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Integration and Institutional Commitment as Predictors of College Student Transition: Are Third Week Indicators Significant?.

2009; Project Innovation Austin; Volume: 43; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

2691-3887

Sherry A. Woosley, Angie L. Miller,

Higher Education Research Studies

This study sought to determine if very early college experiences impact academic outcomes. Specifically, this study used regression models to investigate whether academic integration, social integration, and institutional commitment measured during the third week of the first semester could predict retention to the following year as well as academic performance one semester and two semesters out. The results suggest that academic integration, social integration, and institutional commitment positively impact retention. In addition, academic integration and institutional commitment positively impact grade point average. These findings are discussed in relation to the potential for interventions, with suggestions for further explorations of the predictive models. ********* The first year of college is an important time for students because students are creating the foundation for their subsequent experiences. Previous research has explored a variety of aspects related to the first-year experience, looking at numerous factors that emerge during the transition as well as their subsequent influence on student success. The transition experience (Birnie-Lefcovitch, 2000), pre-enrollment variables (Upcraft & Gardner, 1989), social integration (Berger, 1997; Braxton, Vesper, & Hossler, 1995), academic adjustment (Allen & Nelson, 1989), and institutional commitment (Allen, Robbins, Casillas, & Oh, 2008; Tinto, 1993) all have an impact on student success and persistence (Beil, Reisen, Zea, & Caplan, 1999; Berger & Milem, 1999). Given the findings of these and other empirical studies, the current study seeks to extend this research through the exploration of the earliest experiences, specifically social and academic integration as well as institutional commitment. The transition to college is an essential element of the first-year experience. Students often express concerns over this transition process, citing worries about interpersonal relationships, adjustment time, homesickness, and academic stress as potential obstacles (Birnie-Lefcovitch, 2000; Keup & Stolzenberg, 2004; Zuker, 1997). The institution can play a positive role in the first-year transition, providing support and services to students (Choy, Horn, Nunez, & Chen, 2000; Howard, 2005). Thus, understanding the first-year experience of students is not only a rich area for research but also an important issue at the institutional level. There are numerous factors that can play a role in the first-year student's transition experience, ultimately leading to academic success and persistence. Although a variety of models have been used to describe, understand, and study college student attrition and a number of books even compare and contrast these models (e.g., Braxton, 2000; Seidman 2005), Tinto's (1993) classic model of student departure provides a solid foundation to think about attrition. It recognizes that multiple factors, including pre-entry attributes, goals and commitments, institutional experiences, and integration together contribute to student persistence. Empirical research also reinforces the importance of these concepts. Pre-enrollment variables such as entrance exam scores (Allen & Nelson, 1989) and demographic information like gender and ethnicity (Astin, 1997) have been linked with both retention and academic success. A student's commitment to his or her particular institution has an impact on the decision to return to or depart from the institution (Allen & Nelson, 1989; Beil et al., 1997), and this is especially relevant for first-year students (Tinto, 1993). Similarly, institutional commitment has been empirically linked to academic persistence as well (Berger & Braxton, 1998). The social aspects of the transition process should not be ignored because students often receive support from peers (Keup & Stolzenberg, 2004). Social involvement has been directly and indirectly linked to positive educational outcomes, including academic persistence (Milem & Berger, 1997) and commitment to one's institution (Berger & Milem, 1999). …