Belmont Abbey College conducted a survey of 203 first-year students to understand their intentions to persist and how this relates to college choice and adjustment. The survey found that students who intended to transfer were less likely to return after the first semester and reported feeling less successful adjusting socially. Those for whom BAC was a lower choice were also less likely to return. The college plans to use this information to contact at-risk students earlier and help them engage more to improve retention.

1. Baby Please Don’t Go!What are your students telling you about their intention to persist? April 5, 2011 NCAIR- Boone, NC Karen Price Mary Heuser Sandra Nicks

4. Freshmen to Sophomore Retention 69%

6. Graduation Rates of First-time First-year Degree Seeking Students Matriculating in Fall, 1995 through 2006

7. Noel-Levitz Report on Undergraduate Recruitment Trends

8. Monetary Returns from Retention If BAC retains 20 more students this year

9. BAC Efforts to Increase Retention Strategic planning Admissions (finding students that are a “good-fit” for the college) Academic assistance Gathering information about attrition National Student Clearinghouse Student Tracker will tell us where students go BAC First-Year Student Survey will tell us which students plan to go

10. Attrition Rates (1st to 2nd Year) Among First-time First-year Students Matriculating Between 1991 and 2009

11. Retention/ Persistence LiteratureTwo “Camps” Cognitive Variables Non-Cognitive Variables Quantitative Typically measured by Standardized Tests (ACT, SAT) High School Grades Adjustment Motivation Student Involvement Perceptions Astin (1993, 2005); Tinto (1993); Sedlacek(2003, 2005)

12. College Choice Models Chapman 2 stages (pre-search and search) Jackson Stage 1- preference Stage 2- exclusion (consider resources) Stage 3- evaluation (final choice) Hossler & Gallagher Stage 1- Predisposition Stage 2- Search Stage 3- Choice Blackwell consumer decision process- “purchase behavior”

13. EARLY WARNING SIGNS The Nexus between college choice, intention and persistence---Pre-matriculation attitudes may continue to influence persistence decisions

14. First Year Student Survey Annual survey examining satisfaction among first-time first-year students Added questions regarding college choice and student intentions Administered to traditional students enrolled in Freshman Symposium Distributed via online survey, with follow up to non-responders through campus mail and faculty encouragement 62% response (n=203)

15. Survey Questions: Student Intent Which best describes your plan for attending BAC: Complete a bachelor’s degree at BAC Attend BAC for one or two years, then transfer to another college I plan to return to BAC: Next semester? Next academic year? Through graduation?

16. Survey Questions: College Choice Of the colleges to which you applied, BAC was your: First choice Second choice Third or more Of the colleges to which you were accepted, BAC was your: First choice Second choice Third or more

17. Survey Questions: Student Success Since entering BAC, how successful have you felt at: understanding what your professors expect of you academically developing effective study skills adjusting to the academic demands of college managing your time effectively communicating with faculty developing close friendships with other students utilizing campus services available to students becoming involved with campus life

18. Research Questions & Data Analyses Conducted several Chi Square analyses Are there differences in the frequency of students who return/ non-return by intentions for attendance? Are there differences in the frequency of students who return/ non-return based on college choice status? Are there differences in students perceptions of being successful adjusting to college based on intentions for attendance?

19. Research Question 1: Are there differences in the frequency of students who return/ non-return by intentions for attendance? 2x2 Chi Square goodness of fit Enrollment after one semester (Return versus Non-Return) Plan for attending Belmont Abbey (Stay and Graduate versus Intend to Transfer) Χ2 = 8.4, p<.05 There were a greater than expected number of students who indicated that they intended to transfer who actually left BAC after one semester 20% of students who indicated they intend to transfer left after one semester as compared to only 5% of students who indicated they intended to stay Also, 44% of our students who had indicated BAC was a 3rd or lower choice school indicated that they intend to transfer…..NONE of those students returned after one semester!

22. What Next? What do we do with the information? This year information sent to the Associate Academic Dean and the Retention Committee Director of Academic Resource Center contacting students who indicate they intend to leave

23. What Next? What do we do with the information? Going forward Survey earlier (before midterm, first semester) Determine reasons why students choose to attend BAC although not first or second choice (e.g., parents, SATs, academics) Assist students to become more engaged in the College Further research on the relationship of college choice and engagement (e.g., combine First-Year Student Survey with NSSE data)