NOT CROSSING THE FINISH LINE: WHY DO COLLEGE SENIORS LEAVE? Renee Rerko, Ed.D.
Background Graduation rate at Concordia University lower than other private colleges in Minnesota – CSP as research site Anecdotal data regarding students within a few credits of earning a bachelor’s degree – how many do you know? how do you react? Seeing more students returning to complete a bachelor’s degree after a long hiatus Find about more about the decision-making process for late withdrawal after spending so much time and money on degree 2
Purpose Statement The purpose of this interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) is to better understand the decision-making process of traditional, undergraduate students at Concordia University, St. Paul who depart when they are so close to earning their bachelor’s degree. 3
Central Research Question How do undergraduate college students at Concordia University, St. Paul who are within a semester of degree completion make the decision to depart? 4
Deficiencies in the Evidence Four existing students related to late student departure Neumann and Finaly-Neumann (1989) (prediction) Hunt, Boyd, Gast, Mitchell, and Wilson (2012) (withdrawal survey) Donhardt (2012) (already struggling students) Mohr, Eiche, and Sedlacek (1998) (left during senior status) 5
Theoretical Frameworks Tinto’s (1975): interactionalist theory of student departure Bean’s (1980): student attrition model Bean & Metzner (1985) & Metzner & Bean (1987): non-traditional student attrition “taken together, the different theoretical perspectives on student success and departure account for many of the key factors that shape what students are prepared to do when they get to college and influence the meanings they make of their experiences” ( Kuh et al., 2007, pp. 19-20). 6
Literature Reviewed Early Retention Research Student Involvement Students from Diverse Backgrounds Nontraditional Students Beyond Social and Academic Integration Institutional, Economic, Social, & Cultural Senior Year Retention 7
Research Design IPA Exploratory nature of study How people make sense of major life experience 2 semi-structured interviews with 10 participants participants' experience participants' present lived experience participants' reflection 8
Participants Age Anticipated Graduation Gender Ethnicity Date Amy 27 May of 2010 Female Hmong/Asian-American Anne 27 December of 2011 Female White Bri 25 December of 2012 Female White Chuck 27 May of 2010 Male White Lauren 25 August of 2012 Female Black/African-American Meg 25 August of 2012 Female White Molly 26 May of 2011 Female White Sid 28 August of 2010 Male Black/African-American Tiff 26 December of 2011 Female White Vince 25 May of 2012 Male Hmong/Asian American 9
Data Analysis Smith, Flowers, & Larkin (2009) Reading and re-reading Initial noting Developing emergent themes Searching for connections across emergent themes 10
Final Themes Timely Degree Completion Career and Salary Motivation Outside Responsibilities Lack of Social Integration Distrust in the Academic Process Uselessness of Coursework Poor Academic Advising Experience Barriers to Final Degree Completion Starting a Family Financial Issues Legal Trouble Mental Health Concerns Success without a Bachelor’s Degree Family Employment and Graduate School Opportunities 11
Final Themes Career Outside Social Uselessn Advising Family Financia Legal Mental Family Employ Total (1.1) (1.2) (1.3) ess (2.2) (3.1) l (3.3) Health (4.1) ment (2.1) (3.2) (3.4) (4.2) Amy X X X X 4 Anne X X X 3 Bri X X X 3 Chuck X X X X 4 Lauren X X 2 Meg X X X X 4 Molly X X X X X X X X 8 Sid X X X X X X 6 Tiff X X 2 Vince X X X 3 6 2 3 6 5 2 4 2 2 2 5 Total 12
Timely Degree Completion Career and Salary Motivation: The only reason I wanted to go to school was to make sure I got a job. Outside Responsibilities: I worked to pay my bills to stay in school. But, the more I worked the worse I did in school. Lack of Social Integration: If I would have had a social circle and been involved in clubs, I might have felt the need to have the pride of being a Concordia grad. 13
Distrust in the Academic Process Uselessness of Coursework: I like doing [art] at my pace without deadlines. How can I make awesome art if someone tells me when and where to do it? Poor Academic Advising Experience: I went to my graduation meeting and was told I was two classes short of getting both my majors. I was so mad. 14
Barriers to Final Degree Completion Starting a Family: With a husband working 60 hours a week and baby who needs me, I just can’t do it right now. Financial Issues : I got kicked out for not paying. I don’t know how I will raise the funds for 12 credits. Not sure I can return to complete. Legal Trouble: The legal issues messed this up more than anything. Spending time in jail is humiliating, and I don’t have a degree to fall back on. Getting a real job is tough. Mental Health Concerns: I didn’t stay on my meds, and just let everything happen around me. 15
Success without a Bachelor’s Degree Family: Circumstances may change, but my happiness is at home with my children and husband. Employment and Graduate School Opportunities: I couldn’t pass up this job, and I do not regret it one bit...I do have to go back and finish at some point to keep my job. 16
Final Themes Career Outside Social Uselessn Advising Family Financia Legal Mental Family Employ Total (1.1) (1.2) (1.3) ess (2.2) (3.1) l (3.3) Health (4.1) ment (2.1) (3.2) (3.4) (4.2) Amy X X X X 4 Anne X X X 3 Bri X X X 3 Chuck X X X X 4 Lauren X X 2 Meg X X X X 4 Molly X X X X X X X X 8 Sid X X X X X X 6 Tiff X X 2 Vince X X X 3 6 2 3 6 5 2 4 2 2 2 5 Total 17
Key Findings More students going to college to “get a good job” (timely degree completion) Students want coursework that applies to future career goals (distrust in academic process) External barriers significant in literature review and theoretical framework (barriers to final degree completion) Bachelor’s degree does not always equal success (success without a bachelor’s degree) 18
Limitations Theoretical frameworks Large sample size Less homogenous sample Researcher’s professional role 19
Intellectual Goals Additional study in under researched area Applicability of theoretical frameworks New theoretical framework 20
Implications for Practice Additional outreach to upper-level students Diminish impact of external factors leading to late withdrawal Relate the college academic and social experience to career skills 21
Implications for Future Research More homogenous sample Case study research method to be more solution-based instead of simply inquiry- based Dive into individual themes, especially Success Without a Bachelor’s Degree 22
Discussion 23
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