A study of characteristics that contribute to persistence of adult commuter students who earn 60 or more hours of college credit

• Main Author: Smith, Dorace F.
• Other Authors: Gridley, Betty E.
• Format: Others
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Commuting college students > Psychology.; Commuting college students > Middle West.; Persistence.; Adult education > Middle West > Case studies.
• Online Access: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/handle/180878; http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1117654

Researchers report the need for attrition and persistence studies of adult college students. While adults are enrolling in colleges in record numbers, high percentages are also dropping out. The majority of studies have been completed on 18 to 21 year-old traditional students who have different views, perspectives, and needs than adult students. The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics that have contributed to the persistence of adult commuter students who have earned 60 or more semester hours of college credit.The study was conducted at a midsize midwestern commuter college. The model of Bean and Metzner (1985) was used for the study. Evidence was gathered by in-depth, structured interviews of 20 college students who had completed 60 or more hours of college credit. Using a qualitative analysis, responses were transcribed and inserted in a prestructured case outline. Contact summary sheets, clusters, a frequency network, and two matrices were constructed to weigh the evidence, the characteristics that contributed to persistence, and to note the themes and patterns.The research indicated students varied by ethnicity, social class, and gender. Conclusions were that self-reliance was a characteristic of persistent students who assumed control for selecting courses, attending classes, and studying. Social support from outside or inside the university and a time commitment to college were important. Sufficient study skills, the discipline to study alone, and time management skills were also hallmarks of the successful students. The student's perception that the student was succeeding the first year of college appeared to be important. Beginning college at risk appeared to make only a slight difference in students at 60 or more hours of college.Implications were that administrators should educate students as to what characteristics contribute to success, and, when possible, provide characteristics of success so adult students persist to degree completion. Providing characteristics of success may promote persistence more than eliminating characteristics of dropouts. Recommendations were made for further gender, ethnic, socioeconomic, and developmental studies. === Department of Educational Leadership