COST FACTORS FOR GRADUATING VARIOUS ABILITY STUDENTS IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE ASSOCIATE DEGREE NURSING PROGRAMS.
Contributors: Florida State University.
Published: 1987
Number of pages: 175
Subjects: Education, Health.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The purpose of the study was to identify, develop, and test a cost-factor analysis process that could be used to determine the comparative cost of graduating different ability students in associate degree nursing programs. The 1982-83 Fall Term entering nursing class at Polk Community College, Winter Haven, Florida, was used for the study, and data were gathered for the terms subjects attempted courses applicable to the nursing degree. On the basis of routine admissions criteria, five groups of subjects were formed according to the following generalizations: (a) highest ranked, (b) superior, (c) average, (d) low-average, and (e) marginal-risk. A sixth group was created for students entering the program using only ACT/SAT scores, nursing scholarship awards, or high school academic honors.

Subject's transcripts were collected and costs were assigned courses using the Community College Management Information System Cost Analysis for Polk Community College. Course costs and financial aid costs were summed according to the years activities occurred. Since 1984 was the expected class graduation year, sums were assigned 1984 cost value by indexing developed from the Consumer Price Index. After indexing, total cost per graduate group means were computed, and rates of attrition and repeated courses were determined for each group.

A random sample one-way analysis of variance formula and a chi-square test were used to test for significant difference among groups concerning the identified characteristics. The following levels of significant differences were discovered: (a) total cost per graduate, .005; (b) frequency of attrition, .05; and (c) frequency of course repetition, .01. Among the five groups using the routine admissions criteria, an inversive relationship was discovered between admissions ranking and total per graduate cost and attrition respectively. With the exception of the low-average group, the same inversive relationship was found for course repetition. Testing suggested that programs should make the cost-factor analysis a part of periodic evaluation and should investigate the refinement of predictive aspects of admissions criteria regarding marginal-risk and possibly other students.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-02, Section: A, page: 0311.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY, 1987.

School code: 0071.