Mid-Western Educational Research Association: Exploring the Relationship Between Student Involvement and First- to Second-Year Retention at Four-Year Postsecondary Institutions

• In Event: The Consortium of State and Regional Educational Research Associations Distinguished Paper Session 4

Abstract

Increasing students’ involvement on campus is one of the best practices to increase college student retention. Using data from the Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002), this study investigated the relationships between first-to-second year retention and student involvement indicators. Logistic regression analysis was employed to explain the relationships. The sample included 6,283 first-time, first-year undergraduate students who were enrolled in public or not-for-profit private four-year postsecondary institutions across the country in the fall of 2004. Results show that student-advisor interaction, student-faculty interaction, extracurricular activities participation, and library utilization were positively associated with first-to-second year, fall-to-fall retention. Recommendations for future research and practitioners are discussed.

Authors

• Min Xiao, University of Kentucky

• Kelly D. Bradley, University of Kentucky

• Jungmin Lee, University of Kentucky