Males, Ombudsmen, Persistence, Scheduling, School Holding Power, Student Attitudes, Student Characteristics, Student College Relationship, Student Motivation, Two Year Colleges, Withdrawal (Education)
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Pierce Coll., Woodland Hills, CA.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A