This is the first study done to ascertain which factors significantly determine graduation and non-graduation in the Diploma courses at Fiji Institute of Technology. It is a quantitative study and analyses of the effects of the variables sponsored/private, entry level, race, grade point average, course sex, age and rural/urban on graduation and non-graduation. The significance of this study lies in determining which improvements are necessary in order to increase the number of graduates and thus make more effective use of the physical and human resources. Resource utilisation gains added importance because of its national implications. The Diploma graduates are the main source of middle level technical manpower for Fiji; a developing country which since its independence in 1970, has made satisfactory social, political and economic progress. For the period under study, data analysis shows that the percentage of students graduating was 40.8. Furthermore, the major finding was that Government sponsored ethnic Indian male students with New Zealand University Entrance as entry level, belonging to the 24+ age group produced statistically significant results. It has been recommended that both the Fiji Institute of Technology and the Government of Fiji should increase and strengthen Government sponsorship of Diploma students. Fiji Institute of Technology in consultation with industry should work out effective strategies such as better supervision and the monitoring of sponsored students' progress throughout the course and provision of an increased variety of work experiences, in order to improve the weaker areas of practical experience during the course. Since this is the first such study, further research in areas such as the requirements of the Diploma curriculum and the availability of training facilities and equipment, is recommended.

Increasing national emphasis on college completion and affordability has prompted institutional efforts to focus on increasing efficient degree attainment within four-years. Traditional predictors of four-year graduation, Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) scores and high school grade point average (GPA) may disproportionately negatively impact the enrollment of African American and Latino students who are more likely to receive lower scores on these metrics. This study sought to identify quantifiable non-academic metrics that can assist to predict bachelor's degree attainment in four years for African Americans and Latinos who do not meet typical standardized testing and scoring predictors. A regression analysis was performed on CIRP Freshmen Survey data for University of Texas at Austin students first enrolled in fall 2008 to assess the strength of Freshmen Survey constructs and student-level financial aid to predict graduation within a four-year timeframe. The results showed that the combined consideration of select variables increased the accuracy of prediction by over seven percentage points; moreover, two factors, holding a positive self-concept and likelihood of college involvement, demonstrated statistical significance within the model. While there are several study limitations, the findings offer support for further exploration of a model for predicting four-year graduation that considers non-academic data elements. / text

Retaining and graduating Hispanic students are paramount to the overall success of colleges and universities. Given the excessive amounts of money spent to recruit students, and the impact on the institution when students depart prematurely, action needs to be taken by institutions to increase Hispanic student retention and counter the negative impacts on institutions including: instability of institutional enrollments, decline in institutional budgets, and public negative perceptions of institutional quality. Despite significant efforts on the part of many colleges and universities to increase Hispanic student retention and graduation rates, these rates have remained relatively low. A possible solution to disappointing Hispanic student retention and graduation rates is to explore options for Hispanic students to live on-campus. To fully understand the complexities facing Hispanic students, this study examined the linkages among high school GPA, sex, and income (Pell Grant eligibility) to living arrangements and retention, academic achievement, and graduation rates of Hispanic students at a Hispanic-Serving Institution. This quantitative study provided a statistical analysis comparing cohorts of full-time Hispanic students who lived on campus to cohorts of full-time Hispanic students who lived off campus to determine if differences existed with regard to the students’ living arrangements, retention, academic achievement, and graduation. This was a longitudinal study that examined six years of data (2006-2012) for over 18,500 first-time-in-college Hispanic students (N = 18,533). Data was collected electronically. For the binary outcome variables, retention and graduation, logistic regression analysis was used; with the continuous variable to assess academic achievement, grade point average, the general linear model was used. The findings were surprising, and the researcher had to reject all three hypotheses; the findings supported: Hispanic students who live off-campus during their first year of college are more likely to be retained; Hispanic students who live off-campus have higher cumulative college grade point averages; and, Hispanic students who live off-campus are more likely to graduate college.

Previous studies on postsecondary graduation rates indicated that college students with disabilities have lower graduation rates than students without disabilities. As many college students do not disclose their disability to their institution upon enrollment, the effect of the timing of disability disclosure on graduation rates warranted examination. This study was a quantitative study of 14,401 undergraduate students at one large research university in the years 2002, 2003, and 2004, of which 423 had disabilities. Quantitative methods were used to conduct an exploratory analysis of the effect of disability, disability disclosure, disability-type and gender on graduation rates. A chi-square analysis revealed that students with disabilities had significantly lower six-year graduation rates than their peers. In addition, students with disabilities who disclosed their disability after their first year of enrollment had significantly lower six-year graduation rates than students with disabilities who disclosed within the first year of enrollment. Results of a multiple regression analysis showed that disability disclosure, disability-type, and gender accounted for 38% of the variance in the length of time to graduation. Finally, for every year that a student delayed disclosing a disability, the length of time to graduation increased by almost half a year. The implications of the study were discussed and recommendations for future research were made. / Ph. D.

The Student Trajectory Enhancement Program (STEP UP) was launched in 2014 by Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) as a six-week summer program that targeted over-age, retained, potentially under-achieving students completing the sixth grade. The purpose of this study was to conduct a summative evaluation of the effectiveness of the STEP UP program in keeping program participants “on track” for high school graduation and to determine if the intended goals of the program were realized. STEP UP was developed in response to compelling data that there is an unacceptably high number of overage students in middle school in HCPS. STEP UP was intended to decrease the number of potential dropouts in HCPS, with the assumption that a number of students who drop out of high school originate as overage students in the elementary and middle grades. The evaluation focused on students who participated in the initial cohort in the summer of 2014. Data analyzed were students’ attendance, behavior, course performance, and grade point averages—the district’s Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) serving as the benchmark for determining whether students are “on track” to graduate. Findings of the study suggested that students’ “on-track” performance on individual KPI metrics was significantly higher than the overall “on-track” performance on all Key Performance Indicators as an aggregate. Data reflected that the majority of students in the program were minority (78.74%), designated as Free/Reduced Lunch (91.27%), and classified as ESE and ELL (54.09%). Of the variables studied (ethnicity, gender, ESE status, ELL status, and FRL status), students in poverty and students with profound exceptionalities had the lowest “on-track” performance rates. While there were differences in individual KPI performance rates among ethnic groups, there was little difference among the three largest ethnic subgroups in the data set (Hispanic, white and African-American) when analyzing “on-track” performance rates for all KPI’s together. This study contributes to the school district’s ability to make improvements to the program. In addition, other districts might gain insights to help them determine if a similar program could prove beneficial for their overage, retained students in middle school.

Increasing student on-time completion is a challenge for many higher education institutions. In the community college chosen for this study, only 5.2% of its first-time-in-college, full-time students graduated within 3 years with a 2-year degree. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between participation in the college's academic advising program and students' time-to-degree completion, based on the pre- and post-entry attributes outlined in Tinto's institutional departure theory. A non-experimental, correlational, quantitative research method with multiple regression analysis was applied, using a convenience sample of 190 graduating students from the institution's 2011 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) cohort. Specifically, the quantitative design employed bivariate correlation analysis to select applicable pre- and post-entry characteristics and then regression analysis to determine the degree to which academic advising predicted time-to-degree completion based on characteristics. The regression analysis indicated that the variables of first-generation, intent to transfer, use of services, club participation, and financial aid eligibility significantly impacted student time to degree completion. The data analysis also indicated that students who did not see an academic advisor graduated faster than those who did. These findings led to a white paper recommending implementation of a tiered academic advising approach, development of specific advising outcomes, and increased data collection to improve the advising structure at the institution. By working to increase the IPEDS graduation rate, the institution can provide opportunities for students to increase their employment and earnings potential, improving the overall quality of life for students, their families, and the community, thus promoting positive social change.

Graduation rates in community colleges in academic programs are declining, which negatively impacts funding for these institutions. Enrollment processes of community colleges, and the ease of transferring credit hours, deter students from meeting criteria for graduation. The objective of this study is to determine the effect that residential housing has on graduation rates among community college students in Mississippi. The study used a quantitative, cross-sectional research design to look at graduation rates over a 2-year period of time to study graduation rates of residential and commuter students controlling for other demographic characteristics. A higher percentage of commuter students (18%) graduated within normal time than did residential students (11%). Graduation rates of 150% of time was approximately the same (35%). Subsequently, more residential students (54%) than commuter students (49%) graduated at 200% time.

Organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America, the Girl Scouts of America, church groups, community recreation sports, high school sports, and other youth organizations provide educational, recreational, and social interaction opportunities for many adolescents in the United States. As sociologists we can ask, what kind of impact do they have on participants? The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of participation in one or more of these youth organizations on completing high school. Previous research is lacking in this specific area, though there is research that addresses other positive aspects, and some negative, of these organizations. The hypothesis of this study is that youth who participate in extracurricular activities or youth organizations have a greater likelihood of graduating from high school than those who do not participate in extracurricular activities. The data were taken from the National Longitudinal Survey. A logistical regression was conducted to see if there is an association between participation in these youth organizations and high school graduation. / Master of Science

The purpose of this study was to determine which interventions were deemed to be effective at increasing the four-year graduation rate in Osceola District Schools. This had become a concern due to the fact that this rate had decreased in recent years, and may be utilized as a predictor of the dropout rate. The interventions were then prioritized according to Levin's cost-utility theory, so that the order of implementation could be prioritized. The study was conducted in January and February of 2005, and responses were elicited from 600 people. Students currently in Osceola District Schools high schools comprised 200 of this total, and 400 former Osceola District Schools high school students were also selected. The 600 people were randomly selected from directory information lists supplied by the school district. A questionnaire consisting of thirteen interventions that could be utilized to increase the four-year graduation rate was mailed to them a few days after an introductory letter was mailed. A letter enclosed with the questionnaire requested that they fill out and return the questionnaire in the enclosed return envelope. A postcard was mailed as a reminder to people that may not have responded to the letters, and had not yet filled out the questionnaire. Returned questionnaires were then used to calculate mean effectiveness ratings. Of the 600 questionnaires mailed, 154 were returned, and 123 contained no non-responses, and were therefore usable for this study. The order in which the cost-utility in the study prioritized the implementation of the thirteen interventions was: Offer three-year diploma options. Have mentors available for students, with a mentor for every 100 students. Have ten percent more seats for academy/ magnet/ vocational programs. Offer a diploma option that removes the FCAT graduation requirement. Offer a diploma option that removes the Algebra I graduation requirement. Offer a diploma option that lowers the 2.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) graduation requirement on a four point scale to a 1.9 GPA. Offer a diploma option that removes the FCAT Algebra I and GPA graduation requirements. High school classes should have a maximum of 25 students Grades four to eight classes should have a maximum of 22 students Kindergarten to third grade classes should have a maximum of 18 students. Schools larger than 500 students should be divided into smaller learning units, such as schools-within-a-school. Free quality preschool should be provided. Guidance counselors should be available, with one for every 100 students. Four of the items would require statute changes before they could be implemented. They were the interventions that concerned GPA, Algebra I, and the FCAT graduation requirements. The items were prioritized because fiscal constraints may not permit all of the interventions to be implemented, and the interventions that yielded the greatest improvement in four-year graduation rate per unit cost were to be implemented first.

The purpose of the current study was to determine if participation in a TRIO program at the community college would lead to academic success for transfer students at the 4-year university. Specifically, the researcher collected data for students who participated in a TRIO program at a community college from 2010-2020 to see if they had higher rates of graduation, higher rates of enrollment and completion, and higher GPAs as compared to similar students who were not involved in TRIO at a community college. The independent variables were TRIO participation, gender, first-generation status, Pell status, transfer GPA, and transfer credit hours earned. A total of 2193 transfer students from two community colleges in the southeastern region of the United States were included in this study. There were 77 transfer students who were involved in a TRIO program at a community college and 2116 transfer students who were not involved in a TRIO program. There were 8 students who were involved in a TRIO program at both institutions. A binary logistic regression was run to determine how TRIO participation affected graduation, enrollment and completion, and GPA for transfer students at the 4-year university. Transfer TRIO participation, gender, and Pell status were not significant predictors of graduation. First-generation status, although research has shown that continuing-generation students graduate at higher rates than first-generation students, was significant in terms of graduation for transfer students. Transfer GPA, and transfer credit hours earned were also found to be significant predictors of graduation for transfer students at the 4-year university. Transfer TRIO participation and Pell status were not significant predictors of enrollment and completion. Gender, in terms of females when compared to males, was a significant factor for whether a student was still enrolled or completed their degree. First-generation status, transfer GPA, and transfer credit hours earned were also significant predictors of enrollment and completion. Transfer TRIO participation, gender, Pell status, and first-generation status were found to be significant for GPA.