The Effect of Socioeconomic Status on Year-to-Year Persistence of First-Generation and Continuing Generation Students at Two-Year and Four-Year Institutions: Developing a Conceptual Model

Estimating the persistence of first-time students from the first year to the second year of college is a growing social and financial concern for postsecondary education. Studying how socioeconomic status affects year-to-year persistence may help to identify and assist those students who had socioeconomic profiles most likely to indicate challenges to year-to-year persistence. This study used data from the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:96/98). BPS is a nationally representative survey designed to provide additional information about the patterns of educational attainment and persistence for a subset of the more than 51,000 students included in the NPSAS:96 survey. This study used all students enrolled as first-time beginning students at two-year and four-year institutions. The purpose of this study was to develop and test a theoretical framework to describe the year-to-year persistence of beginning postsecondary education students at both two-year and four-year institutions. The preliminary model included 39 literaturebased variables coded and grouped into seven factors: background, high school, collegeentry, financial, social integration, academic integration, and college performance. The data were tested using descriptive statistics and logistic regression to determine the correct predictive percentage of the models for first-generation and continuing-generation students, only first-generation students, and only continuing-generation students at both two-year and four-year institutions. The tested models can be used as a method to identify students who may struggle with persistence decisions. Identification of students in need may help postsecondary Settle, Jim, 2005, UMSL, p. 3 educators to provide services and interventions that will facilitate the year-to-year persistence of these students. This model could be easily adapted to a specific institution, and the validity of the model assessed longitudinally with year-to-year persistence of the students. Social capital variables, particularly student integration to the collegiate environment, are strongly associated with persistence of first-generation students at both types of institutions. Contact between the student and faculty member outside of the classroom environment is critical to the persistence of students. The student must match with the social and academic environment of the campus. Settle, Jim, 2005, UMSL, p. 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This material is based upon work supported by the Association for Institutional Research, the National Center for Education Statistics, and the National Science Foundation under the Association for Institutional Research Grant Number 03-303. Thanks to Dr. Terrence Russell and Alicia Trexler for their assistance and support for the dissertation grant and for the Cameron Fincher Fellow Award through the Association for Institutional Research. My gratitude to the faculty and staff at the University of Missouri – St. Louis, most especially to the dissertation committee members: Dr. James Cofer, Dr. Charles Schmitz, Dr. Shawn Woodhouse, and Dr. Patricia Somers. Special thanks to Dr. Somers, who helped me countless times with her wit, her insight, and her support for my persistence in this program. After talking with dozens and dozens of other “baby docs” out there, I know Patricia Somers is a special advisor who works much more closely and collaboratively with her students than most others. This program was never easy, but the support and steadiness of Dr. Somers made attainment of this educational achievement possible. Thanks, Dr. Somers! I appreciate the support from my two employers who have generously assisted with time away from duties and with some financial support, Southeast Missouri State University and Texas State University-San Marcos. I also thank my supervisor, Dr. John Garrison, for his motivation and support. I appreciate the collaboration and support from my colleagues at Texas State University-San Marcos, who generously helped insure I had the time, energy, and motivation to finish the research and the dissertation. Settle, Jim, 2005, UMSL, p. 5 Special thanks to my parents, who have been supportive, who listened, and who motivated me as I worked through this program. I also thank members of the “Tribe” who helped me, provided moral support, and were my only real social outlet during the process – thanks to Lori, J., Cheryl, and Judy. Settle, Jim, 2005, UMSL, p. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT. 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 6 LIST OF TABLES. 11 LIST OF FIGURES . 13 CHAPTER 1 . 14 Introduction to the Study . 14 Introduction. 14 Background of the Study . 16 Statement of the Problem. 18 Research questions. 19 Significance of the Study. 21 Discussion of audience to whom the study will be important . 21 Description of Study Relevance.21 Limitations and Assumptions . 22 Definition of Terms. 22 First-generation student . 22 Continuing-generation student.22 Social capital . 23 Socioeconomic status.23 Within-year persistence . 23 Year-to-year persistence . 23 Organization of the study. 23 CHAPTER 2 . 25 Review of Literature . 25 Introduction. 25 College Choice. 25 Social Capital Theory . 27 Introduction to the Types of Capital . 27 Cultural capital. 28 Economic capital. 29 Social capital . 29 Persistence. 33 Introduction.33 History of Higher Education and Persistence Studies . 33 Overview of early history . 33 Federal involvement begins . 34 Post Civil War through World War I. 36 Settle, Jim, 2005, UMSL, p. 7 The Influence of Wars . 37 Post World War II to 1965. 39 The Higher Education Act of 1965 and Subsequent Reauthorizations . 41 Middle Income Students, Recent Developments . 41 Theory. 42 Introduction.42 Durkheim . 43 Van Gennep . 44 Spady.45 Tinto.48 Pascarella and Terenzini . 53 Bean . 55 Tierney . 56 Integrated Theories and Theorists. 58 Cabrera, Nora, & Castaneda . 58 Perna, Somers, Woodhouse, and Cofer . 58 Social Capital and Persistence . 59 Minority College