This study examined the effects of good teaching practices on post-baccalaureate degree aspirations using logistic regression techniques on a multi-institutional, longitudinal sample of students at four-year colleges and universities. Using College Choice and College Outcomes models as a theoretical foundation, I examined whether eight good teaching practices (non-classroom interactions with faculty, prompt feedback, frequency of interactions with faculty, teaching clarity and organization, challenging classes and high faculty expectations, frequency of higher-order exams and assignments, academic challenge and effort, and integrated ideas, information, and experiences) influenced post-baccalaureate degree aspirations at the end of four academic years, while controlling for students' background characteristics and institutional characteristics that are theoretically associated with aspirations. Using pre-test and post-test data from the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education (WNS), the findings suggest that good teaching practices are positively related to undergraduate students' aspirations for graduate education. This study contributes to college outcome models by emphasizing the importance of faculty to the undergraduate experience. Finally, this study has implications for higher education policy, including practical applications for those involved with undergraduate and graduate education, including administrators, faculty, staff, and students.

This research explored variables that influence community college student degree aspirations and students purpose for enrolling and pursuing specific degree types. The study was conducted using secondary data for students pursuing Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and Bachelor of Applied Science degrees at a single community college. A logistic regression test was used to test graduate and baccalaureate degree aspirations of the entire sample of students and separately by degree type. Significant predictors of degree aspirations included age, gender, credits enrolled in, participation in student groups, academic course planning, receipt of scholarship, and college GPA. In general, community college students had high degree aspirations. Younger students tended to be on the collegiate transfer track and older students tended to want to pursue baccalaureate degrees locally. In addition to having high degree aspirations, a large proportion of students attended the college for occupational purposes and created intermediate and long-term goals related to their academic aspirations. The findings of the research confirm findings of previous studies on college student degree aspirations, and add to the understanding of variables contribute to students' educational goals. Recommendations for practice and future research are presented.

Higher education administrators recognize the importance of examining persistence as a means of understanding why students and have significant variability in enrollment patterns and depart from college prematurely (Braxton, 2000). One of the most common methods of evaluating student persistence is through academic achievement, measured by grade point average (McGrath & Braunstein, 1997; Tross, Harper, Osher, & Kneidinger, 2000). Previous researchers indicate academic achievement of college students can be influenced by a number of factors including academic major (Turner & Bowen, 1999). One group that has not received significant attention by researchers is the undecided population, those students who matriculate to colleges and universities without declaring an academic major. Undecided students warrant additional research as they make up one of the fastest growing populations in higher education. Anywhere from 20% to 50% of entering college students are undecided majors (Lewallen, 1995). These students are often described as a vulnerable group with a decreased probability of persisting. The purpose of the current study was to explore differences between two sub-groups of undecided students. In addition, an investigation was conducted into which factors could predict the academic achievement of first year, undecided students. Undecided students were classified as either Non-Specific Majors (NSMs, students who indicated they were not able or did not want to make a commitment to one particular major at the time they applied for admission to the university) or Specific Majors (SMs, students who indicated a particular degree granting program as their first choice of major but were not accepted to that major). Background characteristics, self-perception of abilities, degree aspirations, and academic achievement were examined using secondary analysis of institutional Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) data. Findings revealed significant differences between NSMs and SMs. In terms of their background characteristics, four significant differences were identified including sex, high school grade point average, race, and parental education. Only one measure of self-perception of abilities revealed a significant difference between the two groups: artistic abilities. No significant differences were found in terms of degree aspirations. Regarding academic achievement, NSMs tended to experience higher levels of academic success than SMs. Finally, for both the NSM and SM group, background characteristics, self-perceptions of abilities, and degree aspirations were able to explain a significant amount in variance in academic achievement, though to a greater degree within the NSM group. / Ph. D.