The role of perceived cost in college students’ motivational experiences and long-term achievement outcomes: A mixed-methods approach✰

Abstract

A growing body of research suggests that perceived cost, the largely neglected component of Expectancy-Value Theory, is an important predictor of achievement outcomes. However, existing studies in the cost literature focus almost exclusively on STEM domains, use short-term measures of academic outcomes, and typically rely on quantitative reports of students’ cost perceptions. The present study applied a mixed-methods approach to 1) document the relationship between first-year college students’ domain-general cost perceptions and their longer-term academic outcomes, and 2) characterize the motivational experiences of students with high versus low quantitative reports of cost. 298 students completed a domain-general survey measure of perceived cost near the end of their first semester of college, and a subset (n = 185) later responded to open-ended prompts reflecting on times of low and high motivation during their first year. Grades and enrollment status were tracked for the remainder of their time at the institution. Consistent with prior research, cost negatively predicted GPA and retention status both during the first year and for the duration of students’ enrollment at the institution. Qualitative analysis produced multiple themes that differentiated “High Cost” students from their “Low Cost” peers, in that they focused on self-regulation as opposed to deep understanding, expressed concern about incompetence and failure, and prioritized non-academic activities. Taken together, these findings suggest that cost is a prominent aspect of the collegiate experience, and that initial cost perceptions can serve a catalyst for—or a barrier to—future academic success.