A descriptive evaluation of persisters and non-persisters in Texas community colleges

Abstract

This research was conducted for the purpose of determining characteristics of sophomores in community colleges. A selective sample of freshmen and sophomores enrolled in three Gulf Coast community colleges were given the Holland Vocational Preference Inventory, College Inventory of Academic Adjustment, and a Student Questionnaire. Mean scores on these instruments, scores on the American College Test and overall grade point ratios were used to determine whether there were significant statistical differences between freshmen and sophomores. Deviation from standards established for each variable or characteristic common to sophomores might indicate reasons why freshmen do not persist in the community college. The findings of the investigation were the following. (1) Sophomores were found to have significantly higher means than freshmen on ten variables on the single source of variance. (2) Sophomores exhibited higher means than freshmen on seven variables analyzed by double and triple interaction of variances. (3) Females scored higher means on twelve variables than did male students from single source of variance. (4) Males scored higher means on nine variables than did females from single source of variance. (5) Male means were higher than female means on the Enterprising Scale on the interaction of sources of variance. Significant differences were considered important at the .05 level of confidence. ...