Retention of First-Year Community College Students

Abstract

Close to half of all community college students leave before obtaining their stated goals. In order to determine what student characteristics increase community college student retention, with a heightened interest on the predictive nature of taking a student success course, a post-facto quasi-experimental study was conducted to determine whether or not participation in a study skills course affects retention at a Southeast community college. Results indicate that successful completion of a study skills course increases fall-to-fall retention for students who enroll in the institution with an ACT COMPASS® (American College Test, 2006) score over those who do not participate in a study skills course. Results also show that while ethnicity/race and socioeconomic status were not significant, factors of retention, gender, age, and ACT COMPASS® Reading score significantly predict student retention. Recommendations for researchers and community college administrators and counselors are discussed.