Influences on Students' Perceptions of Their Academic Skill Development during College

Abstract

Over the years, a considerable number and variety of claims have been made by the higher educational community regarding the direct and indirect benefits of college attendance. As the costs of higher education continue to rise, legislators, taxpayers, parents, and students are increasingly asking to see evidence supporting those claims. The research on college students is abundant as the literature reviews of Feldman and Newcomb [7], Lenning et al. [13, 14], Bowen [5], and others make clear, but extensive as the literature may be, some striking deficiencies and gaps are also evident. It will surprise no one to learn that the longitudinal evidence on college outcomes comprises only a small portion of the research on the topic. What is surprising, however, is the discovery of how little of the longitudinal research is concerned with what might be termed students' academic development. For example, the studies by Sanford et al. [18], Freedman [8], Webster, Freedman, and Heist [22], Chickering [6], Katz et al. [10], Trent and Medsker [21], and Astin [4] are all well-known, longitudinal investigations. Each is based on data collected in successive years of students' college careers, but with the exception of Trent and Medsker's [21] and Astin's [4] work, these studies tend to concentrate on students' personality development during college. The Trent and Medsker and Astin studies give considerable attention to behavioral and attitudinal impacts of college, but both are com-