FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH FIRST-YEAR STUDENT ATTRITION AND RETENTION AT OHIO UNIVERSITY REGIONAL CAMPUSES

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1 FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH FIRST-YEAR STUDENT ATTRITION AND RETENTION AT OHIO UNIVERSITY REGIONAL CAMPUSES OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH September 2016

2 2 Executive Summary Regional Campus Retention Study This report presents first-year (freshman) retention information on each of Ohio University s regional campuses. The combined regional campus retention rate was 55 percent in 2015, 54 percent in 2014, 59 percent in 2013, 56 percent in 2012, 60 percent in 2011, 52 percent in 2010, 55 percent in 2009, 57 percent in 2008, and 55 percent in Individual campus retention rates are given below: First Year Full Time Retention Rate for the Regional Campuses Fall Chillicothe Eastern Lancaster Southern Zanesville % 57.0% 56.0% 48.0% 55.0% % 66.0% 61.0% 56.0% 64.0% % 63.4% 60.9% 51.9% 51.2% % 64.4% 65.4% 49.0% 61.2% % 54.3% 58.4% 55.9% 53.4% % 51.6% 54.9% 55.9% 59.0% Students in the top half of their high school graduating class had higher retention rates (67 percent in 2015) than students in the bottom half (40 percent in 2015). Students scoring above the 50 th percentile nationally on the ACT had higher retention rates (63.4 percent in 2015) than students scoring below the 50 th percentile (51.3 percent in 2015). The regional campus retention rate for students with an Ohio University GPA of less than 1.00 was 6% versus a retention rate of 79% for students earning a 3.00 or above.

3 3 Student retention is an important goal at Ohio University. Stable enrollment depends as much on retaining students as it does on recruiting them. In an effort to present information for regional campus faculty and administrators concerning each campus progress with retention, the Office of Institutional Research provides annual student retention data to the regional campuses. This report summarizes that data and presents a number of variables related to retention and withdrawal among different subgroups of full-time, degree-seeking Ohio University students. The last seven first-year student (freshman) classes are compared. The rationale for limiting the retention study to first-year students is that the most significant loss of Ohio University students, as a result of withdrawal, occurs during the first year. Figure 1 presents the retention rates for each regional campus after one year of enrollment. The average regional campus retention rate was 55% in 2015, 54% in 2014, 59% in 2013, 56% in 2012, 60% in 2011, 52% in 2010, 55 % in 2009, and 57% in Ohio University s regional first-year retention rates are slightly higher than comparable institutions nationally. The 2015 National Collegiate Retention and Persistence to Degree Rates by ACT revealed an average retention rate of 55% for open admission two-year public institutions. However, when compared with other university regional campuses in Ohio, Ohio University s retention rates were slightly lower. First-year student retention information from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates an average state-wide retention rate (persistence at the same institution) of 61.3 percent in 2014 (last year available) for university regional campuses in Ohio.

4 4 100% Figure 1 First Year (Freshmen) Retention 90% 80% Percent 70% 60% 50% 40% 66% 63% 64% 65% 64% 62% 60% 61% 61% 61% 58% 59% 57% 56% 56% 54% 55% 53% 54% 55% 56% 56% 51% 51% 53% 53% 52% 52% 51% 51% 48% 48% 49% 43% 41% 30% 20% 10% 0% Chillicothe Eastern Lancaster Southern Zanesville

5 5 Nationally, there have been mixed results regarding the retention rates of males and females. Several researchers found higher attrition rates for males, while others have found higher attrition rates for females. These findings suggest that sex alone cannot be used in predicting attrition. Figures 2-6 show the regional campus retention rates for males and females. Again there is high variability with no clear trends emerging except at Southern where female retention tends to be consistently higher than male retention rates since High school performance has been shown to be related to persistence and academic success in college. At Ohio University s regional campuses there is a direct relationship between high school performance and retention. Figures 7-11 show the regional campus retention rates for students in the top and bottom 50 percent of their high school class. Students in the top 50 percent of their high school class had higher retention rates (67 percent in 2014) than students in the bottom 50 percent (37 percent in 2014). Measures of academic aptitude (ACT scores) have been used in predicting academic success and retention. National studies have shown that those who withdraw voluntarily, persistently had higher scores than students who had been academically dismissed. Figures present the regional campus retention rates after one year of enrollment by performance on the ACT test. In this study the top (ACT > 19) and bottom (ACT < 18) 50 percent groups were based on national ACT norms. Ohio University students in the bottom 50 percent (46 percent in 2014) had lower retention rates than students in the top 50 percent (67 percent in 2014). Persistence and performance on ACT appear to be directly related in most years; students in the upper

6 6 groups had higher retention rates. In 2014, all regional campuses had higher retention rates in the top 50% group. College grades and retention rates are presented in Table 1. Students with lower grades had lower retention rates. The regional campus retention rate for students who had end of first semester Ohio University grade point averages below a 1.00 was 6%, for 1.00 to <2.00 the retention rate was 34%, from 2.00 to < 3.00 the rate was 64%, rising to 79% for students earning a GPA of 3.0 or greater. Table 2 expands on Table 1 by adding the retention rates by gender for each regional campus. Overall, males and females had had a higher retention rate than female students for each GPA level except 3.00 or greater where the females retained at 82% compared to 75% of the males. Cells highlighted green are where the retention rate for that group is 5% points or more higher than the other gender s retention rate. Chillicothe females and Southern males tend to have higher retention rates than their opposite sex counterparts but across all campuses retention rates are fairly equivalent between males and females.

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22 22 Table 1 Retention Rate by End of First Semester GPA End of Fall GPA Chillicothe Eastern Lancaster Southern Zanesville Total <1.00 8% 0% 5% 8% 7% 6% 1.00 to < % 32% 39% 32% 36% 34% 2.00 to < % 57% 68% 67% 69% 66% > % 77% 78% 84% 83% 79% blank 0% 0% 0% 14% 0% 2% Table 2 Retention Rate by End of First Semester GPA Chillicothe Eastern Lancaster Southern Zanesville Total End of Fall GPA Females Males Females Males Females Males Females Males Females Males Females Males <1.00 9% 6% 0% 0% 0% 8% 5% 12% 7% 8% 5% 8% 1.00 to < % 13% 56% 10% 39% 38% 30% 36% 13% 60% 34% 34% 2.00 to < % 59% 52% 62% 67% 70% 56% 85% 69% 68% 64% 68% > % 69% 79% 75% 74% 84% 83% 88% 87% 71% 80% 78% blank 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 33% 0% 0% 0% 4% 0%