It Just Didn’t Work Out

Abstract

First-year college student retention is important to colleges and universities, as well as beyond academia. An analysis was conduced of emergent themes and subthemes from 144 nonreturning students’ stories about school and about home throughout their first-year experience. These students wrote more negative stories about school-related events than they did positive ones and exhibited low levels of campus involvement or engagement. Also, they seemed to struggle with their college living experience, including socially and financially, and dealing with trouble at home. Three of the study’s demographic groups—women, students of color, and first-generation students—represented notable percentages of nonreturners. Researchers should focus more on what goes on during students’ first year of college both on- and off campus to better understand reasons for withdrawing. In doing so, college and university personnel can work more effectively with high school officials, parents, and students to achieve academic and personal success.