Academic and Noncognitive Factors Affecting the Retention of Black Men at a Predominantly White University

Abstract

High attrition rates have proven especially damaging to the population of risk and minority students in institutions of higher education nationwide. However, budgetary constraints on many campuses have forced administrators to expand their focus beyond cultivating large freshman-class enrollments to including concerted retention efforts. Colleges and universities across the country continue to examine patterns of student retention. In fall 1989, the Office of Educational Services and Programs (ESP) at a predominantly White midwestern state university was configured to recruit, admit, and provide services to educationally underprepared students, racial minorities, and other historically underrepresented groups in higher education. Prior to that the Office of Special Projects provided such services, primarily for freshman students. Students admitted via the ESP route receive counseling and academic support services which include a two-day freshman orientation prior to admission, course placement and schedule completion assistance, academic and financial aid counseling, and group workshops addressing the transitional experiences freshmen encounter. These services are designed to maximize student retention and enhance the quality of academic life. The ESP admissions screening process currently incorporates evaluation of traditional variables such as American College Test (ACT) English subscores, high school class rank, high school courses taken, and grade point average (GPA), along with nontraditional variables (extracurricular activities, club and sports participation, school attendance and tardiness, and employment history). Additionally, applicants must submit an autobiographical letter which helps the staff determine the student's attitude toward college, long-range goals, and academic interest. The counseling staff then interviews each applicant prior to making a decision. The present study was designed to investigate whether and to what extent noncognitive and the traditional precollege variables such as ACT scores and high school class rank predict first-semester grade point average (GPA) and enrollment status for ESP-admitted freshman students by ethnic and gender subgroup. Of specific interest, however, was the sample of Black men. While the complex interplay of academic, eco-