College enrollment and completion is about more than money
Student attendance beyond the freshmen year of college hinges on finances for some students, but most who drop out do so for reasons beyond money, according to a new study. This finding runs contrary to the focus of many states and the federal government on limiting tuition increases at public colleges in efforts to boost enrollment and persistence. The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) study illuminates the need to think holistically about all factors that contribute to student success — which include but aren’t limited to financial need.
It is largely believed that cost is a barrier to college for many, an obstacle that grows as family income decreases. The response to this barrier has been to lobby for increases in financial aid assistance through mechanisms such as the federal Pell grant or state grants for need-based aid. While finances remain an integral barrier to college enrollment, the NBER study indicates that of all those who drop out, more than 80 percent would have done so regardless of finances. (However, of the individuals identifying themselves as financially constrained, nearly half who dropped out did so for financial reasons.)
So why do students leave college if it’s not just for money concerns? Reasons include difficulty in making friends and fitting in, academic struggles, health concerns or the absence of social support systems. This mix of factors can be successfully addressed. An earlier NBER report found that combining increased financial aid with tutoring and academic support resulted in gains in both retention rates and student’s cumulative grade point averages.
Each member college of the Minnesota Private College Council has effective programs (including those provided by student peers) for at-risk students that are readily available through student services offices; these efforts contribute to an overall high graduation rate. For example, Concordia College in Moorhead uses exit surveys to find out why its students withdraw. “When cost is given as a reason, we sometimes find that it’s because students don’t understand the benefit of a private, liberal arts experience; they know they can get a cheaper education from a public institution,” said Mark Krejci, VP for academic affairs. “Other reasons are that the academics are harder than students expected, they get homesick — especially if home is more than 500 miles away — or they want a major that Concordia doesn’t offer.”
Concordia has taken a number of steps to counter the things that can cause students to drop out, Krejci said. “All Concordia freshmen are now required to take an ‘inquiry seminar.’ We identify the students who have poor writing skills and put them in the same cohort. They learn how to make a scholarly argument and write and think critically. We’ve found that freshmen who take these seminars are more likely to succeed academically and return as sophomores.”
For students who are far from home, Concordia will find a faculty or staff member to serve as sort of a “surrogate parent,” Krejci said. He also noted that the school tracks which majors students are seeking if they go elsewhere and has added majors or formed relationships with other institutions — such as its arrangement with the U of M for engineering students. “The primary thing we do is focus on the advising relationship,” said Krejci. “If a student finds a mentor, it makes their experience and retention better.”
Or consider the College of St. Scholastica (CSS); it has a calendar of retention activities that it uses throughout the year, according to Steve Lyons, VP of student affairs. “During the first eight weeks we identify high risk students by meeting with admissions, reviewing confidential parent questionnaires, and by asking RAs to have one-on-one chats and faculty to share early feedback.” CSS also tracks students throughout the year to determine who has not accessed email or used their meal plan or vending, said Lyons. ”We then contact students who are identified this way.” The school requires first-year students to take “Dignitas” — a course which focuses on learning about human dignity from a variety of topics — and it tries to connect first- and second-year students with faculty in their intended majors, Lyons said.
At the College of St. Catherine, few students leave because they don’t like the school or because it is not a good fit, according to Ellen Richter-Norgel, director of student retention. The reasons can be varied, she said, but St. Kate’s has instituted a number of programs in response to specific retention issues. “Some of our students don’t understand their financial aid and have trouble keeping up with the bill,” she said. Since about 10 percent of women admitted to St. Kate’s are “conditionally accepted” due to their lower ACT scores and many are first-generation college students, the school developed LEAP (Learning Enhanced Advising Program). These students take classes together (including “Financial Fitness”) and receive more intensive support. Due to some new components, the persistence rate of students has increased since last fall,” Richter-Norgel said. St. Kate’s also offers programs geared to specific populations such as its Hmong students. “This summer we did a Hmong family orientation and had a translator. It was very moving to see how much these parents want their daughters to succeed in college.”
Although finances are an issue for most students who attend college, it is clear that a variety of elements of the educational experience can be addressed to help students stay and complete their education. And all students can benefit from developing an understanding that asking for help is an essential part of learning.
Resources for further reading:
- The Effect of Credit Constraints on the College Drop-Out Decision, National Bureau of Economic Research
- Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition by Vincent Titnto, offers an overview of successful student retention structures.